"We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense."

I'd be interested in seeing them support Blu-ray in ways that don't make sense, like taking their existing stock of HD-DVD drives and changing the box so that it says Blu-ray and selling them as-is.

fallenturtle

Even if XBox adds a blu-ray drive, it still cannot be used for games, due to various reasons people have already listed. In the end, a blu-ray add-on drive has limited benefit to XBox, but also contribute to blu-ray's effort of getting into as many homes as possible to reach critical mass.

So in the end, it's a great scenario for blu-ray to do this. And microsoft doesn't really have a choice of not going along with it - but even if they do, they'll just be par for the course and still not realize the same level of benefits from the BD drive as Sony's PS3.

MaxRC

@CaseyG:

You won't see any 360 games on Blu ray. I guarantee that.

NutManIV

mmmm....
well, hopefully they'll have the blu-ray drive as another external like their HD DVD drive (R.I.P.) so i will not have to pay as much for a blu-ray player or PS3.

Angel - sXe

Remember, Toshiba is part of the Cel chip (didn't they just buy all or some of the factory?) so they get paid when Sony sells a PS3. The fanbois might be all about the h8n but these guys just want to make a buck for their shareholders (and rightly so).

Canoehead

I don't think that Sony has a veto over licensing the Blu tech - they are the biggest (in interest) member of the consortium, but I'm sure one of the members will be willing to make the drive if Sony won't.

Canoehead

It's only logical that someone would develop a blu-ray drive for the 360, Sony is jumping on it early. Now as long as they don't explode, Sony should be ok.

jackfrost132

@Noobs-R-Us: And by gives in you mean Sony gets a cut from 360 accessories?

I'm pretty sure that Sony would like getting paid when the competition makes a sale.

Techguy1138

"These are not the droids your looking for... and oh yeah, here are some Blu Ray doohickiesto fiddle with."

tamoko

I guess Panasonic/Sharp/Samsung/LG aren't interested in making a 360 add-on? There are a lot of other companies, I wonder why they are working with Sony.

I would love a Blu Ray add-on, as long as it's close to $100.

FLegion

High capacity media for games is interesting, but I do not know if it is necessary yet. So few users can take advantage of it; don't forget, most people are still on standard definition televisions with built-in stereo sound.

Having the add-on drive makes sense to me; you can get the Xbox 360 as a functioning gaming console for significantly less money than a PS3. Yes, all PS3 units can play high definition content and they all have high definition connections, but not all of the gaming community can take advantage of that. Hell, I can, and I still bought a Xbox 360 because it seemed like a better bargain and it had certain titles I wanted (Halo 3, namely).

getz76

@Noobs-R-Us: I won't say I never licked ass before...

jiggaman

Like I stated earlier, at this point, Ballmer will have to lick Stringer's ass in public before Sony gives in...

Noobs-R-Us

It's not going to happen unless another next gen xbox comes out.

vertibraker

Not until this minute did I realize how smart it was to just provide an add-on drive... Sony took a risk, MS played it safe and smart, while still providing amazing games that gamers will play for years to come (I wouldn't know though cause COD4 hasn't been removed from my PS3 since I bought it)

jiggaman

There better be a mutha f***in trade in program for those of us who bought the HD-DVD add-on.

The Jas

We're still unlikely to see more than a handful of BD games for the 360, if any at all. Nobody wants to sell a product that only a fraction of the installed base can use.

CaseyG

I've always said this was going to happen in due time if needed.
Just as MS made the HD-DVD external player for the x360, you slap a BD player and it's done.

After all the Xbox is a Win PC that plays well with pretty much everything MS, and anyone will be willing to make a BD reader.

aec007

if they had a blu-ray player for 360 i'd buy it and hopefully it'd work on the computer too

EaGle1337

Xbox360, PS3 edition.

berribrand

Talk to the hand?

SchruteBuck

Hopefully it's only a matter of time. The price point is going to be key. I hope it comes in at $129 or less.

Kevin Doyle

@innout3x3: Sorry about the error. Nice one one me!

innout3x3

"If the a Sony exec saying there've been talks with..."

Huh ?

NRGZ28

"If the a Sony exec" nice

innout3x3

"If the a Sony exec" Nice one.

innout3x3

Ballmer making this not-so-subtle statement is a good move for Microsoft. Sales of PS3's are now higher (world-wide) than the Xbox, and poised to explode. By saying there may be a BR add-on drive in the future, that allows people to think twice about buying a PS3. At least in North America, that is.

Monty

Get a real remote then. I use the Logitech Harmony 360 version and it works with my TV, DVR, Xbox, etc all in one remote and very well. I can control my Xbox from anywhere in my room and never have a problem with it working. The Sony remote for my PS3? Yeah it doesn't exist because they made it bluetooth and I am not buying another remote and keeping track of it just for a few blu-ray movies because sony wanted to make a few more bucks by customers needing special remotes since there are almost no multi-function remotes that support BT.

Thanks again for the great customer service sony!

VulnoX

If they do get an add on BR drive, they might want to revamp that remote for the 360, it BLOWS. I almost have to stand up to get the thing pointed at the right angle to work. PS3's is blue tooth and SWEET!

geekinky

@geekinky: The reason the 360 remote does not work well is the crystal on the faceplate is too thick. Try removing your faceplate (worked for me). The crystal should have been Clear, with tinting on the outside only. There is no reason the 360 cannot have a RF remote, just hoping it is not connected like a controller so any RF universal remote would work.

The bluetooth remote on the PS3 was one of the reasons I parted with it - I couldn't program it into my Niles remote. Sony should have had the foresight to integrate IR.

Lizard_King

So know that the 360 will have blu ray will it still be cheaper than the Ps3 that comes with wireless WiFi, bigger HDD and is also a blu ray player?????? i don't think so. No wonder you can find a 360 with about 10 games for less than $300 on ebay, lol

snitch29

@Techguy1138: It's not just about getting paid, it's about killing the 360. At some point the 360 WILL NEED to have a HD media. You can't expect people to load multiple DVDs to play games. That would suck donkey dick. Sony knows this. The reason MSFT chose HD-DVD in the first place was that they were trying to kill the PS3. MSFT lost, so now they must LICK!

Noobs-R-Us

If Microsoft would've gotten their head out of their ass and realized that they were in a *content* war with Sony rather than a *format* war--they would have figured out they were way behind, or doomed, to start with. Sony's big movie library stacked the deck in Blu-ray's favor heavily. I know this almost never gets mentioned, but content determines outcomes in format wars.

scarbrtj

@Noobs-R-Us: Have you seen Stringer?

Noobs-R-Us

@ VulnoX Right.. when I pay that kind of money for a remote, it had better be able to get up and get me another beer during the movie.

geekinky

@snitch29:

Wireless wi-fi? Redundant much?

When Sony finally releases their PVR device... does that mean that XBox fans will be able to add that in to the price of a PS3 to make comparisons, since the 360 has had similar capabilities from day one?

Why do all Sony fans insist upon adding in the price of things that aren't needed for you know... gaming, when comparing prices? People who really like online multiplayer do not use wireless (packet loss is a real killer.... pun intended) and people who realy like online multiplayer do not play on the PS3. The ability to load many games AND Linux onto the PS3 hard drive has made it a modders paradise, while XBox Live takes serious steps to keep modders offline; even banning modded consoles from ever connecting to Live again.

robinandtami

Ballmer... is a loser... him at the top of Microsoft is like handing the controls of an airplane to a blind monkey.

BookbagNinja