Microsoft has no plans for Blu-ray add-on

McManicMan

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Microsoft has no plans for Blu-ray add-on
Says the attach rate of the HD DVD players was a disappointing 3%.

Speaking to EuroGamer, John Schappert, Corporate Vice President LIVE, Software and Services for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, has expressed his disappointment in the sales of the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on.

"It was a 3 percent attach rate," explained Schappert. This suggest only around 540,000 units of the HD DVD add-on were sold to the 18 million strong Xbox 360 installed base.

"It wasn't one of the high-selling accessories if you will. The people who bought it knew what they were buying," said Schappert.

With Blu-ray having emerged as the winner of the high definition media war, although currently by no means the clear successor to DVD, Microsoft has been rumoured to be working on a Blu-ray add-on drive for the Xbox 360. However, Schappert has indicated this isn't the case, pointing towards poor sales of the HD DVD add-on.

"We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now," said Schappert. "But I'd also urge you to look at the attach rate for the HD-DVD drive."
 
Or they'd have to build it in. Ah, well. Maybe they'll get the next Xbox out the door ahead of schedule again.
 
i hope so, cannot see why not if its the medium thats being used by eveyone. Hopefully with faster transfer rates so less issue's with any transfer speeds of data and a built in 500gig HD, lol
 
The thing is: "We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now" means just that. They might not have something to annouce now, but next week they might.
 
Caustic said:
The thing is: "We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now" means just that. They might not have something to annouce now, but next week they might.
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It's really not a viable option with the PS3 getting so cheap, the longer it takes the smaller the gap becomes between the two consoles, by the time a Blu-ray add-on came about the PS3 would have an unassailable lead making the add-on a pointless expense for Microsoft. They should concentrate on the 360's successor now.
 
As stated, it would only really make business sense to release either their next console with a Blu-Ray drive, or refresh the 360 as Sony seems to like doing with their consoles, and work a drive in then.
 
One More Solo said:
It's really not a viable option with the PS3 getting so cheap, the longer it takes the smaller the gap becomes between the two consoles, by the time a Blu-ray add-on came about the PS3 would have an unassailable lead making the add-on a pointless expense for Microsoft. They should concentrate on the 360's successor now.
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The PS3 getting so cheap? It is still around the £300 mark. Considering the HD-DVD drive was £120, if a Blu-Ray drive was the same price, would that not be popular amonst 360 owners? Yes a 360+Blu-Ray might not be less than a PS3, but still, as prices decline, it might be an option?
 
how would MS profit from adding a bluray drive exactly?

Sony gets a royalty fee for every bluray disc thats sold, and thats how the business model works.
 
neocon said:
how would MS profit from adding a bluray drive exactly?

Sony gets a royalty fee for every bluray disc thats sold, and thats how the business model works.
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Don't microsoft already benefit from BluRay if the company uses a microsoft codec.

I don't think a BluRay drive will sell very well.

I doubt that they will use BluRay in their next console either, will probably be some 'unique' media for games anyway.
 
No plans = We've not made an announcment yet.

But, I don't think they'll bother anyway. Would make more sense for them to make a real push with their digital distribution model.
 
Just as an aside, I'm wondering what is the future for HDTV? Right now, we have Blu-ray disc which holds 1080p, better than TV broadcasts which are 720p/1080i at most. HDTVs are 1080p at most. What happens over the next 20 years? Do we get HDTVs that are 8-megapixel, like 4 1080p screens together but still only 720p/1080i TV broadcasts? Therefore the only way to make the most of these 2160p TVs will be by a new form of optical storage with media encoded at 2160p?

Will that keep happening - that TVs get stuck at one resolution and other media jumps ahead in leaps and bounds with the two only achieving equilibrium every 30 years? I suppose it's hard to tell as TV has come such a huge way in the last 50 years with colour, widescreen, HDTV, etc. that it's impossible to predict the next 50 years.
 
Would be a stupid idea releasing a Blu-ray add-on really. By the time they get a release out standalone players will be the same price/cheaper. Judging by the HD-DVD attach rate its not likely to sell that well even to current 360 owners and even if a format has won now the add-on seems to be in a niche market. For consumers that don't have HD current-gen consoles a PS3 is likely to be a more viable option, simply down to the cost difference. Sony will also be making money off Microsoft, current HD-DVD add-on owners have salt rubbed into thier wounds, MS don't release HD format games.
 
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They'll probably announce one in under 6 months. I remember when they had no plans for hdmi, or bigger hard drives or a black version of the console etc etc.
 
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