Rumor: MS to announce Blu-ray 360 tomorrow [update]
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jun 8th 2008 at 12:30PM }
Coming from the folks over at CrunchGear and their tipster who supposedly has a "close friend" within Microsoft's E&D division, we get word that Microsoft is set to announce a new Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360 console Monday morning at 9:00AM pacific, an hour before Apple's WWDC. A Blu-ray Xbox 360 announcement that is said to confirm the new console's release this holiday at a price point lower than what the Elite currently sells for and an announcement whose aim is take the tech limelight away from Apple and their iPhone. Right ...
We have a few problems with this Blu-ray rumor, the first being that it's yet another Blu-ray Xbox 360 rumor. Seeing that EVERY time there has been speculation of Microsoft announcing this mysterious console, it never comes to fruition followed by MS's adamant denials. Our second issue with this rumor is the fact that the tipster links this MS announcement with Apple's conference where they claim MS will try to upstage the WWDC big reveals. Hmm, since when were MS and Apple duking it out in the video game market and since when have Apple loyalists ever been impressed by MS news? Seriously? We're beginning to think we should create a "Blu-ray Rumor" category to house all this "news".
[Via Gizmodo, Thanks Jon Oransky]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Arno @ Jun 8th 2008 12:39PM
Ask me if I care.
Dustin Burg @ Jun 8th 2008 12:42PM
Hey Arno, I have a very quick question for you ... Do you care?
DemonGSides @ Jun 8th 2008 1:42PM
All signs point to...
Maybeh.
Arno @ Jun 8th 2008 2:24PM
No, Dustin, I don't care.
DaveC @ Jun 8th 2008 3:19PM
I wouldn't take that Dustin.
Dustin Burg @ Jun 8th 2008 3:48PM
Arno, I formally challenge you to a PB&J eat-off for your anti-Halo Wars sentiment. Do you accept my challenge or are you a coward?
EdgeOne @ Jun 8th 2008 9:52PM
"Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry." you idiots
Arno @ Jun 10th 2008 10:45AM
Dustin, I accept. You name the time and place. You, sir, will provide the milk while I'll bring the PB&J.
EC @ Jun 8th 2008 12:44PM
Microsoft would be dumb to think a Blu-Ray 360 would even put a dent in what's going to be announced at WWDC tomorrow. I'm not quite sure a simple addition to a gaming platform will hinder an announcement of a new iPhone and some of the other things Apple has up their sleeves for the keynote.
These rumors are starting to get ridiculous. Do any of us really care anymore? I'm fine with my Blu Ray-less 360.
Robert @ Jun 8th 2008 1:05PM
I think this rumor is only the imagination of an Apple fanboy that think that a new iPhone is the second coming and that MS needs to do something to hide that
Raul @ Jun 8th 2008 12:45PM
We Care A Lot!
Mythor @ Jun 8th 2008 12:47PM
The bit that I find hard to believe is that a 360 with Blu-Ray would somehow come in under the current Elite pricing. You have to figure it'd have the HDMI port. Maybe they'd lose the HDD to cut the price down?
Still not sure it'd cover the development costs and the Blu-Ray drive...
Michael Paul @ Jun 8th 2008 12:54PM
If you get a big enough discount ordering 18,000,000 Blu-Ray drives for delivery over the next 2 years, maybe it does get cheap enough...
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 1:25PM
The Elite does not comprise 18,000,000 sales over the next year.
Large orders does help with price, but MS has to compare it to the price they get on large orders of DVD drives, not retail as we might think of.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 2:02PM
Er, 2 years.
Troy @ Jun 8th 2008 12:52PM
I'm going to call this bologna because it says "Blu-ray equipped Xbox 360 console" as if it's going to be built in. If MS even does incorporate Blu-ray it will be done so via an add-on like the HD-DVD player. Why, you might ask? So MS does not give a portion of it's profits from console sales to Sony.
callum henderson @ Jun 8th 2008 1:00PM
I was about to order a PS3 tonight purely for blu ray so maybe Ill wait until tomorrow!
NukeAssault @ Jun 8th 2008 1:21PM
Why does such an announced have to happen now! i was gonna get a ps3 next week... but now.
Im in the same boat. Though... i really do wanna play MGS4. =P
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 1:23PM
I'm not sure tomorrow is long enough. I'm starting a rumor that MS is going to announce it a week from tomorrow. And a separate rumor that they are going to announce it two weeks from tomorrow. Needless to say, three weeks from tomorrow is also close at hand.
Ikke2003 @ Jun 8th 2008 1:05PM
Tomorrow at 9? Wow that 30 minutes before the "MGS4 comes to 360" announcement. It's gonna be a great day!
superaktieboy @ Jun 8th 2008 1:09PM
guess we'll see it 2moro :P
mattclarkie @ Jun 8th 2008 1:20PM
Instantly smell BS when it says the Blu-ray 360 will retail for less than the Elite.
So the more expensive to manufacture console will be cheaper. Why would MS do that?
If it is to take Sony sales, well the best way to do that is with an add-on so existing owners wont buy a PS3, and if you want to attract new owners you just bundle new Elite consoles with the add-on.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 1:22PM
An announcement of a new game console config is supposed to upstage Steve Jobs announcing computers and phones? Makes no sense.
I don't really think MS would even attempt to upstage Apple this way, I'd like to think they know better how to get the most from their announcements. If they do try it, they'll likely learn their lesson real quick when it doesn't make a dent in iPhone news.
I don't see this BluRay rumor as being true. A BluRay drive that can also read DVD at 12X is still fairly expensive at this time. I guess this can be covered by jacking the price, but the rumor seems to say this isn't the case.
If this were to happen, it'd be important for the 360 also to gain discrete multichannel audio out over its HDMI, which it currently doesn't support (only compressed multichannel). Over 90% of BluRays have discrete multichannel uncompressed audio tracks and not being able to output them would be rather a problem for the 360. It'd be nice to have it for games too.
I just don't really see all this happening. I wouldn't be surprised to see a "360 slim" at some point, perhaps with some new features like a BluRay player, but I think that'll happen in fall, not June.
The Sound @ Jun 8th 2008 1:36PM
But I thought it was 'about the games' and other such crap like that.
and I instantly call bull on this, mainly for the fact that now that the Wii all but wins this generation BOTH MS and Sony are wanting to make a profit after all the money spent on launching at a loss to the huge R&D losses.
There is no need for MS to include Blu-ray into the 360 because the games will never use it, and will only be there for movies.
DaveC @ Jun 8th 2008 1:38PM
Okay, either all the rumours so far have been fake. OR Microsoft decide not to announce things to spite us for finding out about the announcements first :)
emirabal @ Jun 8th 2008 1:49PM
Waste of my time, even if it does come out im not getting it anytime soon.
SadisticHam @ Jun 8th 2008 1:54PM
Just concentrate on the games, don't care about blu-ray or anything else. Hope this is false.
Magic Whiskey @ Jun 8th 2008 1:58PM
It's inevitable that blu-ray WILL come to the 360 in some fashion. I can't say when or how, but I would assume in the not-too-distant future.
IF such an announcement were made tomorrow, it would be a major news story and forefront on many consumer's minds. Here's my big problem with the info as the lead give us, however.
They mention a Holiday release of this blu-ray 360. No sane consumer would buy a 360 until then which would see store shelves stocked with non-BD 360s. A store stocked full with those items can't stock MORE, so in turn Microsoft would have to have those units sent back to the distributor or other Microsoft business. That would be major waste and major money spent to produce these 360s that ultimately aren't touched.
No, here's what I gotta say and I believe this heartfully: If and when a blu-ray 360 does come to market, you can bet it'll be within 60 days of the press release, not five to six months away.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 2:11PM
Everything you say about stocking and timing makes a ton of sense. Although MS has played this game before. They announced the Elite well before common availability and didn't have to take any units back because it was a new SKU. It didn't replace the premium in MS' mind or lineup, it supplemented it.
So MS could announce this early, if it were a new SKU and not an update of a current SKU. But I still don't see any reason to do so, unless they think it'll blunt PS3 sales from MGS4.
I personally don't think it's inevitable that BluRay will come to 360, and I'm a huge BluRay fan. BluRay movies are not a big force in the market right now and 360 can't make use of BluRay for games with 25M out there already that can't read them.
The replacement for the 360 is perhaps only two years away, so they may just wait for that before adopting BluRay.
Jay900 @ Jun 8th 2008 2:25PM
believe it when i see it :)
emirabal @ Jun 8th 2008 9:19PM
IM WIT YOU KID
SoulPatch @ Jun 8th 2008 2:31PM
All I know is that I will be frustrated if they do not sell an attachment blu-ray drive as well. I mean, I bought an X-box 360 a year and a half ago and I already missed out on the HDMI input, and now Blu-Ray? All this tells me is when the next X-box comes out I will not buy one, I'll just buy the Playstation where I get everything already.
Kevin @ Jun 8th 2008 2:36PM
The release date for Gears Of War 2 has been moved to June 12, 2008.
todd @ Jun 8th 2008 2:35PM
elite, hdmi, blu-ray, 120 gb hd, blue case... only way people would care.
Chris Paladino @ Jun 8th 2008 2:41PM
lolz
modelvillage @ Jun 8th 2008 3:12PM
MS should concentrate their efforts on Xbox 720...theres no guarantee blu ray will be around in 5-10 years anyway - MS doesnt need to help the format along. No one gives a shit about HD movies on disc...
Adam @ Jun 8th 2008 3:30PM
Exactly let it die off like its going to do anyway.Bluray wont be around to long i give it 2 to 4 years till its dead.The sales are close to non existant.I upconvert over 360 hdmi and theres no huge difference.I compared it to my standalone bluray player which i returned because for some reason when images are still on the blurays you get this static background.I thought it was my player but my cousins did the same thing over monster cables on his pioneer elite.
I have a sony 52" 1080 rplcd tv and i like the quality of the upconvert better personaly.
darth balls @ Jun 8th 2008 4:40PM
you are going something wrong if you say upconvert is better on a 52" screen.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 8th 2008 6:38PM
Adam, you need to get your eyes checked or your equipment adjusted. There's absolutely no comparison between 720x480 and 1920x1080.
Adam @ Jun 8th 2008 10:48PM
Maybe you need your brain checked.I find it funny that people are that idiotic that they have to sit and focus in order to see a difference my 80 year old grandmother cant see a difference between upscale and bluray.Upconvert that 480 signal and ups it up to 1080p over hdmi.The result you getting a way better picture than a progressive scan signal over another source.
My sony tv must be pretty kick ass because i have seen the best tvs elites aquos and others and nothing compares.
Bluray has agreat picture and all but you can get the almost the same results with upconversion.I know i have had hddvd bluray and i have a pioneer upconvert player as well as my 360.
If your seeing this stellar difference your a plain idiot who bought into the hype and you shouldnt be watching movies.You should be jerking off to resolution calculations.
People are really stupid ill tell ya.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 9th 2008 3:07AM
Upconversion adds no additional resolution at all, it works like a sharpening filter adding additional bogus information to make your bring think there is more resolution. It is not at all comparable to BluRay.
You cannot have a Sony 52" RP LCDTV as Sony never made such a thing.
They made 42", 50", 55" and 60" RP LCD TVs (I had a 55"). They also made 42", 50", 55", 60" and 70" RP LCOS TVs (friends of mine have 60" and 50" models). Note both of these series are discontinued. They also make 42", 46" and 52" direct-view LCDs (friend has a 52") and soon 56" direct-view LCDs (I think they have a larger one coming too, but I forget).
Mr. Balance @ Jun 8th 2008 3:21PM
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
look at microsoft sweating sony so hard! i thought HD DVD was the future! what happened??? SONY killed you thats what happened. silly assholes need to give it the hell up already. its not like they can put blu ray in the games... its too late for that. go run and make ur xbox 720 because the 360 ran out of games in less then 2 years. pathetic.
Adam @ Jun 8th 2008 3:43PM
Dude are you serious.Last i checked we have more games better rated games better versions of multiplat and were the rpg console this gen.We have the better controller better online better everything.
Go back to your ps3 navigate through the mess you call a xmb and hope one day you can play custom tracks and invite your friends while in game.Maybe you can play kz2 "not coming in 08" how about that amazing game thats supposed to kill everything graphically mgs4 last time i looked it looked like a ps2 game lmao.
Enjoy your 2 hour cut scenes and 4gb installs you moron.
Haohmaru @ Jun 8th 2008 9:38PM
What's funny about this is both Mr. Balance and Adam displayed about equal intelligence here. Way to go, guys. You've attained Nimrod status together.
Adam @ Jun 8th 2008 10:48PM
Dude show me anything that i stated was incorrect.Your the moron and i can already tell a sony fanboy.Im sorry that your ps3 sucks so bad that you have to be in here keeping your eye on all the 360 news hoping for the worst because of your dumb choice in consoles.
If you honestly think im a idiot then thats only a compliment coming from a jackass such as yourself.
Haohmaru @ Jun 9th 2008 3:27AM
Yes, Adam, I'm obviously a PS3 fanboy. One can easily see that from my post history, right? -.- You poor, poor idiot.
bigd7387 @ Jun 8th 2008 4:49PM
I really don't care about Blu-ray. I just sold my PS3 in May and upgraded my old 360 to an Elite so I'm really just wanting a game system and not a movie player, the Blu-ray picture didn't impress me as much as the picture did from HD-DVD but that's my opinion. Now if MS would introduce a Blu-ray drive add-on that could be used with the 360 and drivers for my laptop then I would pick one up, I really would like the convience of having a game in the 360 and a movie in the add-on. Blu-ray add-on I would buy but I wouldn't upgrade my Elite again just for a Blu-ray drive inside since I already have a nice BenQ drive and Falcon motherboard in my current set-up.
Noir @ Jun 8th 2008 5:34PM
Here what I think
1. Some Microsoft PR Person in the next few days is going to deny the rumor
2. If the Xbox 360 Blue-ray is true it will be announce at E3 not at Apple WWDC
3. Xbox 360 Blue-ray cheaper than an Xbox 360 Elite? I do not think so
4. I am enjoy my Xbox 360 Pro why do I need to upgrade to a Xbox 360 Blue-ray ? Give me a good reason.
5. I hope older 360 games can play on 360 Blue-ray. I am not re buying games I all ready own
thatcrazy1 @ Jun 8th 2008 7:41PM
u all forgetting one thing Blue Ray its own by Sony.... so unless MS wants to give Gear of War games to Sony there will be no 360 blue ray..... end of the story...............
ManicBomber @ Jun 8th 2008 10:38PM
Sony doesn't own blueray...