Microsoft talks Blu-ray support

CEO Steve Ballmer says the company will work with Sony's disc format "in ways that make sense."

Microsoft backed Toshiba's HD DVD in its losing effort against Sony's Blu-ray in the next-gen disc format wars, but it doesn't appear to be holding grudges. At the company's Mix08 Internet conference in Las Vegas yesterday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed that Microsoft will be working with Blu-ray, according to a Seattle Post-Intelligencer report.

"We've already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support for Blu-ray drives and the like, and I think the world moves on," Ballmer said. "Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense." The report doesn't mention the Xbox 360 or the hypothetical Blu-ray add-on that has been rumored of, hinted at, and reported on.

As of press time, Microsoft had not returned requests for comment on the issue in light of Ballmer's presentation. However, the company had already addressed the possibility of an Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive earlier this week, with a representative saying, "We have made no such announcement. Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles, and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available."

438 Comments

  • mineshr

    Posted Sep 25, 2008 10:15 am GMT

    I don't know why people are complaining about sony. We want hi defination gaming and that is only possible on a larger medium. It only makes sense to use a medium that is also coming out with movies. Its a bonus, but also a necessity if you're looking beyond the first 3 years of the console. People are like I don't want to buy blu ray discs. Its not that expensive and worth it from this point on. SIG electronics sells blu ray discs for 15 bucks. 10 or 12 dollars during sales (for good movies) Blu ray is much better than DVDs if you have a HD tv (which are all tvs currently being sold). You don't have to buy all you're DVDs again, becuase of upscaling. But you'd be stupid to buy a DVD again vs. a Blu ray for new movies coming out. We spend more money at the theatres people!

  • Foxinferno

    Posted Mar 18, 2008 12:36 pm GMT

    You people are really funny...you say that the format war has nothing to do with gaming, but the truth behind the matter is it actually has everything to do with it because dvd will become like vhs. Because of that fact, microsoft will eventually have to change to blu-ray, although the way microsoft makes their systems we'll probably have the xbox 720 in about 2-3 years and it will have a blu-ray installed. But the bottom line is microsoft will have to start making blu-ray, and that is why alot of developers have started producing for the ps3 first and foremost then the 360, I mean c'mon, whats a 4 gig dvd compared to a 50 gig dl blu-ray.

  • Fuezion

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 9:46 am GMT

    The important thing is...US...the consumer! If companies start to get lost in the whole "I'm better than you war" or the "Format War," then ultimately WE lose out. Companies are starting to forget who pays their bills, all of these technological advances in the industry--specifically the gaming industry...are going to raise prices, and as the consumer we really won't have any choice in the matter. We can give these companies a little credit, because in certain instances they are designing consoles, and accessories they believe that we want, and in some cases they are, but more often than not it is the latter. Ralph Baer wanted to create a console that was cheap, as well as have great play value, and a good value for the home...it was so families weren't paying out the butt for this type of entertainment, and to even take in inflation, consoles are starting to get waaayyy out of hand (Ah-Hem PS3! any comment?). Blu-ray...HD-DVD are both outstanding and a great way to pave the road for the future--for movies/games, but... ...someone outside of us (the consumers) needs to think about our wallets (Ah-hem Microsoft and Sony)...also notice I didn't mention NINTENDO...why...You ask? Well NINTENDO produced a superlative system with a minimal price tag, personally I believe it is definitely worth the purchase...assuming you can find one! (NINTENDO what the heck?). I should not have to go out and upgrade every piece of electronic equipment in my home just to play a video game, and I totally agree with jtthegame316, we buy our consoles to PLAY GAMES, playing movies is but a "bonus feature" not something I need to function, but more or less now it would almost be console suicide if you don't have one (i.e., Xbox and PS have DVD players, but NINTENDO does not and still does well) it's almost a "Catch 22."

    Until next time...

  • Death_Masta187

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 7:16 am GMT

    Digital distribution FTW!

  • Suiranev

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 3:05 am GMT

    lol is all that must be said extra lawl to the "make sense" part lawl.

  • sobleck

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 5:08 pm GMT

    jtthegame316, the reason people buy PS3's to watch blu-ray movies is because when it launched and even now, it remains one of the best and cheapest blu-ray players. Also THe PS3 like the wii is trying to promote itself as more than just a games console, which is where you have to understand that gamers aren't the only target market for selling the ps3. So comments telling people that they should just get separate appliances for their needs is totally disregarding sony's strategy. Basically the PS3 is meant to function as your entire home entertainment system. Meaning it supposed to be a bargain in that sense. I do however, agree that the x360 region free drive was a plus.

  • jtthegame316

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 1:52 pm GMT

    consoles are for gaming people who have brought i a ps 3 just for a blu ray player are not gamers they should not have boughered to buy a console they should of just got emslef a dvd, hd dvd or blu ray player. i mean why buy a console just to play movies? i play games on my xbox 360 the machine playing dvds is just a bonus. yes i have the hd dvd drive for it but again that is a bonus i don't care that blu ray won the format war cause the bottom line is i have region free drive with that hd dvd drive. i won't be buying any blu rays or blu ray players for now i am happy with dvd. flims in hd are not a big deal games in hd on the other had are awesome and the xbox does that as does the ps 3 but the xbox has got great games that the ps3 has not where as the ps 3 has nothing that is not on the xbox or won't come to the xbox.

  • Nosnitsttam

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 12:20 pm GMT

    i don't care about blu ray or HDDVD. its too expensive (around $400 for later players and up to $40 per movie) and i didn't really see any difference between the 2 formats. both offered large storage spaces and higher resolutions. blu ray came out on top because people were buying the ps3 and said 'oh well i have a blu ray player, guess i'll buy some blu ray movies'. it wasn't like they really wanted a blu ray player, it just happened to come with their console. but when you look at stand alone player sales, hd-dvd players were selling more than blu ray. microsoft made the right choice for their console, just not the format they were bakcing.

    anyways, MS will probably include some form of blu ray for the 360 but i doubt use it for gaming. they didn't like that idea for HDDVD, and theres no reason to change. they still have the largest library of games and most of them are really good, switching over now would be too expensive and piss off alot of developers who still really like working with the DVD format (hence why most multi-platform games get developed for the 360 before going to the PS3).

  • godvigor

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 11:27 pm GMT

    this proves tha sony is not dead.... yet

  • rip_em_one

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 4:29 pm GMT

    i bet MS is just goin to make something new hahaha rich pplz i mean dang can never admit defeat but i still love my xbox im def gettin MSG4 and i cant stop playin SSBB, oh and i never baught a hi-def movie i could care less man ill wait till its like 20$ a movie or untill something else comes out cuz you know it will

  • flackstone

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 4:19 pm GMT

    waraga your so **** arogant.

  • flackstone

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 4:16 pm GMT

    i bought my 360 to play games i dont give a flying **** about the format because that is for watching movies and not playing games and if i really wanted to watch movies i just watch a normal dvd the end.

  • flackstone

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 4:12 pm GMT

    they would never start developing games on the blue ray format because they would have to change formats of the older games format which is imposible to do.

  • dynomitemasta

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 1:22 pm GMT

    This is so insignificant. . . MS will NOT put out a blu-ray add-on, . . . if anything, they will let Toshiba make an add-on that will "WORK" with the 360, this way it's not MS that bends to Sony, instead it will be the company that puts it out, whether it's Toshiba or Samsung, or whoever MS makes the deal with. If there is one thing MS is NOT, and that's stupid.........What kills me is most people are so ignorant to what 1080p can do, . . under 56" it doesn't even matter, . . it's a gimmick. I'll put a Pioneer 720p against a 1080p from ANY company at 50" or less, and if we hide the name, you'll be guessing which one is which, all day long, . . actually you won't, the Pioneer will blow away the competition every time......When we look back, we will see that way too much time was spent thinking about blu-ray, and 1080p on smaller sets. It will ultimately come down to games, not video playback, which by the way the Wii doesn't have at all.

  • sean_ph

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 12:56 pm GMT

    "Zoomer30

    Excuse me....I am just sitting here thinking HUH?! A year ago everyone thought (well not me) Blu-Ray was gonna be an also-ran to the winner, HD-DVD

    A year later and MS is talking BR support on the 360. Can you here the MS fans crying? I can

    Oh, and in support of all the people whi got the HD-DVD addon for their 360, I really think MS should come to bat for them and just give all of them the Blu-Ray addon free or at a DEEP discount. We all know the addon is coming."

    Where exactly does it say in the article that MS is putting support for BD in the 360? The device drivers for BD drives for MS OSs are perfectly understandable. But for the 360? Where exactly did you get this? From your ass?

  • Lostfile

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 10:30 am GMT

    RakinR said:
    "they should make a cheap blu ray add on for those who have the original 360 and they should manufacture 360s with built in blu ray for those who still didn't buy a 360 or those just want it built in"

    Not to put you down or anything but the fact that you said CHEAP blu-ray player caught me off gaurd. Blu-Ray doesn't come cheap and if Microsoft is gonna be able to put it's hands in there for it, it isn't gonna come with a small price tag. And for what you said about the xbox-360 blu-ray combo: that's not a good idea either. If they did move to blu-ray, just think of how many people would be left out of the loop. That would be a horrible move for Microsoft.

    I think they just need to ride out the last years of this console and THEN put blu-ray in for the next console.

  • RakinR

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 9:44 am GMT

    they should make a cheap blu ray add on for those who have the original 360 and they should manufacture 360s with built in blu ray for those who still didn't buy a 360 or those just want it built in

  • scamisimran

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 8:49 am GMT

    great.... a blue ray 360. can u imagine how much that system would sell for? ill stick to my regular 360 thank you very much...as long as they dont start developing 360 games on blueray format...how unfair that wud be

  • Captainhowdy579

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 6:11 am GMT

    Either way this sucks for anyone who bought HD Dvd or the HD Drive for the 360. I honestly thought Blu-ray would have lost, but sony and its backers have deep pockets. As for purchasing a format why bother get a apple tv or a media center pc disks are over rated and should go the way of the CD to mp3. Besides both formats are stupid compared to Holographic Versatile Discs 3.9 Terabytes of storage . They are very expensive but will come down fast. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_Versatile_Disc

  • 0011992288

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 4:19 am GMT

    Richard_Godfrey:
    Newegg has 32 GB flash drives between $140-$190. Blueray discs are 25 GB (single layer) and 50 GB (dual layer). Doesn't seem terribly cost efficient to not keep them on discs, which are mad cheap to produce.
    Back to the task at hand, as many people have put it, I have my 360 for gaming. DVDs do me just fine, and I don't feel the need to improve to a next gen disc player as of yet. Just doesn't matter enough to me.

  • KGB32

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 12:07 am GMT

    im glad to hear that MS are focused on the games instead of just a media machine.

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 11:55 pm GMT

    Excuse me....I am just sitting here thinking HUH?! A year ago everyone thought (well not me) Blu-Ray was gonna be an also-ran to the winner, HD-DVD

    A year later and MS is talking BR support on the 360. Can you here the MS fans crying? I can

    Oh, and in support of all the people whi got the HD-DVD addon for their 360, I really think MS should come to bat for them and just give all of them the Blu-Ray addon free or at a DEEP discount. We all know the addon is coming.

  • jogunther

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:47 pm GMT

    This really isn't really the issue you are arguing over. We all have allegiances, some to sony other to microsoft. We both want quality then quantity of games. I think some will be suprised with the PS3 this year. Its now coming into its time frame where the 360 picked up. Who knows?

  • MadGamer132

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 3:16 pm GMT

    heck yeah, go for it.

  • Richard_Godfrey

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 6:24 am GMT

    I just had a little look at some of the comments further down the list, some people say some really stupid things, i own a 360 to play games on, i couldn't care less if it has blu ray drive or hd drive as long as i get to play the newest games out. The reason why i dont own a PS3 and this i feel is the biggest reason because quite simply the caliber of games available are pretty poor compared to the 360, i know that could possibly change but it probably won't, the 360 isnt the Sega Saturn. Both consoles will have excellent games, but at the moment for a hardcore gamer the 360 is by far the better option. I shall also let you in on a little secret, if you download hd quality films you can store them on a USB mem stick or portable USB hard drive plug it into your USB port on the 360 and viola HD ready films at a rate far cheaper then blu-ray. Just because you choose to have a 360 or PS3 dosn't mean it's better then the other, your opinion is your opinion dosnt make it fact both have pros and cons.

  • Richard_Godfrey

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 6:03 am GMT

    Why not ditch disks in favour of USB mem sticks, im sure the technology is available to put games on a large enough mem stick that would retail at the same price as a disk, the quality still be HD, and a mem stick could surely hold as much infomation as a blu-ray disc with the benefits of never getting scratced, dirty or broken.

  • ben4572

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 4:05 pm GMT

    Damn, I hope Microsoft makes an Xbox blu-ray drive.

  • rip_em_one

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 10:07 am GMT

    SinneR6664ever i also agree plus the competition means better stuff for us so stop bit chin homies haha i like yo-yos they ruled haha

  • MidniteShadow

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 3:20 am GMT

    Good point SinneR6664ever.
    we should all just be proud that the big two (not bias or anything just PS3 and 360 has more games to forward to other than mario "blah") has done for this console generation. Sony brought the Blu-Ray. the 360 has stepped up on the online world. hell there are many good things, and yes bad. Great move M$ for comming to your senses about Blu-Ray.

  • SinneR6664ever

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 12:42 am GMT

    do u guys get tired of arguing? an opinion is like an a$$hole everyone has one, but not everyone wants to smell it.

    i like what both consoles have done for this generation. i dislike what theyve done too. hddvd vs bluray... both had pros and cons, as with everything. fanboys these days. let there be peace!!

  • Heir_of_Isildur

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 9:17 pm GMT

    magusat999-"HD-DVD, on the other hand, already had these technologies ready to go"

    So that explains why they didnt put it in the 360? Seriously if what you say is true hd dvd would have had more of a chance.
    But still....I like having movies that are almost unscratchable. Forget hd dvd folks. Stop saying that companies banded together against hd dvd. The truth is that they saw bluray as a better format AND seller. You see..people tend to go for the high quality stuff if they are going to spend alot of money.

  • one_man_assault

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 7:45 pm GMT

    Microsoft was smart for not forcing HD-DVD via a built in for the 360....that would have been disastorious....Sony knew that was an opening they could go after to get some ground back and was aggresive in putting the Bluray in as many homes as they could with the PS3....both moves were calculated and seem to now be paying off...seems like a win-win

  • don_bidarian

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 4:06 pm GMT

    finally microsoft accepted that Blu-ray is better than HD-DVD... wise move from microsoft.

  • RealXBoxKiller

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 2:51 pm GMT

    LOL.. They should just join the two consoles and call it "X-Station". =)

  • HaloArchAngel

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 1:41 pm GMT

    Had Microsoft but the drive in the XBOX 360 from the beginning like they should have, HD DVD would have been the victor, and not Blue Ray

  • magusat999

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 10:27 am GMT

    Microsoft has no choice now - it's like duhh, what else can they do? The whole HD-DVD strategy was stupid and flawed. Toshiba should have just sole the technology to Microsoft and let them fight the war. Despite arguements as to which was better, HD-DVD was in a good position as to which format was ready RIGHT NOW. Blu-Ray might have advantages, but we won't see them - or a decent price point for a couple years, and even if the "war" is over, you might have gray hairs before you see an affordable Blu-Ray burner. HD-DVD, on the other hand, already had these technologies ready to go.

    I'm wondering if there was more to this white flag then meets the eye - why was there no accusations of impropriety - such as the DRM, RIAA, MPAA, etc. being called to court with anti-trust allegations - it's obvious that those affilited gorups banded together to crush the HD-DVD format, which was less secure (as far as DRM) then Blu-Ray. But dummies at Toshiba just couldn't see that.

  • magusat999

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 10:26 am GMT

    Microsoft has no choice now - it's like duhh, what else can they do? The whole HD-DVD strategy was stupid and flawed. Toshiba should have just sole the technology to Microsoft and let them fight the war. Despite arguements as to which was better, HD-DVD was in a good position as to which format was ready RIGHT NOW. Blu-Ray might have advantages, but we won't see them - or a decent price point for a couple years, and even if the "war" is over, you might have gray hairs before you see an affordable Blu-Ray burner. HD-DVD, on the other hand, already had these technologies ready to go.

    I'm wondering if there was more to this white flag then meets the eye - why was there no accusations of impropriety - such as the DRM, RIAA, MPAA, etc. being called to court with anti-trust allegations - it's obvious that those affilited gorups banded together to crush the HD-DVD format, which was less secure (as far as DRM) then Blu-Ray. But dummies at Toshiba just couldn't see that.

  • ---n00b_kid---

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 3:05 am GMT

    @pokomo
    the external bluray add on will be used to watch HD movies only, not for games.

  • pourya_ahmadian

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 2:53 am GMT

    ok;what do have for ps3?what will the sce give us for play?only MGS4;ok?what then?

  • pokomo

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 2:18 am GMT

    ...And once again, XBOX 360 owners will be forking out for another add on just to play games. I swear the damn things getting like a modded PC rather than a console.

  • JackfnBurton

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 8:34 pm GMT

    Atta boy Steve. A little garlic, some butter and that crow goes down nice and easy doesn't it?

  • jeremiah06

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 8:30 pm GMT

    i don't think the xbox will see blu ray but as for ms pc they will be getting them and for those that don't think Sony will make money off of ms While LED by Sony, the BDA is made up of nine companies: Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung, and Panasonic parent company ****

  • RodBond

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 10:14 am GMT

    LetterZero... I love that comment... good point

  • LetterZero

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 9:58 am GMT

    I'm tired of all you Atari fanboys , I'll take my Intellivision over Atari anyday. Better graphics , better games! Take that!

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