No Blu-ray in Xbox's Future, HD Will Be Online Instead

 In an interview with Computer and Video Games, Stephen McGill, Microsoft's Director of Xbox and Entertainment, has said the company has no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for their Xbox 360 games console.  According to the site, he is quoted as saying

"...the future of home entertainment started last autumn when Xbox 360 became the first and only console to offer instant-on 1080p streaming HD movies."

Microsoft have a habit of talking about Blu-ray out-of-turn though, with previous comments including Steve Ballmer's hastily denied claims that the 360 may receive a Blu-ray drive accessory, or going even further back before the demise of HD-DVD when there was talk of giving the consumer a choice of either format.

It's hardly surprising that Microsoft aren't planning to play the Blu-ray game, seeing as their console is in direct competition with Sony, but is their future vision of downloadable HD content accurate?  Not everyone has the connection to make downloading HD movies a viable option, but buying a physical disc and playing it on their player will never present the same kind of issues.  Personally, I like cases and nice cover art on my shelves, and not files on a hard drive.  

Is this another Apple Mac/Blu-ray style issue?  Are there Xbox owners who would like a Blu-ray add-on for their console, but are being denied the option?  Let us know!

Comments

[Chad Hedstrom]

If you look at Steam and PC Games distribution, it's pretty obvious that we're rapidly moving away from physical media. The main problem is finding a company trustworthy enough and with the right ethics to start your digital movie collection. Apple and Microsoft are headed in the right direction, but I think people who say Netflix's stock is overvalued are deeply shortsighted. Regarding cases and art on your shelves, nobody is stopping you from printing off your own Blu-Ray covers and filling your shelves with empty disc cases if you like to show off your collection. You're going to look kind of silly wasting all that space in a few years though :)

[kess]

if you added blu-ray you would make like double the money of the ps3 because the xbox 360 is better in everything compared to the ps3 but blu-ray i mean come on Bill Gates give the customers what they want please.