Microsoft’s chair throwing overlord Steve Ballmer has stated in an interview that the company plans a Blu-ray drive as an accessory.
When asked whether the Xbox would be getting Blu-ray, he stated it would be available as an extra:
“Well, I don’t know if we need to put Blu-ray in there — you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories.”
This presumably refers to an external optical drive unit connected to the console, an arrangement a number of previous consoles have experimented with, generally with limited success.
Lesser Microsoft flacks refused to confirm the statement, but would not deny it either:
“Our immediate solution for Blu-ray-quality video on an Xbox 360 is coming this fall with Zune Video and 1080p instant-on HD streaming. As far as our future plans are concerned, we’re not ready to comment.”
Via GameSpark.
Update:
Microsoft specifically denies the BD drive as a misunderstanding:
“Steve was referring to Blu-ray accessories for the PC.
As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360. In fact, the future of home entertainment starts this fall when Xbox 360 becomes the first and only console to offer instant-on 1080p streaming HD movies.
With a library of thousands of TV shows and movies to choose from, Xbox 360 owners can instantly watch the movies they want, when they want, in the highest form of high definition.”
Reassuring news indeed for all those American households with 100mbps Internet connections…
My opinon 1st “xbox one” is not good name.
2nd i thing xbox one so much more about buy and rent video entertainment set-top-box then gaming like original “xbox”. new xbox one more likely they can not success #1 unit sale like they with xbox 360. I don’t to much about PS4 but this is best time sony to coming back to top next 8 more years.
3rd do not rush to buy xbox one or ps4 lets wait and see, more like they do so much better updates twicks and so much better games very short time more likely 18 months plus price start droping as well for xbox one and ps4 both companys very good sucking money from comsumers. BTW SORRY TYPING ERROR realy not easy typing with screen keybord with xbox 360 grrrrr.
America, f♥♥k yeah!
Sega CD
Yay, more hardware to buy!
As if the $100 wireless adapter, the Xbox live subscription, the hard drive (I own an old Xbox 360) and Project Natal coming up were not enough.
Honestly Microsoft, instead of releasing all these upgrades, release a new system already!
I wish Sony owned the rights to “Blu-ray”…
Then maybe we could do something like… agreeing to give them rights as long as we don’t get a shitty version of Bayonetta.