Bach reminds us why the 360 won't get Blu-ray
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 9th 2009 at 12:15PM }
The Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors will never end, no matter how many times Microsoft denies their interest in Sony's Blu format. Now with CES in full swing and tech on everyone's mind, Microsoft's Robbie Bach got the chance to all out crush any hopes of Blu-ray coming to the Xbox 360 in any form. Mainly because it isn't a feature that gets a lot of requests.
In an interview with TechFlash, Bach gave three big reasons why Blu-ray wouldn't be a good fit for the Xbox, starting with it not being a "feature we get a ton of requests for." Secondly, "it doesn't help us in the core of what Xbox does, which is in gaming. We can't have publishers produce games on Blu-ray disc." The third reason Blu-ray and Xbox will never make technology love, "it costs a lot of money." There, maybe that'll stop those pesky Blu-ray rumors from popping up. Doubt it though.
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Gump619 @ Jan 9th 2009 12:25PM
"We can't have publishers produce games on Blu-ray disc."
But MOST of the 360 publishers are anyways for all those multi-console games!
D dogg @ Jan 9th 2009 1:46PM
My Xbox 360 doesn't have a Blu-Ray drive, does yours?
Should I have to purchase an additional add-on to play a game developed on Blu-Ray? Or, should a publisher have to distribute on both DVD and Blu-Ray to accommodate everyone?
They have to develop for the lowest common denominator: DVD. So why then even make a Blu-Ray game when 28 million people already have a DVD drive and games such as Prince of Persia, Halo 3, Dead Space and Gears of War look absolutely fantastic even with DVD's "limitations"?
Gump619 @ Jan 9th 2009 1:51PM
What I meant was, look at EA and all the other major publishers. They are already printing bluray discs for the PS3, it probably costs them more to print two different types of media. I have both consoles so I don't really care if the 360 gets one, but his comment about publishers shouldn't have to produce games on bluray doesn't make sense if they already are for PS3.
D dogg @ Jan 9th 2009 2:23PM
And Bach's point was it costs more to make Blu-Ray disc's (not to mention it increases Sony's profits) so why would ANYONE expect Microsoft to say yes to Blu-Ray.
Out of 5 people I know who are close friends and own a Xbox 360, not a single one cares for Blu-Ray movies. Count me and that's 6 out of 6 Xbox 360 owners who could care less about Blu-Ray.
lasersanchez @ Jan 9th 2009 2:54PM
But it'd further complicate the matter of publishing for 360. How would you even know demand for Blu-Ray games on 360 in certain areas? It's a big enough pain in the ass to stock one sku per console. I couldn't imagine any publisher wanting to do this.
jarhead906 @ Jan 9th 2009 3:33PM
@d Dogg
Sony owns the logo, but, like CD and SACD, it was developed with Philips. Contributing to the development of the format were/are Matsushita, Pioneer, Thomson, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp and Samsung. The current Board of Directors is comprised of:
Apple
Dell
HP
Hitachi
LG
Mitsubishi Electric
Panasonic
Pioneer
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony
Sun Microsystems
TDK
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney
Warner Bros.
Sony does not "own" Blu-ray.
Mo @ Jan 9th 2009 3:09PM
hahaha, seriously... i burn blu at home...
SuicideNinja @ Jan 9th 2009 8:57PM
I think he means he doesn't want publishers to sell games that won't work on all 360's. One could bring up a comparison about HDD-req. games here, but they are trying to get everyone with more storage space with their memory card/cheap HDD offer.
If you want Blu-ray and gaming, buy a PS3. I'm okay with mine, we just don't use it much...which is why we only have one of them and two 360s. ;)
Procris @ Jan 10th 2009 9:31PM
@jarhead906
They may not own it, but they still get royalties. Which was his point. Honestly, getting a blu-ray addon for 360 would cost Microsoft more money than they'd ever get back for selling the addon.
EpicBanana @ Jan 9th 2009 12:27PM
"it doesn't help us in the core of what Xbox does, which is in gaming. We can't have publishers produce games on Blu-ray disc."
Yet HDDVD helped in the core of what Xbox does? Publishers produced games on DVDVDs?
I call shenanigans.
EpicBanana @ Jan 9th 2009 12:28PM
Oops, I mean HDDVD.
Rob Bourne @ Jan 9th 2009 12:39PM
The HD-DVD release was probably just a knee-jerk reaction to the PS3 inclusion of BluRay. Had HD-DVD won, the 360 would be the ultimate console for those wanting a new console and looking to enter the HD era.
Still, even without HD-DVD, the 360 is my number 1 console. I do like the PS3 though.
Etchasketchist @ Jan 9th 2009 12:47PM
How'd that HD-DVD thing turn out? Bet the guy that pushed that one's been fired already.
EpicBanana @ Jan 9th 2009 12:56PM
Etchasketchist-
Yes, HDDVD failed, but its failure ensured BluRay's success.
I think it's almost silly not to make a BluRay addon.
Rick @ Jan 9th 2009 12:36PM
The only thing I really like anymore about Blu-ray is the storage capacity. So yeah, it would be great to get 360 games on Blu so they can bump up the quality of the visuals, but other than that I just don't care.
I'm way more in love with downloading/streaming movies or tv shows (whether it's via iTunes, 360, OnDemand, Hulu or torrents), mainly because I'm a person who rarely wants to watch something more than once or twice. I don't need shelves full of discs collecting dust.
John @ Jan 9th 2009 1:05PM
It hasn't helped the PS3 achieve any better visuals than the 360 yet.
Current games take a lot less space than a Dual Layer DVD, the only advantage in the Blu Ray capacity so far is in the audio quality.
More room = Higher quality (i.e. less compressed) audio files.
A huge disadvantage with Blu-Ray is the slow reading and subsequent need to install games before being able to play at all, compared to the 360 with which it's a choice, not something forced upon you.
jarhead906 @ Jan 9th 2009 3:34PM
@John
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots?
And here comes Killzone 2 in February.
Latin Trident @ Jan 9th 2009 3:07PM
If you think about it, many people (in my opinion) that play on the 360 seem to be about 18 or younger, though there are many adults (18+) that play too! Some, not all of these adults have a beautiful home theater system and a gorgeous 42"+ HDTV. everybody else has a smaller TV and all of the kids are even lucky they have a 360 and if they do, they have a small tv. If you have a TV over 32", you will see a difference in movie quality. I don't think there is a need for a Blu-ray add-on.
Think of it this way. If MS charges $100 for an external wireless adapter, for crying out loud!, how much would they charge you for a blu-ray player?
Also, how much would it cost MS to develop this? If it costs alot, they will pass on the costs of development down to Bill Gates? NO! They will pass it on to us because we all know that everybody with a 360 has the money to add this external device to our system!
A few more years and we will have a better system. Now I will be pissed like crazy if MS doesn't include INTERNAL wireless on their next system. That is something to complain about.
jarhead906 @ Jan 9th 2009 3:47PM
@John
Installing on the HDD by games for the PS3 is happening much less frequently.
One of the reasons for these installs is because development teams did not have any or little experience working on PS3 (the Cell).
Another reason is that it is much easier (in many gamers' opinions, lazy) to force a HDD install. This is evident in games like Bioshock or Devil May Cry 4.
Now as time goes by, more and more dev teams and companies are gaining experience on how to efficiently and affectively work with the PS3. Right now, it's going to be the multi-platform games that will see more instances of HDD installs (my personal fear is RE5 this spring will have this).
Heres hoping more games will come out looking like Uncharted: Drakes Fortune.
matty @ Jan 9th 2009 11:44PM
@jarhead
the only reason there arent as many mandatory installs anymore is because someone came up with the great idea to repeat code all over the disc so the laser wouldnt have to seek as far to find the right data. and they came up with that great idea because most of their games would fit on a dvd and they had plenty of wasted space left over on the disc
Dan @ Jan 9th 2009 12:42PM
So what is MS's standpoint on HD content that doesn't expire within 24 hours. Netflix HD lacks quality content and not everyone has a good enough ISP to get it (like me). Sony has a more versatile console, but I will never cross over.
Robert @ Jan 9th 2009 12:44PM
The real reason is that Blu-ray requires Java, MS hates Java because they are not able to control it and they had legals problems because of that
mattclarkie @ Jan 9th 2009 12:49PM
Never thought of that. You could be right to an extent, of course if MS saw money in the Blu-ray they wouldn't think twice about it.
Deezul @ Jan 9th 2009 12:45PM
Blu-Ray on 360 confirmed, because he didn't say, "We will NEVER make a Blu-Ray player for the Xbox 360." He just says they currently don't have plans to do it.
Phawx @ Jan 9th 2009 12:49PM
As soon as the reports start to come in of failed blu-ray drives because the diode gave out, it will be an RRoD for PS3.
Blue Laser diodes are manufactured the same way as LED's which is why OLED are:
a.) Very expensive
b.) Have an effective life span of 5,000 hours
Zack @ Jan 9th 2009 12:54PM
I don't really know about that. I mean, the PS3 has been out for over two years now, and I am sure there are those who have gone over 5,000 hours in play time, especially those on demo kiosks, and yet there have been no actual reports about the Blu-Ray diodes failing. Or at the very least, nothing in the mainstream.
And don't you mean Red Light of Death (RLoD)? XD
Phawx @ Jan 9th 2009 1:06PM
There have been reports. Put "PS3 blu ray failure" into google.
People who are using there PS3's to play games only are the ones not effected much because the game is installed to the hard drive and makes very little use of blu-ray at all. The problem is coming from people who watch Blu-ray movies regularly.
I helped research for a blog in June of '08 why this is going to be a huge problem soon, but I guess it was a bit too early.
http://www.brainlazy.com/showthread.php?t=2026
jarhead906 @ Jan 9th 2009 3:45PM
@ your 2nd comment:
Yes PS3 blu-ray failures have happened and will continue to happen but so far it hasn't achieved the success rate of the RROD, clocking in at what used to be 33%.
I'll agree that this is a worry because it has the potential to become a larger problem for more and more PS3 owners.
Pos @ Jan 9th 2009 12:58PM
I hope that happerns that would be so LOL.
Then again you should get some kind of diploma if you can stand the PS3 for 5.000 hours.
jarhead906 @ Jan 9th 2009 3:45PM
So the PS3 is inherently bad?
Because playing Dead Space, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Grand Theft Auto 4 on the PS3 is SO much different than playing on the Xbox 360.
Try to continue with this logic. I dare you.
stewie_gr1ff1n @ Jan 9th 2009 6:53PM
jarhead906 said...
So the PS3 is inherently bad?
Because playing Dead Space, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Grand Theft Auto 4 on the PS3 is SO much different than playing on the Xbox 360.
Try to continue with this logic. I dare you.
The 360 controller makes it better and earning achievements and xbox live...
Phawx @ Jan 9th 2009 1:10PM
There have been reports. Put "PS3 blu ray failure" into google.
People who are using there PS3's to play games only are the ones not effected much because the game is installed to the hard drive and makes very little use of blu-ray at all. The problem is coming from people who watch Blu-ray movies regularly.
I helped research for a blog in June of '08 why this is going to be a huge problem soon, but I guess it was a bit too early.
http://www.brainlazy.com/showthread.php?t=2026
m_bojangles @ Jan 9th 2009 1:14PM
HD-DVD's failure does not "ensure success" for Blu-Ray. The problem with BR is that nobody cares. Standard DVD collections have been heavily invested in and look great on an upconverting DVD player. BR is destined for a life cycle and market share similar to LaserDisc.
For those that have the resources, direct download of HD content seems to be preferred. For those who don't, BR is too expensive and standard DVDs are just fine.
BR just won't catch on in enough time before download delivery of HD content becomes the standard.
RandomZero @ Jan 9th 2009 5:50PM
Yeah, I'm definitely siding with this. I read a report on Yahoo news (granted, it WAS on yahoo news, take it for what you will), and they were saying the same thing. That the Blu-Ray is turning out just like the LaserDisc.
what with upconvert DVD players (which look phenomenal), and most people heavily invested in their DVD collections, some quite large (I have around 300 movies, I'm NOT going to Blu Ray unless I'm FORCED), I can't see Blu Ray winning this fight against standard DVDs.
I work for a small TV dealership, and we sell upconverts, Blu Ray players, and LCD/plasma tvs...all LG...and I gotta say, we sell WAY more upconverts then Blu Rays. I'd give it a 10:1 ratio.
_LarZen_ @ Jan 9th 2009 1:27PM
No Bluray/HD-DVD in the X360 wil bite Microsoft in the ass in a while. You just wait and see...
Eldiablo @ Jan 9th 2009 1:30PM
I just wish they'd do it, so everyone shuts the hell up about it.
Id prefer NetFlix or something similar here in the UK.
SadisticHam @ Jan 9th 2009 1:31PM
Next to no one here gives a damn about Blu-ray he didn't need to give 3 examples, the first nailed it right home - barely anyone gives a shit.
Michael Paul @ Jan 9th 2009 2:08PM
"People" do clamor for Blu-Ray, just not in numbers Microsoft finds sufficient for any mid-life add-on for the 360.
The Xbox 720 had DARN WELL BETTER have Blu-Ray, so it won't continue to be left behind in the Theatrical Experience Gaming genre. I don't really NEED BR to play individual disks since streaming from my PC seems like a better deal, but shortsightedness on the video streaming side (limited container/codec support, only 2000 total videos in one's library) may continue unless we keep hammering on Microsoft to add decent features...
Rob Bourne @ Jan 9th 2009 3:00PM
Seeing as using BluRay would put money in the pockets of their competitors, Sony, I can't see MS utilising the format.
It'd be quite amusing if they were to help resurrect HD-DVD for their next console......nah, that'd be crazy, right...? :)
Jonman @ Jan 9th 2009 2:40PM
Blu-ray as a gaming medium for 360 is simply not feasible. For the same reason that the Sega-CD was a bad idea, and the Nintendo 64DD.
It's corporate suicide to split your installbase that way. MS would have to either
(1): release every game in both formats, which is cost-prohibitive,
(2): release only on DVD, in which case why bother with the Blu-Ray
(3): release only on Blu-ray, in which case you're preventing the majority of your installbase from buying the game.
It's bad enough that developers aren't allowed to use the HDD by default.
As for a seperate Blu-Ray drive as an peripheral, as with the HD_DVD drive, why bother? XBL provides a way for Microsoft to provide HD content, and be paid for each piece of that content. MS wouldn't earn any money from the sale of a Blu-Ray disc, so they'd have to recoup the cost of the drive from the sale price. And given the falling prices of standalone Blu-Ray players, it's simply not competitive.
Not to mention the fact that they're then cannabalising their own market for HD content through XBL.
AIN'T.
GONNA.
HAPPEN.
ninjagamer32 @ Jan 9th 2009 2:25PM
They said No blu-ray in the xbox 360.
That sais nothing about the next generation x-box that will be coming out in a few short years.
My bet is on the inlcusion of blu-ray in the next xbox.
PS3 @ Jan 9th 2009 2:59PM
watch this video then & you all should consider blu-ray..cause your Sh!tB0x is garbage..MAXED OUT ON RED FRACTION ...WTF
http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=Halo%20series%20suffers%20from%20another%20RROD%20error&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#
FROM: Tech TV Star Leo Laporte Gets His Second and Final RRoD and is moving on to gaming on the Playstation 3.
It's really sad that Microsoft made a major mistake and created a launch product that has suffered from so many technical malfunctions.
"Second Red Ring of Death on my Xbox360. Definitely not heat this time - it's freezing. What junk."
Jonman @ Jan 9th 2009 3:07PM
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS!
Rob Bourne @ Jan 9th 2009 3:09PM
The inaccurate, misleading trolls at that...
Pos @ Jan 9th 2009 4:45PM
Garbage .shitbox,WTF, You use so harsh words child. Maybe when you get older you will understand.
Digitalspirit @ Jan 10th 2009 1:41PM
Blu-Ray? More like Blu-Gay.
n00b.
Brian @ Jan 10th 2009 3:41PM
I love how Sony tried forcing Blu-Ray down our throats and it hurt them in the long run. Sweet! I own a POS3, but I don't buy games for it. I just rent Blu-Ray. 360 for gaming, POS3 for rented Blu-Rays!
PS3 @ Jan 10th 2009 10:33PM
I own a sh!tbox too..but all it does is protect my PS3 by collecting dust...it's my dust rag..& I used the PS3 for games & movies...so 2 beats 1 & it's also a full multimedia center piece...can the 360 play SD cards/blu-ray/wi-fi/RED FRACTION(moxed out & dev..aren'tfinish with game)/free-online.... I DON'T THINK so ..come again RROD....lol..by the way what is your PS3 name if you own 1 & what ..I'll check that & then ask you some other question to see if that you do own 1/i fthat is your name....MY sh!tbox name is MAYTR1X..check..I don't lie..don't need to for this sh!tbox...lol..PS3 ID - MAYTRYX..do your research so I can talk shit about this SH!TBOX cause I onw that GARBAGE & PS3 win's all the way HOME....lol
Brian @ Jan 11th 2009 1:43AM
Stabacadaver on both systems. My pos3 would rrod too if there were actually some decent games to play.
Delaystation @ Jan 9th 2009 4:54PM
"It's really sad that Microsoft made a major mistake and created a launch product that has suffered from so many technical malfunctions."
It's even sadder that Sony created their "future proof" wonderbox that can't even outsell a "Sh!tb0x" that "suffers from so many technical malfunctions". lol.
MS get money from Blu-Ray movie sales because they hold the rights to the MPEG4 and VC1 codecs, so I doubt they're crying too much about the demise of HD-DVD. They just wanted to throw a spanner in the works for Sony, because if HD-DVD had won, the PS3's Blu-Ray player would only be useful for games and not movies.