Microsoft: Xbox 360 with Built In HD-DVD Drive On The Way?

fenderputty - 803 days 2 hours ago

they won't play games on HD-DVD's since the other 11 million current users won't be able to read the disks.

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marinelife9 - 803 days 2 hours ago

Why didn't Microsoft just do this from the beginning?

One more reason to wait to get a 360. First it was 65 nm but I still held off when they had problems. Now I'll wait until they come standard with the HD-DVD drives.

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Alvadr - 803 days 1 hour ago

They wont put games onto HD-DVD for the same reason they wont release games that require a hard drive...

...And the reason is because their install base wont mean s**t if they did that.

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C_SoL - 803 days ago

then all xkox360 users will have to buy an new Xbox..that sucks for all of you. anyways i don't believe their gonna do this....but i might be wrong.

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SCThor - 803 days ago

since at this point all xbox 360 have DVD drives built-in and the HD-DVD ad-on is ONLY for movies and NO firmware update can change that.

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Richdad - 803 days ago

I still think that micrsoft compresion technology is strong enough for current time but if more MMO and games like borderlands gerne may make microsft to go for this move after 2-3 years, then this could be good. Also, I can certainly tell that current 360 users will not have to worry since the price of HDDVD drive when such a situation arrives will be near abt 100$ or even lesser, since situation like that will never happen before 2-3 years (if its gonna happen). But it will be whole lot better for a 360 user to buy whole PS3 of 500$. So even if some one buys any 360 today he could be assure of that quality of games will not degrade and also one could modify his or her 360 with very little amount of money later on.

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bishop-br - 802 days 23 hours ago

@C_SoL

Even if MS would put games on HD-DVD, early adopters could just buy a HD-DVD drive, they wouldn't need to buy an entire new 360...

Anyway, people would feel cheated if MS do that (I would love and take a 360, space is never too much for a game, but I'm not an early adopter) so most like this is just not happening.

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SlappyMcTaint - 802 days 19 hours ago

You know, I agree that if they did this, they'd phuck over their install base, but you know what? M$ doesn't give one flying fcuk about you, the 360 owner!! Seriously, all they care about is winning -not one little scrote of a d!ck for their customers.

Sad thing is, xbots will buy it all over again and still complain about the PS3 being TOO EXPENSIVE, even though you dumbass 'bots will have bought 2 xbox's.

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PopEmUp - 802 days 19 hours ago

I think they should let the game play on hd-dvd that way they will loose all the fanbase they currently got, HA just kidding you guys . By the way if it true man ain't they screw (we're so Fack)

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Dannagar - 803 days 2 hours ago

It's very common for Electronic equipment to get updates on a yearly basis. An example of this would be TV's or PC's. The Likely hood is that Microsoft would just exchange the regular DVD drive for an HD DVD Drive. Its unlikely that Publishers would start putting their games on HD DVDs. That would divide the market and confuse consumers. It would be no different then Microsoft adding the HDMI port.

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IRISHCALIBER - 803 days 2 hours ago

If any format could cross this barrier it would be HD-DVD, let me tell you why. HD-DVD is DUAL FORMAT!! DVD-9 on one side and HD-DVD on the other making it playable through either SKU#. Also, this is the perfect time to replace the Elite Price tag with this new HD-DVD SKU# keeping it afford ably in the $400 range even keel with the 40G PS3 only a 10x better value. HD-DVD theirs no stopping you now!

- No problem as is most games in production of the next year or 2 will be fine on the DVD9s with no worry of content loss.

- Anyone ever hear of collectors or limited edition 2 disc sets well this is where they make their 1st move in consolidating content.

- costs are going down all over the board and if Blu-ray developers can still turn a profit with a serious lack of content to justify it's space than HD-DVD can be supplied and used the same.

- As for the 11 mil, well the games will be the same for quite a while DVD-9 will hold most games releasing over the next couple of years and if their is expanded content only an HD-DVD can hold than that can be dealt with in time different ways. Either way those that adopted the 360 early like I did have been playing great games, and will continue to. I am realistic in understanding the year lead was very important for software development time. The ends justifies the means! I my self will switch when it is necessary as I have a HD-DVD add on and prefer not to use my 360's drive to play movies. In other words when they start making games that need that much space then I'll consider an updated 360.

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Hatchetforce - 803 days ago

You seem to ignore the fact that HD-DVD isn't going to make a difference for games. Producing material that will only be for a small number of players isn't going to sit well with the other 11 million 360 owners. They will feel deprived.

Also there isn't money in such as move as putting HD-DVD material on the other side of the disk. Unless there is additional material there is no benefit since the HDDVD can read DVD9. Who pays to develop that extra material? Fairies? The Boogie Man? Charles Manson? Santa? Sorry but there is a huge hole in your theory since there has to be a way to recoup the extra development costs.

Now you also have to deal with the fact that a dual sided disc is more expensive than the standard DVD 9 that 99% of 360s would be using. Where does that free money come from? You need to come back to earth.

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SlappyMcTaint - 802 days 19 hours ago

you are a fecking retard!! Go away xbot and pass over here whatever you're smoking, cause it's gotta be some serious reality-bashing stuff!

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Sangheili85 - 803 days 3 hours ago

I agree.
I don't care for the format. I purchased a 360 for games. Which so far it is doing very good at. The new prices are making me want to get a PS3 just mainly because i want Blu-ray. I got a HD add on for my 360 for 80 bucks through a friends work. I don't care which format wins or fails. I'll have both. I only care what game console does what it is meant to do. Make Great games!

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reaperxciv - 802 days 21 hours ago

who cares, as long as the games have class

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codeazrael - 803 days 3 hours ago

Sony launched bluray with the ps3 which in turn caused the ps3 to be priced very high, so high in fact that it was out of most people's price range. Now that prices have come down, Microsoft could start including HD DVD playback in 360s themselves and still have them at a good price, I'm thinking the first model will be $399 and that will have a 20 gig hard drive. Games will still be DVD based, but this would be one hell of a way to boost 360 sales as well as the prospect of HD DVD winning this format war because for two years the 360 has been $399 and selling well, so launch another unit with HD DVD included for that same price point and the public will go wild, and Sony will go bust.

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Boink - 802 days 23 hours ago

adding an HDDVD drive would up the manufacturing cost, which they just want to bring it down.

I think this 360 vs ps3 race will be decided by the first to be under 200$, and that's where MS wants to be.

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nobizlikesnowbiz - 803 days 3 hours ago

And I'll buy one.

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SlappyMcTaint - 802 days 19 hours ago

Why put money into a dying format? Because M$ tells you to?

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karlostomy - 803 days 2 hours ago

this generation, MS is/will be making money on 360.
AND MS is making money on windows prducts.
In fact MS profits are higher than ever.

How's Sony's balance sheet looking?
aren' they losing a lot of money because no one is attaching games to their PS3 systems?

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Darrius Cole - 803 days 2 hours ago

Actually Microsoft has NOT made a profit on the Xbox 360 yet. They are promising to turn the corner this year (with the release of Halo 3) and to continue making a profit hereafter.

However, a profit has not quite materialized yet, but time is not up yet either. If they don't turn a profit soon though, the shareholders are going to start threatening to pull the plug on the Xbox.

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hardcorehippiez - 803 days 1 hour ago

here is why . games are already to big gettin for standard dvd s and micro know this. so now they are adding something which should have been there from the start. it has to to survive in the race and guess what core system owners will not be able to play these game . what did you all expect its microsoft they shaft people over all the time. just look at vista

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DG - 803 days ago

Darious-The shareholders have stock in All of Microsoft not just the Entertainment department. The losses there are nothing compared to the gains in brand recognition and living room influence.

The other guy-MS would not start putting games on HDDVDs at this point. The worst case cenario is two discs or double sided.

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karlostomy - 800 days 3 hours ago

Lol, did you read my post ?
.. i said "is/will be making money"

Ie. I was saying the system is very close to making money.
Perhaps use your brain a little.
12 million 360s sold with increasing attach rate and games sales means
MS IS OR WILL BE MAKING MONEY on 360.

THese are just facts!

How is it possible to DISAGREE with facts?
Is it against Sony/PS3 religion to talk about business facts and stats?

sheesh!

I love educating idiots

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karlostomy - 800 days 3 hours ago

double post

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Synex - 798 days 20 hours ago

Were they comparing the HD-DvD against a regular DvD when they said the HD-DvD was better? I don't remember reading any articles on how HD-DvD was better than Blu-Ray besides the price; although I did see a HD-DvD commericial saying it was the better format, but that doesn't count since the guy was paid to say it. Anyways can you tell me the difference between HD-DvD and Blu-Ray? There really isn't much of a difference besides the fact that the Blu-Ray disc is bigger allowing more sound storage and video storage, so what does this tell you? This tells me atleast that the Blu-Ray disc is the better choice since Blu-Ray can hold more quality, and in the near future we will need bigger storage devices.

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Boink - 803 days 3 hours ago

they do develop games.

ever heard of microsoft games studio?

they didn't own bizarre or bioware.

why are you here?

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pwnsause - 803 days 2 hours ago

uh, they dont, they publish the games, i havent seen one game that actually originates from microsoft studios

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Boink - 802 days 23 hours ago

is the publisher you're absolutely right, but they have Enseble and rare under that division as well.

it's all in their games division, meaning the games are made by their company.

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Madmax1281980 - 802 days 23 hours ago

WHAT AND SONY MAKE GAMES?! as far as i know they publish games to.

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reaperxciv - 802 days 20 hours ago

go home and play lair

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kydrice - 802 days 12 hours ago

Sony does make their own games, God of War series? Sony studios Santa Monica.

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Ashira - 803 days 2 hours ago

For someone with such a lot of bubbles, I would think you would do a better reply.
The point is to imbed a drive so that consumer does not need to purchase an external one to see HD-DVD movies AND to increase the actual amount of HD-DVD players out there. Plus, I do believe (as Microsoft has proved so far), that it will be a SKU by itself, so you can choose to buy it or not. Completely up to you. And I believe it would be much cheaper than Elite + HD-DVD add-on because Microsoft over-charges for its external accessories by a lot.
Losing format? Come on! For such a lot of bubbles, you should know this! HD-DVD isn't loosing. Blu-ray isn't loosing. Both formats battle on and will probably for a very long time. I don't believe either will lose at this point. Yes, HD-DVD is the "underdog" at the moment, but did you forget that Blu-ray was the underdog before the PS3? The formats have been battling to and from all this time, each getting the upper hand then the lower hand. HD-DVD isn't losing.

Certainly not FUD! Smart move by Microsoft, thinks I. Makes a good business decision. The more HD-DVD players out there, the better.

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Meus Renaissance - 803 days 2 hours ago

I believe Blu-Ray will win the format wars. I was unconvinced 8 months ago but I am pretty confident that it will become the popular format. The issue against here is that, if Microsoft wants to incorporate this drive into their console, they cannot release it at a new high price. As you said, it would need to be similarly priced to one of their high end SKU's at the moment e.g. Elite.

But if they do this, would it not increase manufacturing costs and slow down their rate of profit? What interests does Microsoft have in the format wars? Although they are supporting HD-DVD, it is only an Add-On. The reason for this was not only to keep the costs down for them and the consumer, but because if Blu Ray had won they'd be selling a console with a failed format under its belly. It would have made no sense so they chose the safe option to just offer an add on.

Now you think they have a gain in the format war and want to actively support HD-DVD into their consoles? It's not that I disagree with the idea I just think it is too soon for that to happen. Way too early.

And I dont know how I got 9 Bubbles. We all love each other here, giving out bubbles to people we get along with or something something

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Ashira - 803 days 1 hour ago

Let's argue some more!
I am pretty convinced that neither Blu-ray nor HD-DVD will win seeing as it swings around all the time. Blu-ray is still very expensive to produce, many studios are releasing on HD-DVD (including big studios that are exclusive to Blu-ray!) and it's still the leading format in Europe. I've seen things go to HD-DVD's favour and some for Blu-ray's favour. And if Blu-ray got this far simply by selling more players, wouldn't the same hold true for HD-DVD? Even if Blu-ray has superior studio support, before the PS3, HD-DVD was clearly winning, even with inferior support. All in all, I am pretty convinced this will end up like DVD+R and DVD-R. It's still far too early to decide a winning factor, however, because HD is still in its infancy.

But the thing here is, it will probably be cheaper than Elite + HD-DVD add-on, which makes it the popular choice for all those who wants the drive and a 360 without the external add-on. Microsoft can even cut the price if they want since they have such a huge amount of money.
Seeing how poorly they've actually made the 360 (hardware realibility for example), it seems to me that Microsoft is after more market share rather than profit.

If Microsoft didn't have any interest in the format wars, then why would they back HD-DVD and why would HD-DVD use its porprietary iHD? It seems to me that Microsoft wants HD-DVD to win and by integrating an HD-DVD into the console, that seems like a smart move. They might even phase out a model at a later date if the new SKU is popular enough.
Remember that Microsoft made HD-DVD an add-on because of their "everything should be optional" policy. That's why there's so many SKUs and so many accessories. Sony is having lots of SKUs to cut down on costs and increase popularity of the console, so they're a lot different than Microsoft.
Also remember that Microsoft tends to use the brute force method. Try it if it works and if it, no big deal. They even have their own compression codec. They have the money, so why not?
Now is the right time to integrate an HD-DVD drive into the console to drive Blu-ray back and take back market share. Microsoft is greedy.

I know what you mean with the bubbles, but usually people who makes good replies get many bubbles. And so far, pretty much all users with lots of bubbles makes excellent replies (and does not jump to conclusions, such as Blu-ray will win) ;)

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