Microsoft Denies Blu-ray on Xbox 360

Microsoft is not in talks with Sony to bring Blu-ray movie functionality to the Xbox 360, Xbox product manager Aaron Greenberg has revealed.

"Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience," Greenberg told Reuters.

Greenberg's comment clarifies a statement made by Sony Electronics US president Stan Glasgow earlier this month, in which the executive said that the company was in talks with Microsoft concerning an adoption of the Blu-ray format.

However, Greenberg's denial of talks to bring Blu-ray movie playback functionality to the Xbox 360 does not rule out use of the format on Windows-based PCs.

The Blu-ray format, which was developed by Sony as well as several other companies, was crowned the victor of the "HD format wars" when hardware manufacturer Toshiba ceased production of HD DVD players and recorders. Microsoft soon followed suit, axing production of the Xbox 360 HD DVD player add-on, with rumors suggesting that an Xbox 360 Blu-ray add-on player could arrive as early as May.