The Showdown: does the Xbox 360 need Blu-ray?

Ars Technica writes:

"The Showdown returns. In the Showdown, we pick a topic, flip a coin to see which side each OT writer gets to argue, then present it to you. Today we discuss whether or not the Xbox 360 needs a Blu-ray drive."

[Shadow Flare]

Nope because its dying this year anyway

[eagle21]

And 720 is such a lame name by the way. :)

[Sir Ken Kutaragi 2]

It's like Flogging a Dead Horse!!! ;-D

[TheEndzor]

The Xbox360 will definitely be on track to defeat this year but i wouldn't go as far to say it will die this year

Blu Ray is the future format for all games and movies.

Games are already pushing the 50gb button eg mgs4/resistance 2. games like this cant be logically ported to the xbox unless you want 6-7 discs for a game?

As games get bigger and bigger Microsoft will have no choice imo.

As for movies... Dont really need to go in depth.. The quality of a bluray vs a compressed HD download speaks for itself...

[sabbath420]

why do you want the xbox gone? does it harm you or your ps3?

[MrBii]

"Need" is not the right word here. Because they are obviously not getting it. Even if they needed it to cure their disease rotten vista with it.

[ichimaru]

Just when you thought the stories were dead.... i thought we read all of these during the week of Toshiba's surrender. Microsoft has answered NO!. i think an external drive would be kool. but internal drive is a no

[sonarus]

They probably don't need one but they probably want one and so do their fans.

[MrBii]

"Want" is not the right word here. And neither is "need". Because its not in their hands. They are obviously not getting it.

The negotiations failed months ago. They arent getting it regardless of the fact they need it or not.

[wageslave]

@1.1

No thanks. I stopped buying plastic discs during the days of Napster.

I get all my media via Digital Distribution. As do hundreds of millions of others, half the traffic of the internet is media distribution, it aint going away.

No more dusty disks for me.

[deeznuts]

MrBii, what are you talking about? There is nothing stopping MS from just buying drives from the multitude of BD drive makers, such as Liteon, LG, Philips, Pioneer etc and making an add-on.

[kapedkrusader]

After buying Warhawk from the PSN I was very satisfied with the game and still am. But, there is that bothersome reminder in the back of my mind that if I ever got tired of it I wouldn't be able to sell it or trade it in. Then one day when I was telling a friend how good it was, I couldn't even lend it to him. Digital distribution has it's place for demos, trailers, and rentals. But otherwise all the DRM that comes with it will get to your nerves.

[chaosatom333]

Microsoft is never going to built a internal blue-ray player because it's going to alienate the gamers!!

Exclusive titles won't use that space because it has to work on everyone's console.

External would be a good option, but they don't have to rush it. They are making enough money as it is.

[player911]

That is exactly what they want. They don't want you to lend out your games or movies. If someone wants to watch it... they want them to go rent it or go buy it.

That really is a downfall for convenience. But there are lots of ups. No media to break, lose, or scratch up. It saves you trips to the store to buy new games/movies/media.

As for a Blueray drive for the 360... ehhh. Microsoft is pushing hard for direct downloads and can already get the latest movies on demand. I think bringing out an attachment would hurt their long term goal.

[DJ]

But Microsoft has too much pride and is too short-sighted to see anything other than their own Live download service, which still has a pretty paltry offering and major DRM issues. They need to look long term and entice people right now with Blu-ray, while at the same time improving their Live movie service in order to expand their audience.

[wageslave]

"microsoft has too much pride and is too short sighted".

How can that possibly get so many agrees? Microsoft is a _corporation_, they dont do "pride", they cut their losses and move on.

And, who has ever accused them of being "short sighted"? They employ more PhDs than any other entity on the planet. They spend tens of billions on research every year.

I understand you want to smear MS every chance you get DJ, but be realistic.

[DJ]

Too much pride: Only supported HD-DVD, which was the only HD movie format that relied on their OS and codec technology. Refuse to support competitor's product, despite the potential of boosting sales.

Too short-sighted: Felt that 1080p was not necessary. Felt that HDMI was not necessary. Sell over-priced accessories in order to make a quick profit, which in turn pushes potential customers away due to the fact that their direct competitor (Sony) does no such thing.

[jaja1434]

HDMI is not necessary for one. Sure it's damn nice to only have one cable instead of 3 or more but it is far from necessary.

They only supported HD because when the 360 was in development, HD was the only format, so it would be kind of hard to support BR before it is even out.

And as far as extra stuff goes, well the HD is very much overpriced as well as the WiFi, but we just say that because we have no clue what it cost them to make. Anyways as far as the normal stuff goes, controllers headsets and such, both MS and Sony have around about the same prices so...

[Richdad]

Great profit like 400 $ 360 I mean if I get a next gen video game system at such a low price I dont mind abt HD. Also I am a gamer I spent 7 time more times in game then on movies and I dont like to pay 200$ extra for HD videos when I watch it so less.
Better they give a external drive for enthuasits but most 360 audience are gamersnot movie watcher Idont know how many people will buy it for that price. It not gonna be cheap agree Sony has its technology thats why they where able to give it cheap in PS3 but its not gonna be cheap on 360.

[CNIVEK]

...and not wanted. By the time it COULD be "needed", MS will have it's next console on the way.

[meepmoopmeep]

it's not needed but i'm sure some 360 owners would like to have the option of one if they don't feel like getting a standalone or a ps3.

[rawd]

I'm bored of these articles.

How about, "Does the PS3 need HD-DVD?"

[wageslave]

The built-in capacity for this site to raise any anti-Xbox 360 article is amazing. Over and over and over and over we get the same idiotic junk articles.

[kapedkrusader]

The PS3 will be able to play HD-DVDs and VHS tapes with the next firmware update.

[BeaArthur]

I would say no it doesn't need one. Lets be honest as much as I love my Blu-ray player on my PS3 I never watch movies on my 360. And if Sony never had a Blu-ray player that came with the PS3 I would still be watching DVD's. Don't get me wrong the Blu-ray player is a nice feature but I didn't buy the PS3 to watch movies (it's just a bonus) and I didn't buy a 360 to watch DVD's.

[gambare]

Do POG needs a kick in the balls?

[Bill Gates]

The xbox360 doesn't deserve Blu-ray, but it needs it. IMO

[SKUD]

Not needed. What it needs to be is more reliable.

[sabbath420]

why even worrie about it ps3 boys? you do not own a 360.

[jwatt]

It doesn't need it, like xbox owners say the 360 is a pure gaming machine and they buy it to play games.

[etownone]

your right, it doesn't need it, but the people will be buying the ps3 over 360 because of the added blu-ray.

they need a cheap add-on, like at the sub $200 price. Even if it doesn't sell, it still gives gamers the choice to play 360's AAA exclusive games and play blu-ray if wanted. The longer they wait, the more sales they will lose. I already know a handful of people that are buying the ps3 because of blu-ray

[Danja]

they dont need it...but they would love to have it in the game console....

[Mcrmarcher]

fed up with crappy articles like this.......

Off topic: Blacksabbath kicks ass!!!

Bubbles Sabbath420 =)

[candystop]

I guess not since the drive can't be used for games! In the next xbox yes but if you really want one just go out and buy a real blu ray player!

[KYU2130]

it wouldn't make any sense.. the blu-ray player would be for movies only .. microsoft will not do that.. they made a mistake with HD-DVD and jumping in the boat with Sony only makes them look even worse.. Yeah people will be buying the PS3 over the 360 but remember Sony took a gamble using the blu-ray format to distribute there games. So it made sense for them.

[demolitionX]

xbox 360 actually needs a PS3!

[Pain]

Gets Funnier by the day..

Get a Brain MORON"S that wright this crap, why oh why do u RETARDS ever think games
that need and will and need BIG DATA STORAGE will ever be be OBSOLETE??

Go die already and save the air you breath for the rest of us.

[tony]

no; that what we have the ps3 for.

[jinn]

NO! NO! NO!