Microsoft: Xbox doesn't need Blu-Ray

[Twistedpixel]

Jedidiah-Rose said:
To be fair lots of arguments make sense for and against it.

1. I'd say we're about a decade or so away from downloads on a massive scale,maybe even more than a decade.Some people have incredible connections,and their more than up for it obviously,however there's a lot of people who don't have as good connections.There's not much need to continue to talking about that as it's a fact I assume you all know.

2. Another thing is people's personal preference for having physical media.I've got a small but impressive collection of 500 DVD's and about 100 Blu Ray's,and it's nice to sometimes just sit back and look at the collection I've built up.I find it far more impressive than looking at the 130GB's of downloaded music I have on a hard drive (all of which of course is legally there....).
I speak to a lot of people,and most people prefer to have physical media,only people who re really into their tech seem to like downloads I find.

3. Another thing is the price.Particularly on services like Xbox Live and WiiWare where you don't use actual money.In shops,sometimes they can have a special offer on a new game out by dropping it to £29.99 even though it is more or less a new release,and of course there's preowned sales.Downloads will always stick to RRP,which is why I'll never favour them.

4. Another thing that gets me,it was only a few years ago that Microsoft was pushing HD DVD so much so they had plans to include a drive for the media on their orignial Elite models before the death of the format (rumour I heard).I think Microsoft is just being a sore loser on the matter of Blu Ray seeing as some of they'd have to pay to start using the drives would go toward their current arch nemesis whose beat them nearly every week in WW sales since the release of the slim Playstation 3.

5. Also,it's been 5 years since the release of the 360.If they included a drive at this stage,it would be pretty pointless as they couldn't really do anything with it.At the most it would be simply added on as an extra drive to play Blu Ray movies,like their original HD DVD add on.

1. We have the connections needed for downloads for just the gamers who are interested. Theres a strong overlap between a good internet connection and console/pc gaming. Its not like movies, the average download for your typical attach rate would only be at worst 100GB per year (5 games per console per year and 3* the size of current Xbox 360 games).

2. People said the same thing about CD sales and every year CD sales decline whilst digital downloads increase.

3. Steam has excellent deals, digital distribution can offer great specials. Like for instance I got Stalker + Red Faction + Company of Heroes + Warhammer Dawn of War for $50. Without physical stock its easier and not harder to offer one time or short term deals.

4. No its because HD-DVD is much cheaper and they share a laser assembly. It wouldn't have cost much at all to include HD-DVD but including Blu Ray is much more expensive. I don't think Sony regrets paying Microsoft millions every week for Windows either, and Microsoft is definately not sore about PSN on Windows Mobile 7.

5. Yup, which is why they don't want it.