Is it in Microsoft's best interest to release a Blu-ray add-on?

[MerrickG]

Ok, apparently and I stress apparently that Toshiba Japan has made it official that they are stopping all HD-DVD production.

See this article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/techn...37974620080216

IN MY OPINION, now that the format war is officially over we can reasonably expect to see bluray player sales pick up (therefore PS3 sales).

However, the more PS3's being sold, the harder it is for MS to gain a greater share in the console market.

SO my question to everybody is this:
Is it in Microsofts best interest to quickly get a bluray player add-on to take away some of those buyers who would pick up a PS3 instead.


Yes, I have posted this same thread in other forums.

[unreal1080p]

Is it in Microsoft's best interest to release a bluray add-on?

Not in Sony's (or the BDA's) best interest (associating with RROD) = WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

[Silver Spork]

It really is their only option at this point. With a single HD standard, many more consumer will start picking up blu-ray disks, and they will need something to play it on. For many of those people, they will see the added value in also having a both a blu-ray player and a game console and will decide to pick up a PS3. Additionally, as the PS3's game library grows there will be those who will those who end up trading in their Xbox 360 so that they may get the best of both worlds with a PS3. Microsoft not only needs to sell a blu-ray add on, but they also need to sell it for an affordable price.

[owa]

Tough one. Part of me thinks that they should since it'll only help blu-ray become more mainstream. But, part of me hopes that they don't since I want the PS3 to have that advantage. Sony took a big risk with the PS3 in that regard so I hope they're rewarded on the console side of things as well. I'll let you know which part of me wins out later.


unreal1080p, I don't think the BDA can refuse a company in that regard.

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by owa

unreal1080p, I don't think the BDA can refuse a company in that regard.

IMHO, I think you are DEAD wrong on this one. Politics enter business everyday and this would just be one of those times where politics would trump $$$... IMHO.

[MasterXeus]

Originally Posted by merrick97

SO my question to everybody is this:
Is it in Microsofts best interest to quickly get a bluray player add-on to take away some of those buyers who would pick up a PS3 instead.

Yes, it's in their best interest.

Microsoft has stated that if Blu-ray won the war that a blu-ray player add-on was likely. I guess we'll wait and see.

[ezcobar411]

I don't think that Microshaft will do it. They will continue to push downloads

[Smackos]

Hmmmnn... its in MICROSOFTS interests but like the rumour about an xbox 360 with a built in blu-ray drive there's just no chance at the moment. With Blu-ray inside the PS 3 does hold something over the xbox and it's a yard stick Sony can shove in Microsofts face time and time again. If Microsoft and Nintendo are pretty much stuck with dvd for they're next consoles then they're basically left in the dark ages while Sony kicks the crap outta them. The only way it'll happen is if microsoft shed a serious ton of cash that'd more than make up for that factor.. and I don't think Microsoft want to go about doing that. Mind you, another possibility I suppose is that Microsoft's next console does indeed use HD-DVD, lets face it they'd be in an ideal bargaining position to get the rights for cheap especially now but either way they'd still be left with a console that can't(hopefully by then)play the standard format of the time..

[Stuart_Larkin]

honestly I welcome this.
But MY blu-ray player is the PS3.
But Now I need a cheap blu-ray player to go into other rooms of the house.

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by MasterXeus

Microsoft has stated that if Blu-ray won the war that a blu-ray player add-on was likely. I guess we'll wait and see.

The KEY words in there are "Microsoft has stated".... The BDA and SONY never said it would be allowed... Microsoft would just end up bellitling Blu-Ray in favor of downloads anyway.

[jk1138]

I would love to see this happen, but even as a diehard XBOX 360 fan, not even I think it will happen any time soon. If BD replaces DVD then it will have to happen, but both a a long way off.

[Smackos]

Besides which, I've owned a HD-DVD drive add-on and I can tell you now.. the bloody sound of the xbox 360 is just too irritatingly high to watch a film by. That would'nt change with a blu-ray drive attached so I would'nt be getting one either way.

[BluRayExplosion]

I think a far more interesting question is what will M$ do with the 720? We all know that they're trying to move everything towards downloads, but I don't think even Microsoft is ludicrous enough to think that they can release a console (by 2010) without an optical media format.

If games in this generation (MGS4) are already approaching 50GB I find it inconceivable that a company could (affordably) integrate a HD big enough to hold more than half a dozen games (next generation's games will likely be even bigger) ESPECIALLY with the current trend of moving to Solid State drives, which won't be as affordable as HDD's for a long time. Sure I guess they could include a 1/2-1 TB HDD but Jesus.....once again, I know it's M$, but theres a point where I can't believe anyone could possibly be that stupid....

[mightypen]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

Not in Sony's (or the BDA's) best interest= WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

I thought the goal was to replace the dvd and sell more blu ray discs? A sub 200$ player (hello assumption!) which requires the 360 only threatens sony, not the rest of the group's manufacturers.

I think they like money and want more of it.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

IMHO, I think you are DEAD wrong on this one. Politics enter business everyday and this would just be one of those times where politics would trump $$$... IMHO.

Read what our insiders have said on this matter.

No, they can't.

[Teazle]

For starters they should make the HDD upgradable (like PS3 does) and allow plug-in external HDD via USB (also like PS3 does). That would shunt the worry about not enough disk space onto the consumer; MS wouldn't have to worry about whether they included enough bytes in their console.

As for the question of Blu-ray, it's more a sales & marketing than a technological question. If the games content is to be all downloadable, could MS really get by without retailers? Could they voluntarily restrict their market to people with broadband internet and still have a viable games business? (Not that the Xbox business is viable now...)

[hardcore_canadian]

I don't think it'd help Microsoft to Release an Add-On. They Don't make any Money of Blu-Rays do they? They Have no membership or payout from it, No patents or anything do they? They PS3 makes Sony money through sales of Blu-Rays and Games, so the Add-On won't really make them any Money will it?

I asked this in question form, because it's my understanding, but I'm not 100% sure of this. So Correct if I'm wrong please

[BluRayExplosion]

Originally Posted by Teazle

For starters they should make the HDD upgradable (like PS3 does) and allow plug-in external HDD via USB (also like PS3 does).

As for the question of Blu-ray, it's more a sales & marketing than a technological question. If the games content is to be all downloadable, could MS really get by without retailers? Could they voluntarily restrict their market to people with broadband internet and still have a viable games business? (Not that the Xbox business is viable now...)

The thing is once games start getting up to 50 GB or higher, you're going to need more than broadband... we're talking fiber optics, which I doubt will achieve even 5 percent home penetration by the time the next Xbox is released.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by Teazle

For starters they should make the HDD upgradable (like PS3 does) and allow plug-in external HDD via USB (also like PS3 does). That would shunt the worry about not enough disk space onto the consumer; MS wouldn't have to worry about whether they included enough bytes in their console.

As for the question of Blu-ray, it's more a sales & marketing than a technological question. If the games content is to be all downloadable, could MS really get by without retailers? Could they voluntarily restrict their market to people with broadband internet and still have a viable games business? (Not that the Xbox business is viable now...)

They'd have to change their DRM validation scheme, since currently, part of it is tied to the HDD.

[Sonny]

Hell NO!!!! Its still fresh in my mind when they were "Toying" with the idea of a built in HDDVD drive xbox...POS