External Blu-ray drive coming to Xbox after all?
updated 11:45 am EDT, Fri July 24, 2009
Blu-ray coming to Xbox?
With Toshiba conceding and announcing it will soon offer a Blu-ray drive of its own, there is newfound speculation of Microsoft offering a Blu-ray drive for its Xbox 360 gaming console. Now that Toshiba is involved, multiple sources claim to Fudzilla that Microsoft is investigating the possibility of such a drive once more. The software giant did offer an external HD DVD drive built by Toshiba but has so far refused to do the same for the winning format.
The new drive is seen as more feasible both through Toshiba's support as well as through cost reductions, which could make a USB Blu-ray reader affordable.
Microsoft's official stance, according to a TeamXbox investigation, however, remains the same and denies the claims. It argues that offering HD content through the Xbox Video Marketplace is enough and has reiterated its plans to add instant streaming 1080p to the service this fall. Many in the industry believe otherwise both due to cost improvements as well as Microsoft's own backing of the format in Windows 7 and the recent spike in Blu-ray movie sales.
At the same time, offering the option for the Xbox 360 would also finally remove one of the main advantages Sony touts for its rival PlayStation 3 system and its built-in Blu-ray drive.
