Report: Sony, Microsoft discussing 360 Blu-ray drive

The Financial Times reports rivals are talking about adding high-def technology to formerly HD DVD-aligned console; Microsoft denies anything official, Sony says it's open to the possibility.

Following its brief campaign to support the doomed HD DVD format, Microsoft has now apparently entered into talks with Sony to bring Blu-ray disc technology to the Xbox 360. That once-unthinkable scenario was outlined today in a report in the British economic daily the Financial Times, two months after Xbox group marketing manager Albert Penello reopened the door to the possibility.

"It should be consumer choice; and if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to consider," Penello told the Reuters news service during the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in January. Since then, though, decisions by retail giants Wal-Mart and Best Buy as well as online rental house Netflix made up the public's mind for it, causing Toshiba to finally abandon HD DVD production last month.

Citing an unnamed "senior executive," the Financial Times said that Sony and Microsoft are not simply discussing a successor to the Xbox 360's now discontinued, dirt-cheap external HD DVD drive. The newspaper said that there is also the possibility of an internal Blu-ray drive being incorporated into a new, more expensive "premium" 360 model, as it is already in the PlayStation 3. Thusly, Sony would earn royalties from sales of a rival console--a first for the game industry.

For its part, Microsoft quickly denied any move toward Blu-ray had been officially made. "We have made no such announcement," a rep told GameSpot. "Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles, and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available."

For its part, Sony welcomes the possibility of a Blu-ray-equipped Xbox 360. "If Microsoft wants to release Gears of War 3 on a Blu-ray Disc, I think we can make that happen," Sony Computer Entertainment America's vice president of product marketing Scott A. Steinberg told GameSpot prior to today's report.

While Steinberg's comments were merely hypothetical, they were echoed by another SCEA rep today--who declined to confirm nor deny the Times report. "While of course we are excited that the Blu-ray won the format war and knew that our decision to include Blu-ray in PS3 would pay off, the Blu-ray format is an initiative developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association," said the rep, referring to the body governing the BD format. While led by Sony, the BDA is made up of nine companies: Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung, and Panasonic parent company Matsushita.

1170 Comments

  • GTAMaster3000

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 12:18 pm PT

    "TenP, Song didn't introduce rumble OR Dual-Joystick controls. If I remember correctly, that was the N64, and that was well before Sony started making consoles.
    And i agree with jcooper91, STOP THIS ****

    PC RULES OVER ALL!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA"

    Actually, your wrong. N64 was long before sony started making consoles? Did you happen to forget about the original playstation? Which came out BEFORE N64? Not only that but it had joysticks in its controls before N64 aswell.

    Please learn to research stuff before you open your mouth.

    Anyway, who cares if a blu-ray will go into a 360. Its not like Microsoft would start making games in blu-ray when its already 3 years into a console. Possibly next generation, who knows.

  • SuperSniper31

    Posted Dec 24, 2008 10:05 am PT

    As long as the blu-ray is external for the 360 all of us who own an xbox won't have to buy a new one.

  • BrandonC3000

    Posted Dec 21, 2008 4:00 pm PT

    Do most Blu-Ray players have to pay royalty? If so, Microsoft should just do it and get it over with. If most companies don't have to though, I think it's pretty stupid if Sony's going to make Microsoft do it, just because the PS3 is getting the crap kicked out of it by the Xbox 360.

  • vivendidoom

    Posted Aug 13, 2008 7:29 am PT

    That would be a great move for both parties. Xbox sells more consoles, while Sony gets their financial stability back up from its losses on the ps3. Then again its not like the two companies hate each other. Sony makes the vaio which just so happens to support windows and not a mac. But that is one thing the Xbox was missing. They still make games on DVD 9 which is now getting to be out of date. plus developers for the 360 will have more room and the red rings will hopefully cease to be because the blue ray is easier to read. Most likely though Microsoft will have a better sounding and better visual entertainment console than nosy because Sony's cell processor sucks balls.

  • solidsnake2050

    Posted Jul 29, 2008 5:55 pm PT

    This would be nice..but make it external. An internal blu ray drive in future 360s is kind of a kick in the groin to those who already have a 360. As well, it would be stupid to put out a 360 with an internal blu ray drive AND make games on blu ray since that would basically cut off a majority of 360 owners from playing such games.

  • DaMiGi22863

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    jcooper91 is absolutely correct, the best idea to work on would be for Sony & Microsoft to work together.Talk about a Kick-A$$ game system,Blu-Ray HD compatibility, full backwards compatibility with all kinds of options, now that would be totally cool.. And then all you would hear from the fanboys would be complete and utter silence.

  • Trunkstuff

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 9:52 am PT

    FANBOYS ARE LAAAAAAMEEE..... AND HAVE NO FRRRRIIIENDS!

  • bowlow2

    Posted Jul 14, 2008 6:08 pm PT

    TenP, Song didn't introduce rumble OR Dual-Joystick controls. If I remember correctly, that was the N64, and that was well before Sony started making consoles.
    And i agree with jcooper91, STOP THIS ****

    PC RULES OVER ALL!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA

  • jcooper91

    Posted Jul 12, 2008 11:07 pm PT

    It's so funny reading some of these fanboy comments along the lines of "just go ahead and sell out to microsoft, sony!" or "just give up, microsoft, there can only be one good next-gen console! I mean, what the hell? Why must there be competition ALL THE TIME. Sure they're competing for sales and for having the biggest and fastest console, but it just annoys me how far fanboys will go to say that THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! They're both good and they're both fun, and when it all comes down to it, TECHNOLOGY IS TECHNOLOGY! Adapting to some new standard such as blu-ray doesn't mean a company is selling out just because it's been done before. Also, just becasue Sony is showing a little compassion for Microsoft by agreeing to share the love of blu-ray doesn't mean they're trying to make deals or sell out- it's new technology, and obviously they just want to open up bigger and better opportunities for Microsoft and the group of gamers they appeal to.

    I certainly would wish for Sony and Microsoft to collaborate, and for all fanboyism to just cease. It's the lamest thing, to hold one above the other or to claim one is selling out to another just because Microsoft is considering adopting blu-ray.

  • dimension4

    Posted Jul 11, 2008 9:03 pm PT

    microsoft wont use blu-ray for games because 20,000,000 already have a 360 and would have to dish money for an upgrade. if people were shipping in consoles then UPS and Fed-ex would have hell with handling those quanitys. and 360 with blu-ray would leave shame on microsoft for 10 years. it isnt going to happen

    if we have a new xbox420 or xbox720 on 2010 i cant complain. i got my moneys worth out of mine. i have the ps3 but i like XBL more and i like Xbox controllers more. so the ps3 just runs exclusives games for me and is backup in case my xbox has a stale year. 2008 isnt a stale year. GTA content and Gears 2 as exclsuves and lots of multi platform games

  • Burnout_Avenged

    Posted Jul 10, 2008 11:34 am PT

    That's bullcrap. No way they're going to do it. It would compromise sales of the PlayStation 3

  • TenP

    Posted Jul 10, 2008 10:00 am PT

    @Strawberry9, you do realize the Sony has the first and second most selling consoles of all time? You do realize the Sony introduced DVD compatability, System Linking, Internet play, rumble, Dual-Joystick controls, and much more? Sony's not going bankrupt because gaming isn't it's only business. Unlike Nintendo and Microsoft, Sony has a much bigger industry to fall back on and to dig it out of a hole.

    But I will say, if Xbox does get a Blu-Ray drive then Sony will make money off of the 360 and will never need to stop their gaming sect as long as there are Microsoft Fans out thar.

  • doogie276

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 5:26 pm PT

    osxgp Wrath777, "are you sure Blu-ray slows down development? I have yet to hear a developer state that the PS3 was the reason for GTA IV being delayed (example). I don't doubt it's difficult to make games for the PS3, but I want to hear it from the ones making the games, not people who speculate. That is the news I want to read about. "

    -GTAIV was delayed because of PS3... PS3 version had crappy FPS so they had to fix it but it was NOT delayed because of Blu-Ray

  • Kenji_Masamune

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 8:11 am PT

    and the reason why the playstation systems are harder to program for is because unlike the crapbox (which is just a dell computer crammed into a fugly box) the playstation uses custom made parts and OS. If you know how to program for directX you can program for the crapboxes. Turdbox 720 out in 2012 will be running of vista

  • Kenji_Masamune

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 10:15 pm PT

    the 360 is only for folks who can't afford to build a decent computer. COD4 > Halo turd. Too bad there isn't a way to network a PC and a crapbox together. WASD + Mouse = curbstomping xbots into the ground

  • osxgp

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 3:46 pm PT

    Wrath777, are you sure Blu-ray slows down development? I have yet to hear a developer state that the PS3 was the reason for GTA IV being delayed (example). I don't doubt it's difficult to make games for the PS3, but I want to hear it from the ones making the games, not people who speculate. That is the news I want to read about.

  • osxgp

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 3:42 pm PT

    There is no question to the advantage of Blu-ray as far as data size goes. MGS4 took up a whole dual layered Blu-ray disc. Say goodbye to multiple disc. Also, to gamerkiduri, Nintendo was before Sony, and others before Nintendo. So before making remarks about Microsoft and Sony, remember that there were others before them.

  • division_9

    Posted Jul 6, 2008 1:23 am PT

    Yeah and the Xbox 360 sucks a 33% defect rate.

  • Akth8r

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    If microsft goes through with this fanboys will hold this over the xbox for as long as it exists.

  • gamerkiduri

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:09 am PT

    strawberry9. ps3 has much better games then crap60 and is better then tht crap in everyway. sony came in the market before 360. gaming was great when there was no bill gates trying to be better then sony which is impossible

  • -Saint

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 9:34 pm PT

    The world will be a great place when Microsoft and Sony join forces to create a "super-console".

  • strawberry9

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 8:35 pm PT

    freaking garbage sony... Why dont they just go bankrupt to microsft... the gaming world would be such a better place without posers like sony who still think they can even compete with the 360.... just give up, ur system has no good games

  • Drunkenfish

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 3:19 pm PT

    Royalties, plus MS' high prices would equal heaven for people who earn seven-digit salaries. Sadly, most of us don't, so why bother making the industry inaccessible to the standard gamer? Even if they did, most games nowadays don't last more than eight hours. I'd rather have a more substantial game than an art expo. In the end, the extra money doesn't pay up really well...

  • Wrath777

    Posted May 28, 2008 9:46 pm PT

    THINK ABOUT IT!!!! To make a game for Ps3 becauseeee of the blue ray is hard enoff for the creaters.... games would take longer to make.. PS3 ALLLLLLLLLLLLLWAYS GETS GAMES PUSHED BACK!!! Xbox hasnt pushed back too many games... unless they really werent exclusives... its the PS3's fault we have to wait so long for sum of these games SUCH as Splinter Cell Conviction and the said thennnn to be released GTA4 Which was supposed to acually supposed to come out earlier!!! but it got pushed back cause of PS3 blue ga,,, Ray... i hope they dont go thru and Microsoft creates there own HD CD probably name it XD...Xtream Definition DVD! Its the best way to go! and dont get started with money cause Bill Gates has how much?!?! exacally

  • Titanicles

    Posted May 24, 2008 3:32 pm PT

    The only way it would work is if they gave free upgrade to Blu-Ray to existing owners of 360s, or made it a cheap, say £50-£100, upgrade. Otherwise there is no way they are going to make Blu-Ray games.

  • JackCarver000

    Posted May 13, 2008 12:49 pm PT

    I would love to have sony and microsoft team up and make a console. It would be so awesome! Think about it, the best of the both in one at the price of ONE. I mean, it would prolly kill Nintendo xD

  • Cookie2-0

    Posted May 12, 2008 2:31 pm PT

    JOke622 I am with you microsoft should really be looking ahead to a new console I mean come on the 360 has already had quite a long lifespan since its realease and I wouldnt be surprised if we saw the 720 on the selfs in 2010

  • JOke622

    Posted May 11, 2008 7:02 pm PT

    microsoft should forget about the mistake of taking hd-dvd and trying to fix its past and start thinking about its future. i mean come on. whats the time-frame between console generations? 4-5 years? before u know it microsoft and sony will be coming out with new consoles (xbox 720, ps4). microsoft should focus more on getting blu-ray or whatever the new disc is at that time for its next console. besides...no one uses their consoles for watching movies anyway

  • Zion82

    Posted Apr 27, 2008 8:57 am PT

    I hope something like this goes ahead. For me the 360 comes out Tops in many ways. Controller, DLC, XBL, Achievements, to top this off a large hard drive and Blu-Ray would really make it an amazing system. on GTA the PS3 Install seems to benefit the user a slightly and hard drives not costing much nowadays I can't see why not a 200-500GB for the 360. And with MGS 4 taking up 50GB of blu ray I think developers like Epic will be hoping to produce Gears 3 etc on large discs.

  • jwb-2007

    Posted Apr 18, 2008 9:25 am PT

    I bought a console to play lots of good games not to watch movies. That's why I chose to buy a xbox 360 insted of ps3. Anyway blu-ray movies are twice the price of normal dvds and to me arn't twice as good to watch,

  • Sunnyboy777

    Posted Apr 17, 2008 11:08 pm PT

    Why do all people think that company don't like to realese a game in multi-disk just cuz gamers are lazy enough to not get up, ever thought of cost of production? it'd be stupid to realese a game in 4-5 DVDs instead of just one blu ray, and then there's the chance that one of DVD even come faulty or something.

  • War_Martyr

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 11:05 pm PT

    I could really care less. Most of the movies I watch don't even come in any High Def. format, so I neither gain nor lose in this category.

  • SabresFan30

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 10:50 am PT

    k no point in bringing in blu ray now i mean every1 already has a 360. if they include it now ppl will hav to buy a blu ray hardrive or get new 360 waste of time 360's HD is already good. They just think of putting blu ray on their nxt system. blu ray on 360 is just going to be like the Elite

  • vandal5

    Posted Mar 29, 2008 7:46 pm PT

    I dont get whats wrong with games that come on a few disks just people being lazy,be nice to see ms start using the 360 hard drive more like installing games like ps3, scrap the core system please all 360s have hdd no need for blue ray!!!!!

  • Niffirg6

    Posted Mar 28, 2008 3:25 pm PT

    next gen console, save it for it. i may be wrong but i think normat formated movies are fine. i can live without HD or BLU-ray discks. its just extra money for the same movie, just a little better quility

  • nobdow

    Posted Mar 25, 2008 8:03 am PT

    Just sell an external drive! Don't put it in a new console there are too many different xboxs already.

  • 241sqdn

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 6:15 pm PT

    I can see why MS would want to incorporate Blu-ray into there Xbox's as it will allow them to produce more visually intense games, and that is what all these next gen consoles are about, however with most Xbox premiums breaking and getting the "ring of death" will a Blu-ray player just make things worse?

  • lawfrye

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 10:24 pm PT

    Its NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN! I don't even know why we're talking about this anymore! I'm not necessarily against PS3 but I must say the 360 has a big time huge list of block buster titles that Sony will never be able to catch up with at this point.

    Who cares about a Blu-Ray player anyway? Last time I checked, I bough a console to play games, not to watch movies! To that end the 360 suits me just fine. If I want to watch a BR movie then I'll buy a BR player for my (PC). But as far as a Blu-Ray player ending up in the 360...don't hold your breath!

  • reevo3000

    Posted Mar 21, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    I love the fact people are aguing which console has won "the war" How long did Mega Drive and SNES co-exsist?

    I have both PS3 and X-Box and the X-Box is a considerably better console. Adding a Blu-ray drive would be pointless but an external drive welcomed.

    Who cares if Sony has "won" Microsoft has sold almost double the about of 360s. PS3 ain't catching up nomatter what advantage they have.

  • jacobob

    Posted Mar 19, 2008 1:42 am PT

    To advandam:

    There is no "special film" for HD. (The film they used in casablanca is different from what you might find today only because the emulsion (chemicals put on the celluloid) differs from company to company and for different products.

    They could make a 1080p version of any film as long as they have a good enough print to capture from (which they do) but they won't go around capturing all old films into Hi-Def digital formats because the cost would be disproportionate to the profits they could generate.

    Are you confusing "New films" with HiDef digital cinematography? i.e.: Panasonic's 24p and stuff (the process they used on the newer star wars trilogy)

    Anyways, I think MS will have to support blue ray in some form because part of their original sales pitch was that the Xbox 360 is a complete Hi Def home entertainment system. Look for an external player in the future I think.

    If I were Microsoft I would just buy one of the other BDA member companies.

  • Onimusho

    Posted Mar 18, 2008 12:09 pm PT

    blu-ray 360???i dont see it happening,to produce a blu ray compatible with the 360 would cost a hell of alot,with royalties added in making a profit on it's gonna be impossible,lets face it...whos gonna fork out another £200 for an external drive or £450 for a blu ray 360???

  • -Beatz-

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 7:35 pm PT

    If they don't make the Blu-Ray internal, then they probably can't make new games. Because what shall the other 16-17 million people do? I don't know, if Microsoft could, don't take me wrong, they are a very rich company, buy every 17 millionth human a new xbox 360. Even if it's "more expensive"
    But the next Xbox I believe shall have even another optical format on it.

  • christopherneal

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 9:10 am PT

    Ok...

    I like the idea of SONY and MS working on a BD drive. Internal or external doesn't matter to me. I don't like the idea that MS would pay royalties to SONY for every "premium" 360 sold. Kinda makes the hair on the back of my kneck stand up. Although if MS is paying for "membership" into the governing body of BD then it makes total sense. You can't have a rougue company using a standard format.

    Nuff Said!

  • rockutd

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 4:59 am PT

    Hmmmm.In that case MSG4 might be coming over to the 360.All 360 games are gonna get blu-rayed.And Sony is gonna make some money for every game sold.Well u heard it here first...

  • Suiranev

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 3:22 am PT

    hmm so microsoft will pay prolly $1000 per BR and consumers for the 7th version of your xbox we include blue ray for 300 dollars so a $700 xbox(dont worry fan boys we will put masterchief on it and it will totally give u a rise) lawl.

  • Infinite_Access

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 10:08 pm PT

    Good to see them working together...I'd kill to get rid of the fanboyism! We need ONE console with all the games that isnt loud, doesnt crash, has good online, and is "friend" friendly...like all the 3 systems combined

  • seany_lad

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 3:39 pm PT

    lol just had a thought.......blu-ray UMD ROFL

  • Delongman

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    if it means we could get 50gig games, well i'm in. What would be weird would be to see the 360 making better games and selling more consoles because of the blu-ray opportunity that Sony is offering... anywho i'll stop this speculation... gives us bd then!

  • allright715

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 7:41 am PT

    I doubt that will ever happen. Microsoft before supported HD DVD to a high status. I wonder if that will ever happen to Blu-ray.

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