Blu-ray Xbox 360 Rumors Persist Despite Repeated Microsoft Denials

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Though Microsoft has repeatedly denied any plans to bring the Blu-ray format to Xbox 360, another rumor has popped up claiming that such a device is now in production.

According to X-bit labs, Toshiba-Samsung Storage Corporation has been contracted to make an $100-$150 external add-on that will allow Xbox 360s to play Blu-ray movies, similar to the existing and now-discontinued Xbox 360 HD DVD player.

The site also claims that Microsoft has "always said" that it might release a Blu-ray add-on if there was demand, a statement that is definitely false.

"I can categorically say that we're not working on a Blu-ray player for Xbox 360," Microsoft VP Shane Kim declared earlier this year, adding to an already impressive list of denials. "To my knowledge, we don't have any intent to do that."

In lieu of Blu-ray support, which many believe to be the PlayStation 3's main advantage, Microsoft has trumpeted the Xbox 360's digital distribution of movies and TV shows, which will soon include Netflix streaming video.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    October 8, 2008 10:26 AM

    I don't think it's going to happen, but I would love them if they did. I would spend the money on such an addon.

    • reply
      October 8, 2008 10:37 AM

      Agreed. I don't think it's going to happen given MSFT partnership with Netflix, and both companies desire to move to digital distribution. But the bandwidth in the states just doesn't support the quality that a blu-ray disc will provide.

      I love my 360, but I also wouldn't mind picking up a PS3 as soon as god of war 3 drops.

    • reply
      October 8, 2008 10:45 AM

      Yeah...I doubt it will happen to. They are all about digital distribution via the XBLM...introducing a useful addon that meant you didn't have to buy movies off of XBL would mean lost business for the XBLM. The one thing I wish they'd start doing though is increasing the size of the hard drive. I retired a 120GB drive a while back. The smallest hard drive for my PC that I have bought in the past 6 months was 300GB. With the upcoming dashboard upgrade that 120GB hard drive is going to start filling up with all the hard drive installs of games. How much you want to bet they release an upgraded hard drive just in time for the holiday season. Seems like they are positioning the NXE just for that.

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