Blu-ray Coming to Xbox 360?

Oh, Steve, you’ve done it again! After making the Internet explode earlier in the year by claiming a new Xbox model will see light of day in 2010, this week Ballmer, the Microsoft CEO, spread a speculation pandemic across the web about a Blu-ray add-on for the venerable white box. Gizmodo were patient zero, putting up an interview with the sensational headline “Ballmer Talks Natal, Says Blu-ray Add-On for Xbox Coming”.

This will-they-won’t-they tale has been going on for years now, of course, with stories linking Blu-Ray with the 360 popping up almost as much as the dreaded ’MGS4 on 360?’ rumor - although at least the latter seems to have died down latery. Phew! (way to tempt fate - Ed.)

This mischievous quote in question came after Ballmer being asked whether future 360s will get an internal Blu-ray drive: "I don’t know if we need to put Blu-ray in there - you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives, can get Blu-ray drives as accessories”, the big cheese said. Of course, the comment looks innocuous enough; it suggests that users can just get their mitts on a separate Blu-ray player if they want one. The fact he then went straight into proclaiming Microsoft’s 1080p on-demand service the "future of movies" also casts doubts on Gizmodo’s take of the situation. One thing’s for sure: Ballmer won’t accidentally call something an ‘accessory’ ever again.

Still, the incident caused the Internet to light up with speculation, with Microsoft mouthpiece extraordinaire Major Nelson weighing the next day in an attempt to end the rumors: “As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360,” he said. Yet his post was met with ample speculation in his own comments thread, with plenty of users claiming some sort of Blu-ray add-on as inevitable: “I do not believe you, Major Nelson. Where there is smoke, there is fire,” commented poster chunkubis, and Vasilii Zaytsev responded with an erudite “Suuuuuuuuuuuure”. But is a Blu-ray add-on really practical?

Let’s think about it for a second: putting a Blu-ray drive in, under, on or around the 360 would be an enormous coup for Sony. With the US price for the Xbox Elite and the PS3 Slim both fixed at $299.99, Microsoft’s machine already comes off worse for value. In the UK it’s slightly different, with the Elite selling at £199.99 and the PS3 coming in at £249.99, but even then the Wi-Fi capable, Blu-ray-playing PS3 is edging it; it’s no wonder the PS3 has been enjoying such positive sales figures since the Slim’s launch. Marketing and creating a likely-expensive add-on drive would be suicide for Microsoft’s entertainment division.
Plus, there’s never been an add-on drive in the whole of history that’s been anything other than a complete shambles. Think about it.

Interestingly, the whole incident shows just how much the entertainment industry factors into a modern console’s lifespan these days. We used to count ourselves lucky if the temperamental NES would even play games.

Martin’s Verdict: False.