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We're not speaking to Sony, says MS News

Xbox 360 News by Ellie Gibson

13 March, 2008

Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg has denied the company is in talks with Sony to bring Blu-ray technology to Xbox 360.

Which is what Sony Electronics president Stan Glasgow claimed was going on earlier this month. But speaking to Reuters Greenberg said, "Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience.

"We're the only console offering digital distribution of entertainment content," he added.

So what about recent comments from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer about supporting Blu-ray "in ways that make sense"? Well, it would seem those ways don't include producing a player peripheral for Xbox 360.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is still citing stock shortages as the reason PlayStation 3 is outselling Xbox 360 in the US. "We definitely expect we will trail in February as a result of our supply constraints," Greenberg said. "By April, we will be in a very healthy inventory situation." That'd be just in time for the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV on the 29th, then.

It's all about what you get for your money, according to Greenberg. "We still think we have a great value, that we have significantly better value than Sony," he stated. "Every month we've actually been in stock we've outsold them by a 2 to 1 margin."

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kangarootoo
13/03/08 @ 09:43
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Hehe, when I read this headline in my mind it seemed like they were "not speaking to each other" in some kind of sulk.


"Can you please ask Sony to pass the salt?"
"Please tell MS if they want the salt, they can come around the table and get it themselves. I'm not their servant."
PatAU
13/03/08 @ 09:44
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Shortages due to allocations for RROD replacements (gets the inevitable out of the way)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 13/03/08 @ 09:44
Xerx3s
13/03/08 @ 09:49
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If mega corporations where people, they would have some serious MPS.
jonsaan
13/03/08 @ 09:51
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Reading this made me picture a playground tussle with everyone shout fight!
lambtron
13/03/08 @ 09:54
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WTF.

We are.
We're not.
We are.
We're not.

And so on.
JediMasterMalik
13/03/08 @ 09:57
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@lambtron - I don't think they know, they're like a married couple in their 40's, they're never sure if they're talking or not. ;)
Darren
13/03/08 @ 10:06
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Way to go, Microsoft, make the PS3 a more attractive buy for people by refusing to support a Blu-ray Disc add-on for the Xbox 360! LOL

Yes, I know consoles are about games first and foremost but the fact that Microsoft sold a number of HD DVD add-ons and are promoting HD movies via their Video Marketplace tells you that they clearly think there's a market for them and now Xbox 360 owners wanting to watch HD movies will have no choice but to buy either a standalone BD player or even a PS3. It would therefore make more sense for Microsoft to release a BD add-on for the 360 a.s.a.p. if only to offer its customers a *complete* HD experience that only the PS3 will offer come May/June 2008 when Warner Bros. release the final HD DVD movie. They spoke of giving Xbox 360 owners choice with the HD DVD add-on but now that format is dead, that won't be the case if they don't release a BD add-on IMO.
penhalion
13/03/08 @ 10:10
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*cough* told you all it wasn't for 360 *cough*
Skurmedel
13/03/08 @ 10:10
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Yay another flame war inducing news article.
belziah
13/03/08 @ 10:26
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Totally unrelated, off-topic, nothing what-so-ever to do with this dull "obvious attempt at flame-bait" repetitive story but




WHERE'S ROCKBAND?????????????????
Kami
13/03/08 @ 10:30
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Wii is selling perfectly fine without Blu-Ray. Maybe HD Enthusiasts might want to readjust their specs because BR isn't the only aspect as to why a person would buy a console...
Steroyd
13/03/08 @ 10:34
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Remember folks it's all about choice.

And... I'm done for the day.
McLovin85
13/03/08 @ 10:35
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hmmm MS reckons they will be selling more by April, isn't that just after they announced their price cut?? coincidence? i think not. stock shortages my ass.
JediMasterMalik
13/03/08 @ 10:39
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@Kami - Somehow I think the people buying BD layers, and Wii's aren't necessarily the same demographic.
Darren
13/03/08 @ 10:42
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@Kami - I don't think anyone said it was but whereas the Wii is purely a games console (it doesn't even play music CDs nevermind DVD movies!), Microsoft and Sony market both their machines as being more than just games consoles, i.e. home entertainment hubs, hence the reason both support music and movie formats.

I'm absolutely convinced that it's only a matter of time before Microsoft do announce an add-on though because the reasons they added 1080p support, HDMI and HD DVD support to the 360 was so the machine didn't appear inferior to the PS3 and come June 2008 that's exactly what the Xbox 360 will be when HD DVD finally goes the way of Betamax. By Christmas, the Xbox 360 will have a BD add-on, mark my words as the next Xbox is at least three or four years away and there's no way digital downloads will take over completely in that time. ;)
L42yB
13/03/08 @ 11:06
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@lambtron - It's Eurogamer that is making it seem like that though, not MS or Sony. It's their sensationalist flame-war baiting headlines make it seems like they are confused, but all MS said is that it will use BR where it makes sense (i.e. Windows PCs and things like that)...
moggsy
13/03/08 @ 12:08
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@ Darren

now Xbox 360 owners wanting to watch HD movies will have no choice but to buy either a standalone BD player or even a PS3

Or pay to download them from the Xbox Live Videostore - understand now why MS are not that fussed about Blu Ray? ;-)
Darren
13/03/08 @ 12:26
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@moggsy - The Video Marketplace only offers 720p movies with no extras or subtitles (the latter is a disgrace and an insult to hard of hearing people like myself) so they don't even come close to offering the same experience as a proper HD movie IMO. But then a 7 GB max. download cannot possibly hope to compete with what comes on a 50 GB disc. That's why I'll continue to buy my movies rather than wait 15 hours to download an inferior version that I can't even keep. :P
Moz
13/03/08 @ 12:42
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Can anyone stateside back up these shortage claims?
Carlo
13/03/08 @ 12:50
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See, I told you it was bollocks
Darren
13/03/08 @ 13:47
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Well we'll soon know if it was bollocks or not because Microsoft have officially stated that there are no shortages now so logically you'd expect Xbox 360 hardware sales to shoot up from March onwards, right? ;)
Kami
13/03/08 @ 14:34
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But if we're talking demographics, why the fuck do people still assume that "PS3 will outell 360 because it has Blu-Ray"? Microsoft can maybe one day introduce an add-on, but people aren't necessarilly buying it for HD.

I'm sure if you want a Blu-Ray, PS3 is an awesome purchase but a lot of people want a games machine only. Blu-Ray and HD and all this stuff that HD-Enthusiasts seem to get so worked up about you wonder if they've recently found out what sex is (doubtful) may indeed be the future. But PS3, as a GAMES machine, is still lacking a little - and the shit over installing games i.e. DMC4 is likely to cause annoyance than anything else. I'm sorry. But 20min install (PC games don't even take that long for christs sake!) to lose a second or two in loading is not a good trade-off. If there were option to install fully and save a second or two of load, or lighter install - I'd rather save room on my drive for another game and suffer the extra second or two of loading.

Why does MS need a BR-Addon anyway for the 360? Does Wii need one? Do we all need to suddenly upgrade to Blu-ray drives in our PCs? Because this is the kind of assumption that is being made...
Vic
13/03/08 @ 17:01
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'It's all about what you get for your money', according to Greenberg.

Thank goodness that RROD thingy is such a tiny issue then...
smelly
13/03/08 @ 17:37
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Makes sense for microsoft to follow digital distribution imho
Les
13/03/08 @ 21:24
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"Well, it would seem those ways don't include producing a player peripheral for Xbox 360."

Which was rather obvious a week ago... Stupid journalists...

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