Gizmodo has an exclusive interview with Microsoft CEO's Steve Ballmer going up in full this Friday. Until then, they're releasing little clips from the interview and the one they have up right now sees the CEO talking about Natal, and more importantly, a Blu-ray add-on accessory for the Xbox 360.

Gizmodo asked Steve Ballmer on whether we'll see any Xbox 360s with a Blu-ray drive to which Ballmer replied by stating that "you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories." No time frame is given for when we'll see this Blu-ray accessory and Xbox spokespeople avoided answering the question when Gizmodo pressed for further information. 

So after all this time, a Blu-ray accessory is coming to the Xbox 360. Neato? I don't know about you, but I'm just going to sit back and watch as the entire Internet collapses from the fanboy war that's about to unfold.

 
I already have a PS3 for my Blu-Ray needs, but it is cool to see that Microsoft is finally getting on board with Blu-Ray, even if it is only an external add-on right now.

huh well that was unexpected. cool

" http://www.destructoid.com/microsoft-ceo-confirms-blu-ray-add-on-for-xbox-360-152708.phtml   

Gizmodo has an exclusive interview with Microsoft CEO's Steve Ballmer going up in full this Friday. Until then, they're releasing little clips from the interview and the one they have up right now sees the CEO talking about Natal, and more importantly, a Blu-ray add-on accessory for the Xbox 360.

Gizmodo asked Steve Ballmer on whether we'll see any Xbox 360s with a Blu-ray drive to which Ballmer replied by stating that "you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories." No time frame is given for when we'll see this Blu-ray accessory and Xbox spokespeople avoided answering the question when Gizmodo pressed for further information. 

So after all this time, a Blu-ray accessory is coming to the Xbox 360. Neato? I don't know about you, but I'm just going to sit back and watch as the entire Internet collapses from the fanboy war that's about to unfold.

 
I already have a PS3 for my Blu-Ray needs, but it is cool to see that Microsoft is finally getting on board with Blu-Ray, even if it is only an external add-on right now.

   "

Hmm wonder what they will charge

 I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product. 
 
I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player.
 
Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays? 

I'm instantly suspicious as to whether this isn't just Ballmer running his mouth as usual. I don't think the 360 would benefit from blu-ray at all.
 
@emkeighcameron said:

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

If the price is right, i might sell my ps3 and get me that add-on instead. I currently only use my ps3 for blu-ray and my 360 for gaming.

Coolio

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

I don't see the short term benefit to this, but by the time the long term benefits kick in (Blu-ray replacing standard DVD as the preferred video media disc), the accessory will probably be useless since the console cycle will likely have ended and the next Microsoft console would probably have a Blu-ray drive built in..... and the Wii2 will readily allow DVD usage after the death of DVD.
 
They'll probably charge about the same as cheap Blu-ray player for the accessory because they're Microsoft.
 
But honestly, with netflix streaming, and this instant 1080 streaming they're boasting, I don't see the point.

Didn't Microsoft at one point say they where never going to make a Blu-Ray addon, and that they didn't need one.

" I'm instantly suspicious as to whether this isn't just Ballmer running his mouth as usual. I don't think the 360 would benefit from blu-ray at all.
 
@emkeighcameron said:

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

How can this be a "desperation move" if nobody cares about the feature? Sounds more like a "why the hell not" move to me. "

I think at this point, if Microsoft wanted me to pay like £100 or more for a Blu-Ray add-on, there are enough quality exclusive PS3 games that I would just said fuck that and fuck the Sony hate and buy a PS3. So, neat, but no thanks.

If it sounds as bad as their HD-DVD drive, Microsoft can go shove it up Billy boys arse for all I care. I wont be buying crap again.

This is Steve Ballmer talking... so its probably bullshit.

Blu rings of death?

" Hmm wonder what they will charge "

Not really surprising. They were obviously going for the HD entertainment system market with the HD-DVD drive, so it makes sense that now HD-DVD is dead they'll do a blu-ray add-on
 
@gike987 said:

"The cool thing is that they basically paying sony for an xbox add-on. That's kinda ironic. "

It's good that Blu-Ray is expanding it's user base, but if MS starts charging high prices like they do for their Hard Drives for the 360 then it's going to be a tough sell.

The only way to make this a good value would be to make it free, should they release it. The fact that you can get a PS3 Slim that has built in WiFi and Blu-ray for 300 bucks beats the 360 hands down in value.

Depending on the price I'd consider getting it.

Meh blue rays are too expensive anyway
 
I'll stick to free things on the internet in DVD quality

" @Evilsbane said:

" Hmm wonder what they will charge "

$299!  Get it?  See what I did there? ;-D "

" Depending on the price I'd consider getting it. "

as an accessory? so seperate device you have to plug into the xbxox, right? omg who the fuck is gonna buy that lol.

I have to say Last night went out got a PS3 hooked it up in the "movie" room with 7.1 and a 50 inch LCD and threw in Terminator 2 and I have been made a believer in Blu ray its pretty impressive, not to mention T2 looking amazing and its 20 years old!

This seems to be a really silly thing for MS to do, since they predominently focus on online media with the xbox and the new 1080p instant streaming. If they want to really cause the paradigm shift to an all online medium this contradicts their strategy.

@gike987

said:

"The cool thing is that they basically paying sony for an xbox add-on. That's kinda ironic. "

Not really. Sony have to pay money to Microsoft for using blu-ray in the PS3 too. Both Sony & Microsoft are major members of the Blu-Ray Disk Association. They both own relatively large proportions of the blu-ray technology. "

Choice is always a good thing, but for me the add-on will have to be dirt cheap, around $100, for it to be worth purchasing.  I would bet that it would cost much more than that.  Since PS3's are $300, I'd rather get one of those and then have access to the console's exclusive games.  I'm more of a Netflix instant-streaming kinda guy, and I won't bother replacing my DVDs.  That being said, if I had a Blu-Ray player, I'd definitely start buying/renting my movies on Blu-Ray.

For a minute there I got really excited about there being a blu-ray add on for the 360, but I remembered how ridiculously overpriced this is going to be.  The only price point that would work for me is 100 bucks, because if they bring it in around $200 dollars then I might as well drop the extra $100 and get a PS3.  But knowing microsoft it'll probably be around $150 just to make this decision a really bitch.  If only Canada had netflix, then I'd just use the 1080p streaming and not have to worry about this nonsense.

" @MattyFTM said:

@gike987

said:

"The cool thing is that they basically paying sony for an xbox add-on. That's kinda ironic. "

Not really. Sony have to pay money to Microsoft for using blu-ray in the PS3 too. Both Sony & Microsoft are major members of the Blu-Ray Disk Association. They both own relatively large proportions of the blu-ray technology. "

I guess your right. Still Sony was one of the companies that made Blu-Ray, and for xbox using anything even remotely connected to Sony is ironic. Because Sony and Microsoft compete so much that you can't think of them using something conected to the other. "

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

" @Evilsbane said:

" Hmm wonder what they will charge "

$299!  Get it?  See what I did there? ;-D "

" @emkeighcameron said:

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

I own a ton of Blu-Rays. "

I don't really see this as confirmation, the same shit has come out of Bill Gates' mouth and then it was retracted or meant something else.  Until I actually see a picture of the thing and someone talking about it in full, then I will believe.
 
Now, as for price, these assholes will probably charge $200 bucks for it, just like they did the HDDVD, however, that was priced to be cheaper than standalone players, and considering that the xbox would do the heavylifting, it should not cost more than $100, it is just a drive.  But since they are paying sony, who knows.  The cheapest blu ray players are $150 right now, and will be lower once CES comes and goes.  Which is where they might show it.  But I am not sure if I would get it, since I have a PS3, but this would be a neat add on, and it doesnt hurt to have a spare blu ray player around to complete the set.
 
Now as for you guys talking about how MS will have to pay sony, while true, it doesnt mean that Sony is not paying MS or Nintendo for that matter, some kind of royalty on the patents they use in the PS3 considering that Nintendo did invent a lot of gaming principles used today and MS is a tech juggernaut.

" Didn't Microsoft at one point say they where never going to make a Blu-Ray addon, and that they didn't need one. "

it depends how much they charge, if its 100$ or more no thanks I'll just buy an actual Blu-Ray player or a PS3 we will have to see tho.

How can this be a "desperation move" if nobody cares about the feature? Sounds more like a "why the hell not" move to me. "

About time really. No reason it shouldn't have it.

Thought you were sammpoo for a second there. Anyway, I don't like this idea really. I just think add-ons aren't fantastic, it's like adding the rest of the pieces to an unfinished product.

"  I don't see this becoming a wildly successful product......in fact it seems like kind of a desperation move on MS's part, to suck up some of the "value" that the Blu-Ray has added to Sony's product.   I have 5 friends who own PS3's, and I don't know if it's just the social circles I hang out in or a general trend, but none of them ever use the Blu-Ray functionality. They all just play DVDs in the damn thing, because none of them want to pay more (either renting or buying) for a Blu-Ray disk. I bet the same trend will apply for the X360's Blu-Ray player. Is my experience entirely wrong? Do a lot of people actually buy and play Blu-Rays?  "

" @gike987 said:
But Microsoft was also one of the companies that made Blu-Ray. Blu-ray is a huge joint venture from tonnes & tonnes of companies. MS & Sony were both majorly involved in it's development. Both were founding members of the Blu-ray Disk Association & put a lot of resources into its development.  It's no more ironic for MS to use blu-ray than it is for Sony to use Blu-ray. "

" @pornstorestiffi said:

" Didn't Microsoft at one point say they where never going to make a Blu-Ray addon, and that they didn't need one. "

Yeah they did. Back when HD-DVD was alive.  This is good news though! "  

" The cool thing is that they basically paying sony for an xbox add-on. That's kinda ironic. "

Anyone who thinks blurays are expensive are doin it wrong. Shop on places like Amazon and DeepDiscount where they sell them at the same price point as DVDs.

Congratulations on adopting a format that will quickly become a never was, Microsoft!
 
Everyone is keenly aware that while bluray is temporarily the format to get for high fidelity, it's not going to truly gain traction before it is replaced by streaming and other digital (as in online/downloaded/hard-drive/on-demand/etc) options. There's nothing more beautiful than a great movie on my 60" SXRD with my huge audio system and a great 1080p bluray film. However, it's hard to justify blowing $20-$30 each movie for things that will probably be watched once or twice in their entire life-span and will be replaced by another delivery method in the next few years.
 
It's a technology that is currently superior, but will be looked back on in history as the winning format that never really was.

LOL XD 
little late to the game. i wonder if they will let people exchange their useless $200 hd-dvd players for a new bd player?