Stan Glasgow, Sony US president, says that they are in talks with Microsoft to add Blu-ray drives to their hardware. And right now, the only hardware Microsoft has is the Xbox 360.
This was announced at a media dinner, where it was also mentioned that similar talks are taking place with Apple. Up until now, both Apple and Microsoft have had some focus on downloadable high-definition content, though Glasgow isn't worried about this content overtaking Blu-ray.
“Downloading will build over time, but this will be over a period of years,” he said.
The Financial Times points out that a Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with Sony, but at the same time would have them paying out extra revenues to Sony. It would also probably mean a more expensive Xbox 360.
If talks are going on, Microsoft isn't fessing up: ”We have made no such announcement. Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available.”
It's hard for me to imagine this happening, at least right now. We've been hearing rumors for some time, but I think Microsoft would lose some face if they included Blu-ray in their console too early.
What do you think? Are we still of the "don't care about movies in our game consoles" stance?
[Via Wired]
Contest:
9:51 AM on 03.07.2008
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I can see a Blu-Ray add-on just for movie playback though.
Who said they were adding it to hardware available now?
Blu Ray in the 3rd Xbox, you heard it here first.
Apple Inc.
Dell Inc.
Hewlett-Packard Company
Hitachi, Ltd.
LG Electronics
Mitsubishi Electric
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
Sun Microsystems
TDK Corporation
Thomson SA
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
I aint watchin no movie with those fans whining either. By the end of the year I am pretty sure we will £100 players which will not suck electric like Jude Law in AI.
A Blu add-on for the 360 would be fine with me. But in all likelihood, is Sony ready to allow their main gaming competitor to release a potential Profile 2.0 player that would undercut their own PS3, the "lowest" and futureproof Blu player currently on the market?
For once, I'm going to defy Ron Workman. Microsoft will do this. Maybe not this year, maybe not even for the 360, but Microsoft WILL go Blu-Ray, provided that BRD continues to sell and its sales improve. If MS doesn't, then they will eventually be left in the dust, similar to how Nintendo currently is, technologically speaking, inferior in the hardware department. The next generation (not the current gen, the literal "next") will demand HD discs.