Microsoft backtracks Ballmer's Blu-per
No Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive en-route
Microsoft has once again been forced to clear up after its outspoken CEO, Steve Ballmer, who recently said that Blu-ray is coming to the Xbox 360.
In a video interview published last week, Ballmer was asked if Microsoft plans to put Blu-ray into the games console. “You’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories,” was his response, though he indicated the format won't be integrated into the Xbox itself.
However, Microsoft’s official Xbox blogger, Major Nelson, has since published a clarification in which the firm claimed Ballmer was talking about Blu-ray accessories for the PC.
“We have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360,” said the Major Nelson statement.
Back in June, Microsoft similarly retracted Ballmer’s comments suggesting that a new Xbox 360 console featuring the Project Natal gaming peripheral would emerge in 2010. ®
COMMENTS
I don't normally....
....side with Microsoft but I have to admit they got the Xbox gaming experience right on. The simplicity of the coop gaming experience is worth £35 gold live account. Left 4 Dead is f*cking awesome with 8 of your mates and the in game party talk is a scream.
As for Ballmer, he's just a f*cking moron. Bluray, who gives a shit, who want's to physically OWN the disks anymore?
get real
I love these "price comparisons" that PS3 fanboys always dig up:
Xbox 360 £160 + wifi £40 + 512mb memory £40 + live for one year £35 = £275
how about £189 for the elite (120gb hdd) and a cable to the router £10. total package to get online and play all the games available:£199. If you want to play online you can CHOOSE to pay for the gold account. Not everybody wants to (I paid for a gold account and spent less than 20 hours playing online in a year). You can CHOOSE to use WIFI (at least with the 360 you get the N standard, unlike the PS3). Where is the inclusive headset for the PS3? The 360 also supports USB drives. The 360 can also output 1080p (not that you would know the difference to 720p anyway unless your tv is over 40 inches). Seriously, As a games console there is no real difference between the two, except that one is cheaper and the other has a bluray player.
DVD storage is still more than enough, the problem developers have is that they can't have mandatory installs which would make their lives a lot easier. The rest is down to efficient compression of graphics and audio. If you have 25GB to play with, why would you bother compressing the files much?
@Gareth 18
"Or I can have a PS3, with Blu Ray player, that will have me playing a hame in 30 minutes of popping it into the console."
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about, and believe everything that Microsoft and their mouthpeices (Joystiq/Eurogamer/Kotaku) tell you..
Still i'm not really bothered, as the only person missing out is YOU...
@gareth 18
you havent got a clue what your on about.
pointless storage? why are game developers asking microsoft to sort out the storage issue? 9GB's isnt enough anymore - HD games hold more detail which means more information stored on disk
naughty dog nearly filled a 25GB disk with uncharted 2, the level design and graphics are second to none, no install required, once you load a level - thats is, no gap between cutscenes and gameplay, no loading screens between levels - you cant have that level of performance from a DVD disk, data transfer speed and data capacity are too low
@ AC 14:52
"Given the PS3 and Xbox are the same price. - WRONG (cue wildly innaccurate stats about cost of live subs and 'essential' accessories)"
Here are some accurate stats for you to suck on
Xbox 360 £160 + wifi £40 + 512mb memory £40 + live for one year £35 = £275
Thats an Xbox 360 with 750mb OF STORAGE, wireless access with ONE year of xbox live... for £275.
Own the console for two years with live... £310.... three years.... £345 etc. Remember - the chances of your console breaking ONCE in this time are extremely high, maybe even twice within three years.
For a cheaper £250 you can get the following:
Playstation 3 with 120gb storage, free wifi connectivity, full 1080p gaming, blu ray movies, free Playstation Network access, internet browsing, USB HDD support, etc
Notice how all the above is under a £250 price tag? All you need to do is buy your content and off you go.
"The games are better too. - Also WRONG - (cue MGS4 & UC2 are the best gamez EVAR! type comments)"
Whats wrong with the Playstation Exclusives?
Infamous
Killzone 2
Uncharted 1 & 2
Ratchet & Clank
Resistance 1 & 2
MGS4
Heavenly Sword
LBP
All the above are out now, most scored 9 or above, and the below are released within the next six months
MAG (128 v 128 online FPS)
God of War 3
Heavy Rain
Gran Turismo
I cant see what your problem is with Playstation, youve obviously invested alot of money into your xbox 360 and are finding it hard to justify doing so when an overall cheaper alternative turns out to be the better choice.
