Rumor: Microsoft to "Upstage" Apple WWDC With Xbox 360 Blu-Ray Announcement

Gizmondo writes: "Microsoft's on-again, off-again relationship with an Xbox 360 Blu-Ray drive looks set to be on again this Monday. As you all know by now, Monday marks the beginning of Apple's annual WWDC, and a little bird told us something is going to be announced by Steve Jobs there during his keynote. Microsoft doesn't care; a tipster told CrunchGear it's going to "upstage" Jobs, Apple and the entire known tech-using world by announcing an Xbox 360 with Blu-Ray drive one hour before the beginning of the conference."

[PoSTedUP]

lol, yea ok. sonys not gonna give them their pearl. lol they will be losing money big time pricing it below the current elite. give me a break people. do you guys get a kick out of this or what?

[Veryangryxbot]

Because the 360 Blu Ray drive rumor just wont die, just like MGS4 for the 360 rumor lol.

And just 4 more days and we will be able to enjoy MGS4 and even now, xbots living in denial lol.

And what happened to all the "digital downloads will take over by the end of 2008" now huh bots! Haha dont you people look stupid.

Now what stupid bots, didnt you say digital download will take over by the end of 2008?

So now you all want blu ray flip flop flip flop stupid bots.

And here is the kicker:
Didnt MS consistently denied that 360 would ever get a Blu Ray for a zillion times already? Why do these bots still think they are getting a blu ray drive after all the that?

Are bots simply just stupid people or what?

LOL I gotta tell you all, everytime I see a 360 getting Blu Ray drive thread, I smell desperation and xbot patheticness all over the place.

Holy shiat xbots are pathetic.
Unable to accept reality or what.

[BLUR111]

PS3 is the superior hardware?... its got blu ray thats about it. and its got the cell which deVelopers are not really getting to know how to fully use it yet but 360 is faster. its got more amount of ram. soo by the end of the day microsoft wins just cuz the software alone and if Killer Instinct 3 is coming than its all over. thankfully the ps3 does make it out of the hole since was release is just cause of mgs4 and killzone2. everything must loose a fight even sony. N4G WONT SAVE IT

[MK_Red]

The big question is this:
Will a Blu-ray drive on 360 (If such thing exists) be used for games or just for movies (Like HD-DVD before it)?

[MrWonderful]

i would hope its for movies only because alot of people would be pissed if they had to upgrade their 360s to play games only on bluray.

[Gorgon]

Just for movies. You obviously can't alienate everyone that doesn't buy another disc drive. Thats why these are consoles, not PCs that need upgrades to be abble to play games. Every SKU needs to be abble to play games. Making a blu-ray a necessity for games is the same thing as forcing everyone to buy an HDD to play games.

[Jinxstar]

Well it would help and make games like GTA5 and LA Noire possible on the 360 but they would be going back on their word to the 360 community... Not that they wouldn't do that but still. At that point why not just buy a PS3... Pro's and Con's all over the place MK. Either way I hope the 360 community (Myself included) would get a good deal at least. It would extend the life cycle and other things instead of having to buy a whole new system... I guess they could get around it buy saying "It's not a Xbox 360 game. its a Xbox BR game" Kinda like a Sega CD... We all know how that went over though...

[Kaneda]

they can name xbox 540.. :) with full backward compability.. and xbox fans will upgrade..

[sonarus]

Not sure if they can use it for games. MSoft has continuallys aid Bluray is unnecessary and it isn't taking off and bla bla. Nice to see they see the future is blu

[MK_Red]

It would indeed piss a lot of people if they use Blu-ray drive for games and as Jinxstar said, Pros and cons are all over the place.

Another important question is this:
Will it be a stand-alone Blu-ray drive (Like HD-DVD one) or a new model of 360 with built-in Blu-ray drive?

[sonarus]

If its just for movies, it would make more sense to make it an add on but they could do both as well. But it sounds like a blu ray 360 and not an add on

[omni_atlas]

Thats how M$ makes money. You'll have to buy a new blu-ray disc drive to play all the new games. A big FU to their userbase.

[MikeGdaGod]

there's no way a bluray 360 would upstage a 3g iPhone.

only people that would care would be 360 fanboys that refuse to buy a ps3. to anyone else, it wouldn't be a big deal. just more of MS following the leader with the 360 (HDMI, motion controlers, and now bluray).i don't mean to be an @sshole but i really think they should be concentrating on just making it durable instead of "keeping up with the Jones's".

even with bluray, there's no way i would buy another 360 anytime soon. the hardware is already suspect as it is and this is just another part that could fail. i've lost all confidence in any "new" 360 hardware.

i've been waiting on the new iPhone ever since the first one was released. i knew they'd release one with more memory, better camera and on the 3g network so i decided to wait. that's the announcement i'm waiting for. day one purchase for me. i was talking to my mother the other day and even she's excited about the new iPhone because she wanted the first one but i made her wait knowing a better one was on the way. so this will be a day one purchase for us both i think.

EDIT: i doubt MS would allow the bluray drive to be used for games. that would be very foolish.

[travelguy2k]

they would have to start sending out new blu-ray 360's instead when a 360 inevitably red rings on you. If they did that then i think they could actually pull it off without to much complaining on the 360 fanbases part.

[PimpHandHappy]

they couldnt use it for games unless they want everyone to know Sony has it built in and it has the games that use it

[ScentlessApprentice7]

You're right man. Microsoft totally badmouths something when Sony introduces something that seems as a unique advantage to them. Then they copy what Sony does.

Microsoft totally disregarded HDMI before the PS3 came out, saying its irrelevant and no one will use them. Then they but their foot in their mouth by releasing a whole new SKU (360 Elite)

They talk bad about the Sixaxis, saying motion controllers are not relevant. Now it seems they are putting their foot in their mouths again with rumors of a 360 Motion controller.

Now, yet again, Microsoft totally badmouthed blu-ray. Saying blu-ray software won't catch on and "9gb's is enough for any game". Now it seems they are going to shove their foot in their big mouth YET AGAIN by releasing a 360 blu-ray drive, even if its just for movies.

This seriously validates the assumption that Sony is a leader and Microsoft is nothing but a follower...with a big mouth.

[Statix]

Obviously, just movies.

[godofthunder10]

i'm not bias and i'm not takeing up for any console but ScentlessApprentice7 had some facts wrong.

1-he claimed that sony is the leader and microsoft is the follower because he claimed that they coppied the motion controller from sony.the fact is that the motion controller been out.it been out for a few years for computers before the ps3,360 and the wii was released.
if he's claiming that microsoft is the follower and sony is the leader for useing the motion controller on consoles,then he's right in a way,but instead of sony being the leader and micro the follower,it's nintendo the leader and microsoft and sony are both followers.

2-microsoft is the first one to be on line so people could play each other over the net.

3-sony,microsoft,nintendo and arti all coppied off telivision because that was the first home video gameing system every made.

the truth is that every company coppy off each other.i don't care who it is.sony,micr,and wii all copy something off each other so to claim that micro or any other company is a leader is wrong because neither one is able to call their selfs the leader because like i said before they all coppy off each other.

i'm not trying to take up for the 360,what i posted here is facts and anyone can check up on it if they want.

[lunchboy]

sony would never let them do this!

[travelguy2k]

It will raise the cost of the 360 making the PS3 an even better value and Sony (through the BDA) would profit from every 360 sold. Also they will profit from all the movies sold as 360 owners have been proven buyers of media. Lastly it will put even more Blu-Ray players in homes and make it seem even more permanent by the general public.

[Jinxstar]

Sony would be able to claim a cut off every game the 360 produces. They would do it in a heart beat. It would also basically ensure BR's future.

[sonarus]

Yea sony makes money off every 360 so it works either way for sony plus it gives blu ray more of an edge leading to more blu ray discs sold again more money for sony.

The key factor though would be how much they enter into the market for. Sony would need to drop price to make the PS3 still the more viable blu ray option

[Nathaniel_Drake]

Not to mention Sony's movie distribution companies will now have a wider audience to sell, as 360 owners are going to buy those movies

Also whenever they come out with Blu-ray television shows, Sony again will profit from a big array with their television studios, like one of them I am waiting for is King of Queens for Blu-ray

[Blademask]

Ever upstaged anyone? Especially Apple.

[LJWooly]

Exactly, and being rather late to add a feature like Blu-Ray, which they won't be able to fully take advantage of anyway, isn't going to change that.

[DaddyDC650]

I'd buy 1 as soon as it is available. I already have a PS3 and Wii. I would have a 360 by now if it was more reliable. I'm guessing the Blu-Ray model will also come with a 65nm CPU and GPU?

[SKUD]

BR-Drive for the X360 is highly unlikely in my opinion.

[DaddyDC650]

They need to pull out all the stops in order to compete with Sony and Nintendo. A price drop and a RELIABLE 360 with BR drive would be awesome for sales.

[Elginer]

360 for one with a brd in it.

[Cdaja]

If you would sell your 360 for a 360 with a Blu ray drive then why not just buy a PS3? It has Blu ray already and would be cheaper over all.

[BWS1982]

I don't think the 360 game discs would work well in his new PS3

[Valin]

...... Microsoft don't have anyone who can sell things like Jobs........

Also on the 360 BR drive, Or they could just drop the price by $100? This would make the 360 unsopable at $99....

[lsujester]

Sell it for 99$??
Why would they want to lose money on it? The PS2 isn't even at that price yet.

Sell things like Jobs?? WTF?!?
MS just doesn't have the insane fan base that Apple does. Steve Jobs is a money-grubbing bastard, but people don't care. You could make a device that did nothing but shred your money, name it an Apple iShredder, and the Apple devotees would buy it in droves.

[omni_atlas]

BTW, I don't think the Xbox 360 has any future without hd-dvd/blu-ray -- with the size of games going exponentially up, they'll need to secure a portable media type that will continue the success(?) of the xbox. Hard drives won't cut it, esp since everyone doesn't have T3 lines going to their houses.

[DR-IVO]

oh geez this should be fun if its true. The future of N4G news topics will go something like this.

Which blue ray is better ps3 vs 360?
Which blue ray player is cheaper ps3 vs 360?
Which has more people watching blue ray movies ps3 vs 360?
Which is a failure ps3 vs 360?
Gametrailers comparison screenshots of ps3 vs 360 blue ray?
Will the wii support blueray in the future?
Is the ps3 doomed of microsoft announcement of the blueray player for 360?
Gamespot review gives 360 blueray player 11/10 rating for best product of the century.

[Condoleezza Rice]

But in reality,the Blu Ray 'edge' will always go to the Ps3,considering the console launched with it,the company that manufactures the console are the primary backers of it,and finally,the company that manufactures the console are also the makers of the format.It will always be a 'Sony format' in a 'Sony product',and this association will never go away.

Though,I must admit;If Microsoft announce an in-built Blu Ray Drive,they're going to have a looooooooot of backpeddling to do;

http://www.next-gen.biz/ind...

http://www.tvsnob.com/archi...

http://news.softpedia.com/n...

http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

[Citizen Cook]

In my 360!

I don't want a PS3rd...

I'm happy to buy yet another 360 Sku, i have 5 as it is...

HA HA HA HA!

[syanara]

let me get this right. you have 5 xbox 360sand don't want a ps3 well you obviously have money but you still intened to be bias for the 360 and not even try th ps3... nice.

[Thoas]

5 Xbox 360's why?? Man you are naive.

[pwnsause]

you, know 5 RRODs is better than one RROD in order to warm yourself up in the cold HAHAHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA HAHAHAHAAHAH

[hideo kojima]

I myself have 2 xbox360s. Since i'm done developing the ps2 movie now i can throw the ps3 out and work on 360s.

[zapass]

<< Citizen Cook
118 days 11 hours ago
I hope not!
I'm on my 6th Xbox 360. My second Elite. How many more will i have to go through before M$ release a fully working system?
>>

<< Citizen Cook
117 days 9 hours ago
HD-DVD!
I'm going to support HD-DVD till the day I die.
Its the better format.
>>

[zapass]

nicely done:

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News...

LOL!

[DanB91]

What does an xbox 360 accessory have to do with Apple?

BTW I can't wait for the WWDC!!!

[Blackcanary]

Even if MS do bring a blu Ray drive out for the 360 Sony will be makeing money of, of MS so no matter how u see it its a win win for Sony.

[PoSTedUP]

but sony will profit alot more from having the only blu-ray player on the market. blu-ray will take sony to the top either or, but if they are smart they would not give it up unless MS strikes a REALLY crazy deal with them.

[Veryangryxbot]

Thats like Nintendo giving away Mario to Sony. Its on that level of retardness. So think before you speak. Sony doesnt need MS at all. Bots talk like as if Sony NEED MS and therefore they would give Blu Ray to 360. Since Sony would get money from MS, they both gain and thus Blu Ray would go to the 360. LOL Talk about massive case of denial. Xbots are pathetic and desperate.

Sony would never even consider this option unless they are like 40 million units ahead of the 360. Or some other ridiculous high number to the point where it is obvious that 360 would never ever ever able to catch up to the PS3.

Until then, this shiat isnt even an unlikely option. This shiat isnt an option AT ALL.

So bots, keep dreaming away. You people are pathetic creatures.

[PoSTedUP]

yes, it IS on that level of retardness! very well put, and a perfect example!

[reincarnated]

looks like xbox is gonna start sucking sony's dik

[PoSTedUP]

i think thats the main reason bill gates dosent want to do it. it will make them look bad. not bad but like they need help or something.

[SONYS LARGE D1CK]

the only people sucking my dik is the same sony droidekas for the last 11 years. keep tosing that black'n'hairy dik
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhh
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh hhhhhhhh
8============================ =============================== ====D

[eagle21]

lies, lies, lies. Microsoft is desperate for attention. They would call their console a Playstation 3 or Wii if they could buy the patents.

I love Blu-ray like every other owner does. Expanding the format in any way is something I am all for.

But Microsoft? The ones who spent millions of dollars against the format? Supported hd dvd to watch both fail?

I need some Pepto Bismol...

[caffman]

Sony NEVER steal anybodies ideas do they?

[eagle21]

Sony is an INNOVATOR, Microsoft is an IMITATOR.....period.

Microsoft wishes they had what Sony, Apple, Google, Nintendo has..they should stick to office software and cancel the other products.

[TheXgamerLive]

you believe your own lies, don't you. MS will never use BR, never. Use some common sence, I wish whatever sony fan boy who writes these posting would use common sence.

ps3 will thankfully be the only to use BR, and maybe 2 sku's from sony laptops.

[lsujester]

Yes and no. Sony and MS both have innovated and imitated at different times. But it's largely a necessity as the two companies specialize in different things. For any one thing MS copies, you can find something that Sony copied, too. And anything Sony comes up with, you can find something MS came up with too. Look it up, and you'll see.

Sony came up with Blu-ray. However, many of the audio/video codecs the thing uses were developed by Microsoft.

MS slacked in supporting HDMI on the original 360's... but yet it was the success of Live with the original Xbox which necessitated PSN, and, by extension, Home.

There are many other examples, if you care to look.

[eagle21]

What made me sick, was how some gamers are in here defending what they would do "if"...

Making excuses for...

Not making the "rumor" a careless idea even if it were true. The BDA (blu-ray disc association) is made up of over 140 companies. Sony is a major player (the lead innovator) but share in the wealth. Microsoft could have already been in there...

If they could turn back time....

@lsujester...NO...Microsoft has nothing in Blu-ray. That is the whole point, they wanted Blu-ray to use HD-i but Sony used JAVA instead. Hd dvd agreed to Hdi now changed to the name iHD. Please go to wikipedia before posting...

[tweaker]

"you believe your own lies, don't you"

back at you.

[lsujester]

Eagle21... why don't YOU read the Wikipedia for a change? Or even better, some technical specs of Blu-ray. It uses alot more than Java. Java is only for the interactivity part, it is NOT a video codec.

One easy example... VC-1. While a consortium runs the standard, it is primarily a MS development. And it is a mandatory spec of the Blu-ray standard.

Point is, MS has their hands on a lot of software floating out there, and some of it is used by Sony.

[TheExodus]

Bill Gates could walk on stage, announce the 2nd coming & have Jesus walk out on stage to demo a new Surface enabled Zune, but they still wouldn't be able to upstage Apple. Even if Steve Jobs just mulled about on stage for 30 minutes before saying, "I got nothin'."

[lsujester]

Which is kind of sad if you think about it. Look at the iphone... the things were overpriced, got crappy reception, had exclusive deals with AT&T, and Apple even bricked the ones who were hacked.

But yet, everyone kisses Steve Jobs' butt for delivering what they see as the single greatest electronic device ever created by man.

[dkgshiz]

Hmm, using your rival companies product to keep up with the next gen tech. LOL! microcrap is so terrible, they are just degrading themselves. Even if microsoft gets a blu ray add on, its going to just be for movies. That whole thing that downloadable movies is the future, is just a lie. Microsoft doesn't know anything. Vista anyone? All they do is make the biggest flopper tech, and try to make a quick buck. They made the 360 in 6 months, look at that piece of doodie. Its just an RROD box. Microsoft is the peanuts in my poop!

[Snukadaman]

Why would I want to buy a xbox with blu-ray.....when Im on the market for blu-ray I will be buying a ps3...with the problems of rrod they want to put something else in their console. Now if its a external drive like the hd-dvd then thats a possibility because it shows that you wont be needing it for games.

[MikeGdaGod]

at last we finally agree on something

[titntin]

This would be the stupidest move ever. To allow a drive now would make no sense and I don't believe a word of it unless it officially announced. It would be the single stupidest marketing move MS has ever made.
A movie only drive would be of little use to most people, would add yet another sku to the line-up, and still wouldn't allow developers to have more room to store game data. Additionally it would seriously increase the cost of the machine, losing one its main advantages over PS3.

I absolutely totally and utterly don't believe a word of this.

[DJ]

So it wouldn't be a big financial risk for them. It would however be a huge marketing risk, the media would slaughter them, and SCE would have a field day talking about how the PS3 still outputs Blu-ray movies better than the 360 (which would be true; HDMI 1.3 vs 1.2).

It would be pretty funny though. Microsoft spent billions of dollars trying to kill off Blu-ray (and HD-DVD) and look where they are now.

[eyeDEVOUR]

hell...sony could just make an aftermarket drive/add-on for the 360 just like Pelican,Madcats and many others make all kind of accessories for each console...

[mithril]

any company doing external hardware for Xbox360 must have Microsoft approbation.

The company doing keyboard and mouse for any game in PS3 SplitFish Gameware (fragFX) try for Xbox, but Microsoft don't accept.

[Egzekutor]

Buahaha 20.000.000 current XBOX 360 users will be forced to upgrade their consoles to Blu Ray in other to play future games.

Microsoft i desperately trying to make some money, just like they are forcing DX10 on games so people buy Vista.

Why is that Microsoft can never think of anything on their own, they have to copy someone elses ideas and bring them to their crap console. This is the reason why my xbox is not being used and i just keeps getting more dust on it.

[pwnmaster3000]

there not even in 20 mill yet and it been 3 yeas ahahahahahahahahahaahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha hahahahah