Microsoft confirms official support of Blu-ray

by Terrence Stasse { Mar 12th 2008 at 2:30PM }

It's been bandied about before, but now we have real word from Microsoft that they are indeed going to be supporting the defacto winner of the format war. With Sony saying that they were "in talks" with Microsoft, and a clam-like strategy being adopted by Microsoft, no one was quite sure just how spited they were towards Blu-ray. This is jus the confirmation of things though, with Microsoft admitting that it is trying to figure out the best way to connect with Blu-ray, and that it is working on different ways to integrate the Blu-ray devices and technology into Microsoft products across the board, including Windows.

Tags: blu-ray, microsoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Chris @ Mar 12th 2008 2:37PM

This will piss the ps3fanboys off lol

Christian King @ Mar 12th 2008 2:46PM

I'm looking forward to connecting a Blu-Ray player to my Xbox

Cyrus @ Mar 12th 2008 2:49PM

..."And in other hews, Hell has frozen over."

emirabal @ Mar 12th 2008 2:49PM

Now i can aim to get the 360BLU-ELITE SKU when it comes out and have the Dark Blue Xbox360 that plays blu ray discs and has an hdmi output and a 300 gb hard drive for the transferring of movies in a smaller format similar to the psp conversion from blu ray discs, woooo, i can dream cant I.

xenocidic @ Mar 12th 2008 2:51PM

EH AND I JUST BOUGHT A GOSH-DARN HD-DVDEN !!!

;>

Sean @ Mar 12th 2008 2:51PM

So we have the best games, and now support for the optical disk format - whereas the PS3 just has the latter, oh boy :)

Syn @ Mar 12th 2008 2:52PM

@Chris

Why would this piss off PS3Fanboys?

webster1990 @ Mar 12th 2008 2:53PM

clam-like?

Don @ Mar 12th 2008 2:58PM

Actually Chris, I own a PS3, have never owned anything other than Playstation, and I find this news pretty cool. It must have been bitter sweet for Sony to head the negotiations with MicroSoft. This is actually great news too because the more you integrate blu-ray, the more it will start to drive the cost down. It's actually better for all of us that own Sony.

ZEBRA NINER @ Mar 12th 2008 2:54PM

Lame. I guess it's good to head off the people considering buying a PS3 for the blu-ray player... If it's not dirt cheap, I don't see why people wouldn't just put down the extra cash and get a gaming system out of it too.

Garrett Hedley @ Mar 12th 2008 3:01PM

It was fun while it lasted...
You won Sony, this time.
-_-

JakubK666 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:06PM

@ Zebra back in times, PS3 WAS the cheapest Blu-Ray player but this sad myth just hangs onto this console.

thisguyrighthere @ Mar 12th 2008 3:07PM

Still don't care about movies. Won't be buying a blu-ray anytime in the foreseeable future.

Chris @ Mar 12th 2008 3:11PM

@syn

Why would people buy a ps3 now ?

Eric B @ Mar 12th 2008 3:13PM

This is a good thing. Bluray won the format war and Microsoft has recognized it and is making efforts to implement it. I was looking at buying a PS3 for the Bluray, but now I think I might just wait and see what the price of the addon to the xbox might be.

joba78 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:14PM

I believe the Blu-Ray player will be an add-on that looks just like the HD-DVD add-on; except in a diff color scheme.

MS can use existing materials to produce the hardware and claim support for the format. Win-win!

I caught an HD_DVD drive for $50...I think it will be my only stop in this HD disc media forest. Games are not benefitting from using these discs IMO

Sky Shark X2 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:14PM

Well Sony's probably gonna loose the lowest Priced Blu Ray player in a few months, won't suprise me if Microsoft does a Price drop then realeases a Blu Ray Add on that when bought along with the Arcade SKU would still be lower than the PS3 base model.

boomh4u3r @ Mar 12th 2008 3:19PM

Games on BR perhaps?

Boomh4u3r @ Mar 12th 2008 3:20PM

Games on BR for 360?

ZEBRA NINER @ Mar 12th 2008 3:21PM

Jakub666, even if it's still not the cheapest, it's a matter of value. Consumers will think, "if I just pay a little more I can play games too."

So, which blu-ray player is cheaper than the ps3? Just curious.

tritosk8 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:23PM

yea thats cool but if your going to buy a addon that only plays movies not bluray games thats kind of expensive
you have to buy
1.xbox 360
2.$200 bluray addon which takes up space and some of the profits go to sony as it is co owner of bluray....it sucks for us:( ps3 already has bluray built in and its games use it....pretty much a waste to buy this bluray addon if you ask me just pay a $100 more to get a ps3 then you get games and bluray....

PSN:Fatalassassain XBL:Fata7assassain @ Mar 12th 2008 3:23PM

Syn @ Mar 12th 2008 3:26PM

@Chris

Consumers would rather own a Blu-Ray player that is one device, not having to buy a 360, and then a Blu-Ray add-on.

So if you are saying the PS3 is sold on its Blu-Ray player, Consumers who don't own either, would still prefer the PS3 based on the desire to not be bothered with other purchases just to play Blu-Ray.

sambob117 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:51PM

sweet! I'll have both formats, get the cheap hd dvd's and everything else in bluray

xFenixKnightx @ Mar 12th 2008 3:39PM

I say they make an add-on AND make the next 60gb sku with an internal player. That way they dont screw anyone over.

So if you already have a 360, pick up the add-on. If you dont, then get the one with internal bluray.

Somebody give me a job at Microsoft damnit! =P

Bluemanrule @ Mar 12th 2008 3:44PM

As the lead in Starcraft II states, 'Hell! It's about time!" I would like to see a blu-ray external drive that could be accessed for games. I KNOW this will never happen but I would enjoy that. Lost Odyssey on 1 disc would be nice.

An internal would limit choice for consumers which conflicts with MS's line of giving the consumer choice. They've used this line since 2005 and it looks like they're sticking to it.

Terror @ Mar 12th 2008 4:13PM

I saw the part about windows, but missed the section on 360. MS is willing to give customers a choice on the PC, 360 = no blu ray for games DD for movies. I've asked this before, why doesn't MS just partmer with Samsung? They'e part of the Blu-Ray group, and have a good working relationship with MS.

Commentor @ Mar 12th 2008 4:14PM

This is actually good news for all console owners. I'm happy to see companies like MS and Sony come to an agreement that shows fanboys of any particular console that the so called "system wars" only exists among the ignorant. Business is business. I don't have to own an X360 (but may buy one soon) to see that this was a smart move by MS. Gratz to them sealing the deal. Blu-ray for everyone!

Viridium @ Mar 12th 2008 4:17PM

"Why would people buy a ps3 now ?"
Only owning a 360 and still loving it (although having seen the PS3 in action), it's because by all rights the PS3 is a better movie player, and it's a self contained unit.

doom saber @ Mar 12th 2008 4:17PM

Spin, spin, spin. I like how before, during the hd vs bd war, ppl were saying how the ps3 made a mistake for having BD and that the 360 is superior for having HD. Now, with the news that MS is now supporting the BD format, those very same ppl(I assume,) are now saying that the 360 will be even better than the PS3 because of BD support. Bias much?

gamerismyname @ Mar 12th 2008 5:08PM

if you guys read the original article when first published, you would know that sony, and ps3fanboy loves it.. first, MS acknowledged that this would drive up the cost and price for the knew system, plus it was only for BlueRay movie player. meaning, MS will still use the smaller DVD format, and Sony has a patent on logo, and player designs, so thats why MS talked to them.. Meaning, Sony will make money off every XBOX with BlueRay. How sweet of a deal is that?

Iliad Force @ Mar 12th 2008 5:15PM

What does it mean to be "spited towards" something?

Terrence Stasse @ Mar 12th 2008 5:20PM

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spite

FatalisticDread @ Mar 12th 2008 11:31PM

Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. When video games were showing up in our stores in cartridge form, those were proprietary. Under no circumstances could you put an SNES game into a Sega Genesis. That hasn't changed with the current-gen systems, but because of the software, not the medium on which it arrives. I'm sure you'll all correct me if I'm wrong, but the PS3 hasn't used the BD for many games yet, which means that the DVD is still the main form of media we're dealing with for all three systems.

So, since we have established that all (with a few exceptions) games have been released on DVD format, doesn't that mean that the DVD Forum gets some money for all of those drives and discs? How is this any different?

Microsoft wasn't a main partner of the DVD Forum, so they have been pushing money out this whole time. Sony was/is a partner so they've been making money on all the 360's so far anyway.

I think most people are forgetting that the technology is owned by other companies. The fact that Sony is an electronics company and Microsoft is a software company seems to bypass nearly everyone involved in this argument. Every BenQ DVD drive that shows up in a 360 has to be paid for before installed, so how would a BD drive (add-on or otherwise) be any different? Sony's not the only one getting the payments.

Plus, there has to be ONE standard moving forward and it can only be one or the other. All those DVD players and DVD drives could have been DIVX drives...and then somebody else would have been getting all that money.

Meh, I have the HD-DVD add-on and a PS3, so it never really mattered to me anyway, but whatever.

Valr @ May 2nd 2008 9:36PM

"correct me if I'm wrong, but the PS3 hasn't used the BD for many games yet,"

Actually, every one of my PS3 games are on bluray discs.

penguincomrade @ Mar 13th 2008 2:57AM

I find it strange really, on reuters it says otherwise:

Microsoft says no Blu-ray for Xbox 360 | Special Coverage | Reuters:
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1224707720080313

So which one is it? Yes or No?

Chris1007 @ Mar 13th 2008 4:58AM

Well, in the unlikely occurrance that there is a new SKU with an integrated Blu-Ray drive, it will more than likely have 'Sony' written on the drive.

Whatever happens Sony are going to make a lot of money from this, which could offset a price drop for the ps3.

Fetcher @ Mar 13th 2008 1:01PM

@FatalisticDread
"I'm sure you'll all correct me if I'm wrong, but the PS3 hasn't used the BD for many games yet, which means that the DVD is still the main form of media we're dealing with for all three systems."

As far as I know, every PS3 game is encoded on a Blu-Ray Disc (BD), not a DVD. However, if you're talking space usage, I'd wager that several games have used more than 9GB of storage space (as someone mentioned earlier, it's too bad Lost Odyssey isn't available of BD, since it would be one disc).

Clearly, there is a need for more space/less compression. It would be nice if MS could integrate Blu-Ray, but it won't happen for them this generation (as others have mentioned, there are myriad reasons for this).