Next Xbox; If not blu-ray, Then what?

[ConnorCool]

would it not be possible for them to have a type of disc used solely for xbox games? surely it doesn't need to descend into another format war as xbox games can't be used in any other type of DVD player(?)
I would love a return of the cartridge. No reason why not, you can get a lot of storage space into a cartridge size now. No more scratches too

 

[Cathal Sixsixosix]

Digital distribution

 

[Zac Smith]

Digital distribution

This, all games will be downloaded in HD quality and stored on a large HDD

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Make data smaller!!

Seriously... i hope blu-ray.

 

[Snowalker]

Do what PCs do, use the hard-drive (or another type of mass storage device).

I admit it has it flaws like making pirating easer and likely increase the vigorousness of the DRM but it's an another solution to the problem without using Blu-Ray. It is gives better performance and increases the efficiency

Hell, even with Blu Ray, the PS3 dabbles in this.

I'm going with the 8-track. Just shove that brick right in there and play one level for each cartridge.

Don't give them ideas, seriously, they might try this as a money scheme.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Personally i think that they will go with the digital distributions model al la Steam. X-Box Live (love it, or loath it, but it is a huge part of there strategy for console dominance) would be the method of delivery. The next console may lack an optical drive completely. Though i don't think it will, i would put my money on a CD/DVD combo drive again, hey people still love there disks after all and it's going to be a long time until the CD/DVD goes away. just look at how long it's taken for tapes to fade away (and it's not like there completely gone even now).

 

[Gaiseric]

Digital distribution

This, all games will be downloaded in HD quality and stored on a large HDD

If that happens then I'm dropping games for awhile. My internet is nowhere near fast enough to make that feasible for me. It takes me over 6 hours to download a large demo from the PSN. It took over 12 hours download Stalker to my laptop. A 25+ gig game? Not a chance.

 

[Dafttechno]

Someone already mentioned it, but high density flash memory cards are getting cheaper and cheaper. You can get a 16GB SDHC card for about $30 now and when you're talking moving millions of units for just a single game, much less all the games on the console, the price per unit will drop significantly (economy of scale).

 

[Tarmon'gaidin]

What do you mean if not Blu-ray? Ofcourse it'll have Blu-ray Sony doesn't actually own the technology guys they just use it. HD-dvd has already been attempted and failed so Blu-ray will replace DVD.

And in 6 years time we will get something much better than Blu-ray, tough they've already invented that new technology but first they need to make some money of of Blu-ray before selling us the new stuff.

 

[Mark Flanagan]

Betamax or more likely Direct download to hard drive. Really who doesn't install a game on their 360 when they get it?

 

[Valdus]

I'm hoping for cartridges as well. With the older ones being made of Nintendium they still seem to function.

 

[Sprinal]

Well I saw the Tittle and instantly thought: HOLOGRAPHIC MEMORY MODULE

That would be revolutionary

 

[MadBlueWinnie]

There are currently 32GB SDHC cards out there which beats a 25GB single layer BD. Dual layer obviously holds 50Gb, but with flash memory becoming much more accessible, I don't see why the Xbox won't have Flash memory with Digital Distribution, plus a CD/DVD drive for the movie goers.

EDIT: Also found this info:
The Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) format was unveiled at CES 2009 (January 7?10, 2009). The maximum capacity defined for SDXC cards is 2 TB (2048 GB). The SDcard association selected Microsoft's proprietary exFAT file system in the official SDXC specification.

Proprietary Microsoft memory the size of an SD card that can hold 2TB? This HAS to be the way of physical distribution for Xbox. If not, then I don't know what they are thinking.

 

[Najos]

They'll probably just use Blu-ray. They could also make a new format, but it would have to be pretty fucking special to beat Blu-ray out.

 

[Gudrests]

There is no way Sony will let Microsoft use their technology.

Sony does own the rights to Blu-ray, right?

Actually Sony is just a big backer, and they only own the logo. The current board of directors is as follows:

Apple
Dell
HP
Hitachi
LG
Mitsubishi Electric
Panasonic
Pioneer
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony
Sun Microsystems
TDK
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney

I just want to point out....You know your a bauws if your company's name is up there...and not just your company's name...but your first and last name...all im sayin is...the mouse is a powerful creature. Its like...all of these giant corps...and this guy who drew cartoons....JUST SAYIN.....

On topic: Blue-ray....or USB's or something but...Blue-ray

 

[Aesthetical Quietus]

It would surprise me if they didn't use Blu-ray. Sony can't stop MS from using the technology and it'd cost MS if they didn't. Even if Sony had a deciding factor and the ability to veto companies that use Blu-ray, the other backers would be decidedly annoyed if they did as such because they get a cut for each drive. Especially considering MS and Apple's closeness [They are partial partners in the H.264 codec]. MS would be crazy to pass up on the Blu-Ray market. [As much as I disagree with Blu-Ray and wish they wouldn't use it.]

Although, I see digital distribution or flash memory cards becoming more popular in the future.

They already have a platform for digital distribution, all they have to do is make it competitive and easily accessible. The 360 Marketplace servers are very fast and reliable so all they'd need to do is have all games capable of Digital distribution at competitive prices and make it easier to purchase stuff. [MS points are needlessly complex for such a service and drives a fair few users away]. Basically they already have the technology in place for a Steam type service, all they need to do is bring up the user interaction.

The flash memory cards could work but they would have to develop some sort of intrinsic DRM due to the ease of copying files. They've worked it with DVD's quite well and I think they'd be happy with that kind of level of protection. I could see this working in a couple of ways:
- Having a massive hard-drive and having games stored on there.
- Having a tiny hard-drive and non-important files such as DRM and save files located on the hard drive. [These could tie into your gamer tag]
- Having no hard-drive. Save files are located on the flash drive. [In a writable section, the other parts are non-writable.]

Options two or three would probably require USB 3.0.

 

[Mxrz]

Flash + today's development costs = $90-$120+ games. A dual layered bd costs about $3 @ 50gb'ish for $60 games. So tack on another $30-$60 depending on how big the game is. Good luck with that. (Don't forget deterioration, dust, failure rates, and all the other wonderful problems the industry was relieved to be rid of with the coming of cdrom.)

Again, not really seeing where people are getting that MS can't/wont use BD cause of Sony.

Digital isn't going to happen any time soon, if ever. The majority of the US still lacks broadband, to say nothing of the rest of the world outside of Western Europe & bits of Asia.

* And why would Sony group want to prevent MS from using bluray? That's just silly. They'll make their share of money off both the licensing & all the blurays folks buy. Just the same as dvd.

 

[similar.squirrel]

Either that or games come on DRM protected memory sticks or something - that would probably cut down on shipping and manufacture.

This seems to be the most plausible option. Maybe a licensed Microsoft stick that you can download purchases onto in-store. Obviously, they'd have to give you physical artwork and manuals and so forth, because people like to accumulate stuff.

 

[GeorgW]

They've been experimenting with new versions. I remember a news story a month or two ago where they sent out Halo: Reach copies with the new format for players to try out. They'll use that.