Craig HillMicrosoft Deny Blu-Ray For Xbox Again, But Is Is Time?
October 8th 2008 05:32
Okay, we could ask this question every time someone restarts the 360 receiving a Blu-ray rumour and publish the quote of Robbie Bach, Microsoft’s president for entertainment and devices, saying that its not happening. In fact, todays quote is “(that blu-ray for the xbox 360 is) so far out that there isn’t anything to talk about.”
This does leave the door open somewhat, and it may be a door that Microsoft need to walk through.
Consider the HDD install option, a great way around multiple disks, an option Microsoft has recently introduced. Unfortunately, large capacity hard drives are not an option, as the price is utterly dispicable with many of us needing to sell of one of our lesser used organs to purchase anything of practical size.
Also, as developers push the console further, higher resolution textures and sound are being packed into blockbuster titles. These require space, or a dreaded disk swap. A combination of the two could work, but who wants their one button start up that took them away from PC gaming in the first place to take such backward steps? And even if the game is installed on the HDD you'll still need the disk in the drive.
Of course, if you believe Microsoft, the answer is downloadable content. But lets face it, with new games weighing in at a minimum of 8GB , this is not a practical alternative for the masses, not at least for the current generation and probably not for the next. And as studios work more of a Hollywood angle into gaming, you can be sure these sizes will increase, particularly if the physical limit of the disk were removed via direct delivery.
It would be a safe bet that this is the last christmas that Microsoft can ignore the needs of the industry. To keep pace with an ever improving PS3 who are steadily increasing the worlds Blu-ray install base, the options are limited. Come the gaming explosion that will be next christmas, one DVD will not be enough.
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I don't see the 360 ever going w/ Blu-ray because what do you do with all of the current owners and their inability to take advantage of it without a significant cost outlay (which ain't gonna happen). Are developers expected to create a Blu-ray and non-Blu version of their games? It makes no sense. And digital downloads are not the immediate future due to bandwith and HDD constraints. Yes some "smaller" games are released in this manner but downloading feature-length HD films and full games is limited (and not very feasible at this time).
It's tiring seeing the same arguments recycled month after month. Move onto something that matters and may ACTUALLY happen.