Microsoft: Who needs blu-ray? (Dtoid Article)

[Korten12]

From Destructoid: http://www.destructoid.com/microsoft-who-needs-blu-ray--184596.phtml#comment

Article Below--------

t's been a particularly flavorful week of corporate trash talk this week, with Microsoft and Sony each getting their digs in. Now Microsoft has decided to take a steaming dump over Blu-ray, by way of UK boss Stephen McGill. What is this, 2007?

"I think people may have spoken about [Xbox's lack of a Blu-ray drive] originally, but that's long gone," says McGill. "I think people now recognize what a smart decision it was to keep the pricing low, and actually Blu-ray is going to be passed by as a format. People have moved through from DVDs to digital downloads and digital streaming, so we offer full HD 1080p Blu-ray quality streaming instantly, no download, no delay. So, who needs Blu-ray?"

Blu-ray has been one of Sony's more successful format deviations, and has at least managed to stick around for the past few years. Given this industry's obsession with graphics and size, I can't see Blu-ray dying quite as easily as McGill thinks.

What do you reckon. Will Microsoft have to embrace Blu-ray, or is McGill right in thinking nobody needs it?

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What do you guys think? I think its wrong just for the fact that as long as ppl like physical copies.

 

[Theo Samaritan]

News just in, Microsoft guy not only conveniently forgets that almost every accessory for the 360 is overpriced, he also conveniently fails to mention they supported the failed HD-DVD format.

Also forgets to mention the 360 came out long before the BluRay was as common as it is now.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Another day, another idiotic claim from someone in the video game industry. Whether it's just about anything Bobby Kotick says, or that Kinect guy claiming that "nobody plays PC shooters anymore", it's becoming easier to understand why so many people don't take video games seriously.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Well I think they'll probably have Blu-ray support with whatever console they ship out next.

However for now I agree that it was right for them not to include it.

It kept Xbox prices and Xbox game prices down.

Blu-ray is the way forward but where we are is still okay for another 2+ years I reckon.

 

[sooperman]

News just in, Microsoft guy not only conveniently forgets that almost every accessory for the 360 is overpriced, he also conveniently fails to mention they supported the failed HD-DVD format.

Also forgets to mention the 360 came out long before the BluRay was as common as it is now.

And that Blu-Ray can store more data, that Blu-Ray is more effective at displaying HD, and that Blu-Ray diodes can be used as a weak laser beam [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfj1n8vPWCE]

Seriously. This guy is talking out of his ass.

 

[Bat Vader]

That guy is most likely mad because Microsoft's HD-DVD format failed and is trying to strike back against the success of Sony's Blu-Ray by insulting it. Sony and Microsoft are arguing like little children and it needs to stop.

 

[Lovelocke]

Of course nobody needs it... nobody needs videogames in general, lol. Fact is, the same games that are available on PS3 can be readily/easily ported to the 360 and has been. There's a large rift between "graphics" and "gameplay".

But hey, "fair critiques" don't make good forum fodder... so: "Personally, I think its funny how the company most concerned with graphics has the least amount of must-play exclusives. I don't buy a console until I'm sure there's 10 games for it I need to own."

EDIT: With data storage getting smaller and smaller, I'd like to see what the cartridge would look like/perform like in 2010? Wouldn't you love instantly-loading games again?

 

[Korten12]

It kept Xbox prices and Xbox game prices down.

So brand new 360 games cost less than $60 (The cost of a new PS3 game)? Someone should tell Amazon, cause their site is filled with them.

Well the price was kept to $50 but when PS3 released at $60 they rose their games to $60 with Halo being the first to rise. So they kind of hurt themselves trying to compete.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

So brand new 360 games cost less than $60 (The cost of a new PS3 game)? Someone should tell Amazon, cause their site is filled with them.

They used to.

Remember when Blu-ray was first implemented?

360 game - £40

PS3 game - £50

Sony have finally made up the numbers and money now so they were able to lower the prices.

 

[Korten12]

Well the price was kept to $50 but when PS3 released at $60 they rose their games to $60 with Halo being the first to rise. So they kind of hurt themselves trying to compete.

So they didn't actually achieve any kind of money saving on the consumer side, is what you're saying.

basicaly. They wished to compete but at the same time put themselves back.

 

[Nazz3]

If it had Blu-Ray most of the games would have way more content.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I doubt Blu-Ray is the way forward. Flash drive or cards are the way forward I think. No need to be screwing around with discs any longer.

I still love a CD. It's shiny, has a nice picture on it and is generally accepted.

I'd hate to see them go. But eventually it's inevitable.