Gizmodo has an exclusive interview with Microsoft CEO's Steve Ballmer going up in full this Friday. Until then, they're releasing little clips from the interview and the one they have up right now sees the CEO talking about Natal, and more importantly, a Blu-ray add-on accessory for the Xbox 360.
Gizmodo asked Steve Ballmer on whether we'll see any Xbox 360s with a Blu-ray drive to which Ballmer replied by stating that "you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories." No time frame is given for when we'll see this Blu-ray accessory and Xbox spokespeople avoided answering the question when Gizmodo pressed for further information.
So after all this time, a Blu-ray accessory is coming to the Xbox 360. Neato? I don't know about you, but I'm just going to sit back and watch as the entire Internet collapses from the fanboy war that's about to unfold.
[via Geoff Keighley's Twitter]
[Update: Stop the press! This looks to be a misunderstanding, with a Microsoft representitive issuing this statement to us on the matter:
"Steve was referring to Blu-ray accessories for the PC. As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360. In fact, the future of home entertainment starts this fall when Xbox 360 becomes the first and only console to offer instant-on 1080p streaming HD movies. With a library of thousands of TV shows and movies to choose from, Xbox 360 owners can instantly watch the movies they want, when they want, in the highest form of high definition."]
Contest:
11:35 PM on 10.21.2009
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And even still, it's a great marketing choice, sell a blu-ray add on for only $100 to the already impressive Xbox 360 install base! Who doesn't want a cheap blu-ray player?
I foresee great Fanboy Friday material from this.
I think an add-on will come, and possibly something like what I mentioned. After all, MS would make a killing off Natal alone, so why not pair it with a Blu-ray 360?
BUT IT'S GOT TALLADEGA NIGHTS! IT'S GOT THE BLU-RAY!
You just made my night Hamza.
They're useful because it doesn't wear out your 360's disk drive, but they do require they're own separate power cord. :/ I'm assuming this will be the exact same concept.
Oh well, so much for the digital distribution model MS was pushing.
PS3 FANBOY CHECKING IN.
(not really. But LOL BLURAY)
haha
100 for wifi adapter +
100 blu-ray add-on +
50 for xbox live +
______________________
Grand total = 550$
M$ had to bite the bullet and allow Blu-Ray or be left behind.
At least my PS3 has the Blu-Ray included and it's not an extra cost peripheral.
PS3 +1
M$ -1
Don´t Complain, for me to have it, its just the double + A SHITLOAD of taxes!
and i´ll glad to pay for it! Ok, not to glad, but i´ll!! Will be more cheap than to buy a ps3 or a blu-ray driver in here!
Oh Yeah Hamza.. and they started pretty soon! Already crying aboUt their little Jack in the Box! ;) Hehe Just love it!
That's what you get for having an old model 360 and then a refurbished one. RROD is non-existant with newer models. Get with the times.
We'll see if MS is smart enough to do that though. That being said, I think it would be even smarter if they just made bluray and wifi internal to the 360.
Oh of course! How silly to be mad that if you bought a 360 before October 2008 you should be so SMART as to fork out for another 360 just so you don't have to keep getting your fucked piece of hardware fixed....how silly of us -_- My 360 hangs on, but 1 mate is on his second. Another is gonna be on his 3ed because he just got it again. Oh and the other who is on his 8th....I kid you NOT. To all that say this will be $100...hahahahaha a G wifi adapter, so easy to put internally is $100. As if something that isn't NEEDED is gonna be $100
So, does anyone think that there will be any games released that require the blu-ray player, or will this strictly be for movies? I have a stand-alone player and one on my computer already, so I don't need it for the movies, but the games issue is what has piqued my interest.
"Why do you want to watch HD-DVD with Blu-Ray on?"
"Because I like to party."
i think there will be games just because i think that 360 devs are going to need the space that blu ray discs provide
If they go that route, I guess I'm going to have to buy one. There's always the danger of Microsoft splitting their user base if that turns out to be true...I can't wait to read the actual details of what their plan is.
sony and nintendo are both segregating the market with their hand helds
and microsoft would be smart and not smart to make blu ray only games.
1) 360 loyalists would make the purchase
2) some would be turned off from the extra cost
so there are positives and negatives
and i dont have any doubt that bluray will be standard
If you REALLY want a Blu-ray player, cut the price of the adapters, the online subscription, memory cards, and quite possibly the costly blu-ray and other useless accessories by doing yourself a favor and purchasing a PS3. With the games you obtain, the times you spend, and the money you save you'll thank yourself later.
I'm guessing this thing will cost at least $100. If it costs much more, why not buy a stand alone player or even a PS3 at this point?
Honestly, I have a PS3 and I don't buy/rent BluRays. I have a 42" 1080p TV and my good ol' DVDs still look fantastic on it. I don't think you really need BluRay unless your TV is as big as a queen-sized mattress.
do you play DVDs on your ps3?
and there really is a difference between BR and DVD
I've played DVDs and BluRays on my PS3. I rented some BluRays from Netflix. It's better... but not that much better in my opinion. DVDs are still good enough. Maybe when I can get new BluRays under $20 regularly, I'll switch. Until then, it's not worth the extra cost to me.
If you're not playing BL movies... well.. that's your loss. I mean, if you're trying to say there's no difference between DVD and BR... you're wrong.