Microsoft, go for the jugular - release a Blu-Ray drive!

[The Fake Shemp]

With Killzone 2 pushed to next year and more and more of the PS3 exclusives looking like DirectX 8 developed games (I think I'm really only psyched for Little Big Planet at this point), Microsoft's exclusive stuff is looking better and better (Ninja Gaiden II, Banjo-Kazooie, Gears of War 2, etc.), so why not go for the throat and remove one of the PS3's biggest selling points: BLU-RAY SUPPORT.

[crimsondynamics]

Because it'd be an add-on; the PS3 looks more like something you would actually want in your living room as a dedicated player.

The PS3 is also designed from the ground up to be a Blu-ray player, unlike the 360.

There are many features integrated into the PS3 in terms of audio and video that has the 360 beat as a Blu-ray player.

The PS3 doesn't RRoD.

Other than that, for those less fussed or those unwilling to spend the money to be able to make out such distinctions in their living rooms, I think Microsoft is already catering to that user base - weren't they going to release a Blu-ray-capable 360?

[Cormacaroni]

They need a price cut first surely. Although releasing a new SKU with a BR drive built-in, charging something distinguished mentally-challenged like $600, then cutting the price of their other models by $20 sounds like something they'd do.

[Maquiavel]

Ffs please don't.

If they can't even make it work with only a DVD, I can't imagine what's going to happen with a BD drive.

[MCD]

dvd/bd drives ain't made by MS.

they will have to use sony's bd drives, samsung or whatever.

[crimsondynamics]

Go for the jugular : cut the price, keep giving us more games.

There are many features integrated into the PS3 in terms of audio and video

lol - one of the sony fanboys pushed this in my face today. Not sure why as i love the PS3 as a bluray player.

But he came the full on HDMI1.3 , fullcolour gubbins, and 7.1 audio.

So i asked what his play back was... some old HDMI1.1 tv and a creative 2.0 speaker set up.

So... yeah... like fitting wheels to a tomato.

The PS3 is a great Blu-ray player and an excellent upscaler; it's pretty much on par with my HDTV with Faroudja scaler.

Too bad my lady hates loud music and thumping bass. My surround speakers are just sitting there in the corner, collecting dust.

Some people will never use the PS3 - or the 360 for that matter - to its full potential. But it's nice to know the features are there. Now if only the 360 would launch a new design that eliminates RRoD...

The price is fine.

[Mupepe]

Rumor has it that it would be incredibly hard to have the 360 reach the 40 m/bit stream required by Blu Ray standard through software.

[Skiptastic]

I don't think Microsoft goes for the jugular by making the 360 into PS3 Jr. All that does is make it look worse when you start comparing things like HDD replacements, cost of playing online, and total cost. How do you expect the 360 to match up with the PS3 cost-wise when the Elite, without a Blu Ray player, costs 40 bucks more than the 40GB PS3? 80GB more of hard drive space is going to make up for that?

No, price cuts are what the 360 needs. They need to differentiate themselves from the PS3, not make people compare the two systems even more. If anything, they need people to start comparing the 360 to the Wii. They may be separate markets to a large extent, but they need people to start looking at their purchase and say, "Man, if I buy a 360 for the same price as a Wii, I get HD gaming, which will go great with this new flat screen I just bought." That's the comparison they need, if only for the reason that people won't say, "Man, if I just get this PS3, I get pretty much all the same games I get on the 360, plus a Blu Ray player."

And you know that Microsoft can't continue their drive towards being in the black if they add a Blu Ray player onto the 360 and still stay price competitive. They just can't.

[DJ_Tet]

I'd sooner have them fix their gimped DVD upscaling.

But a bluray drive would be nice.  I'll likely own a ps3 before that happens though which would make the drive unnecessary for me.

[Maquiavel]

dvd/bd drives ain't made by MS.

they will have to use sony's bd drives, samsung or whatever.

It=Xbox360

[Brehvolution]

With Killzone 2 pushed to next year and more and more of the PS3 exclusives looking like DirectX 8 developed games (I think I'm really only psyched for Little Big Planet at this point), Microsoft's exclusive stuff is looking better and better (Ninja Gaiden II, Banjo-Kazooie, Gears of War 2, etc.), so why not go for the throat and remove one of the PS3's biggest selling points: BLU-RAY SUPPORT.

Are you really using Haze as a generalization of all PS3 exclusives? So we can use much hyped but critically lambasted 360 exclusives like Two Worlds and Lost Odyssey  as generalizations of future 360 titles? Sweet!

[FancyFeast]

Go for the jugular : cut the price, keep giving us more games.

Exactly.  Wilco = clueless?  Seems so....

[MrAngryFace]

Im not sure how a bluray add-on could hope to compete. I mean its not like 360 owners will have blurays without a player. Maybe in the next xbox, who knows *shrug*

I have a ps3 for my blurays, and I dont think Microsoft wants to use the Bluray's slow speed vs DVD. I'd honestly have a few more discs to swap every 20 hours than a huge install and longer loads.

[Mupepe]

With Killzone 2 pushed to next year and more and more of the PS3 exclusives looking like DirectX 8 developed games (I think I'm really only psyched for Little Big Planet at this point), Microsoft's exclusive stuff is looking better and better (Ninja Gaiden II, Banjo-Kazooie, Gears of War 2, etc.), so why not go for the throat and remove one of the PS3's biggest selling points: BLU-RAY SUPPORT.

Are you really using Haze as a generalization of all PS3 exclusives? So we can use much hyped but critically lambasted 360 exclusives like Two Worlds and Lost Odyssey  as generalizations of future 360 titles? Sweet!

Well played. 

Although, Lost Worlds does = teh sucks, Losy Odyssey is pure fucking sex visually. 

[MrAngryFace]

Both Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon are excellent RPGs, they just aren't Final Fantasy, which Sony fans insist on cramming up their butt every console generation. Have fun with your shemale crap plot lame battlesysteme extravaganza

[MrAngryFace]

After FFXII I dont trust FF. The gambit system was awful, anyone who says otherwise is a fuk moran in my book

[Smooth Groove]

After FFXII I dont trust FF. The gambit system was awful, anyone who says otherwise is a fuk moran in my book

FF fans only found the gambit system to be amazing because they've never played a PC RPG. 

I also agree with you on the shemale garbage.  I've found some FF games to be enjoyable but I could never stand the androgynous protagonists. 

[The Fake Shemp]

Haze looks like ass.  Killzone 2 is delayed.  Metal Gear Solid 4 looks like ass.  Where is Home?  Hot Shots Golf what?  Resistance 2 looks like ass.

I went from being pretty psyched about my PS3 to just waiting for Little Big Planet!

[Yeti]

A price cut or a new good bundle would definitely have me take the 360 plunge. Heck, I want to buy one now, but it seems like the 360 is due for a cut, so I feel like I should wait for one. 

[Mupepe]

A price cut or a new good bundle would definitely have me take the 360 plunge. Heck, I want to buy one now, but it seems like the 360 is due for a cut, so I feel like I should wait for one. 

I think it will definitely get one before this holiday.  Maybe this summer before Madden and the ramp up of titles

[crimsondynamics]

Screw the price cut. (OK, cut the price - I'm sure we can all appreciate that!)

I don't mind the price, but I'd like some reliability. Nothing rock-solid bulletproof, but at least close to electronics hardware tolerances. PC components usually have a tolerance of failure of 1 in every 200 or so. That is definitely not the case with the 360, and to this day is the primary reason I still don't own one (I'm dying to get one but mainly for the HD tv and movie content - the games are just a bonus).

[Smooth Groove]

A price cut or a new good bundle would definitely have me take the 360 plunge. Heck, I want to buy one now, but it seems like the 360 is due for a cut, so I feel like I should wait for one. 

I think it will definitely get one before this holiday.  Maybe this summer before Madden and the ramp up of titles

Your 360 died?

[Mupepe]

?  No.  I said "I think it will" as in the 360 will get a price cut 

I still have my replacement 360.  360

[Yeti]

The failure rate does scare me too.  But it has so many games I want to play!

[AdmiralViscen]

I don't think Microsoft goes for the jugular by making the 360 into PS3 Jr. All that does is make it look worse when you start comparing things like HDD replacements, cost of playing online, and total cost. How do you expect the 360 to match up with the PS3 cost-wise when the Elite, without a Blu Ray player, costs 40 bucks more than the 40GB PS3? 80GB more of hard drive space is going to make up for that?

No, price cuts are what the 360 needs. They need to differentiate themselves from the PS3, not make people compare the two systems even more. If anything, they need people to start comparing the 360 to the Wii. They may be separate markets to a large extent, but they need people to start looking at their purchase and say, "Man, if I buy a 360 for the same price as a Wii, I get HD gaming, which will go great with this new flat screen I just bought." That's the comparison they need, if only for the reason that people won't say, "Man, if I just get this PS3, I get pretty much all the same games I get on the 360, plus a Blu Ray player."

And you know that Microsoft can't continue their drive towards being in the black if they add a Blu Ray player onto the 360 and still stay price competitive. They just can't.

BAM.

[Phoenix Dark]

I don't think Microsoft goes for the jugular by making the 360 into PS3 Jr. All that does is make it look worse when you start comparing things like HDD replacements, cost of playing online, and total cost. How do you expect the 360 to match up with the PS3 cost-wise when the Elite, without a Blu Ray player, costs 40 bucks more than the 40GB PS3? 80GB more of hard drive space is going to make up for that?

No, price cuts are what the 360 needs. They need to differentiate themselves from the PS3, not make people compare the two systems even more. If anything, they need people to start comparing the 360 to the Wii. They may be separate markets to a large extent, but they need people to start looking at their purchase and say, "Man, if I buy a 360 for the same price as a Wii, I get HD gaming, which will go great with this new flat screen I just bought." That's the comparison they need, if only for the reason that people won't say, "Man, if I just get this PS3, I get pretty much all the same games I get on the 360, plus a Blu Ray player."

And you know that Microsoft can't continue their drive towards being in the black if they add a Blu Ray player onto the 360 and still stay price competitive. They just can't.

Interesting points. The Wii has invalidated HD gaming quite handily but that may change if the 360 lowered to a similarly competitive price. But price alone is just a temporary advantage for the 360. As a true gaming system it's going to have to have competitive titles that make people forget about the PS3. They did that last year, but this year the PS3 has the clear edge. If they can get a solid flow of diverse, quality titles and institute a price drop, they'll easily contain the PS3...until it gets a similar price drop.

The Wii isn't about games, it's about hype and small children. 500,000 people are going to keep buying the thing every month and then forgetting about it until holiday parties. It's going to sell more systems this generation with ease, but I don't think the Wii has much interest to actual gamers.

[AdmiralViscen]

I don't agree that PS3 has the clear edge this year. It's the same old titles from 2006 plus a racing demo that sold 200k and a sequel to a game no one cares about anymore. SOCOM is the closest thing they have to a mainstream hit this year.

MS has the better flow too, I've bought more games so far this year and I plan on buying more through the rest. What they need is to not be $50 away from something that includes Blu Ray.


edit: oh wait and LBP. That has winter blockbuster written all over it

[Phoenix Dark]

No one cares about LBP but I'd say overall the PS3's game list is bigger and more appealing to gamers than the 360's which is basically GOW2 and that's it. who cares about ninja gaiden 1.5 HD

[AdmiralViscen]

Infamous and Killzone were Sony's only new blood and therefore their only way to stand out. More Resistance (slow burn sales) and Motorstorm (a flop compared to any B list 360 game) is going to do what exactly?

Fable and Gears are guaranteed bank. LO already sold more in its first month than any PS3 exclusive has iirc. NG2 will be a solid hit. Banjo is potential  bank that can move consoles with a price cut and VP can piggyback. Then you've got your Inf Undiscoveries and Too Humans if you're a dreamer. Oh, and throw in Halo Wars.

Sony has rehashes of shit no one cares about, MGS4 and a SOCOM with no hype behind it. GT5 already putzed onto the market and no one cares about Echochrome, Wipeout, or LBP.

[Brehvolution]

Infamous and Killzone were Sony's only new blood and therefore their only way to stand out. More Resistance (slow burn sales) and Motorstorm (a flop compared to any B list 360 game) is going to do what exactly?

Fable and Gears are guaranteed bank. LO already sold more in its first month than any PS3 exclusive has iirc. NG2 will be a solid hit. Banjo is potential  bank that can move consoles with a price cut and VP can piggyback. Then you've got your Inf Undiscoveries and Too Humans if you're a dreamer. Oh, and throw in Halo Wars.

Sony has rehashes of shit no one cares about, MGS4 and a SOCOM with no hype behind it. GT5 already putzed onto the market and no one cares about Echochrome, Wipeout, or LBP.

  :hehe :tbslol :kylielaff






Oh my.....wheeeeeeeeeeewwwwww......   

[Phoenix Dark]

there's no mgs4 hype? wow i didn't know that

no one cares about banjo, and if Rare's history plays itself out again expect it to under preform. I'm not sold on Fable being a guaranteed hit. The first game did very well of course, but I wonder if anyone actually cares about the franchise now

[AdmiralViscen]

No, there's no SOCOM hype. Read the post.

You think Motorstorm, Resistance, and LBP are bigger franchises than Fable and Banjo? lol. Maybe Resistance, we'll just have to see. Of course, I rattled off 3-4 other MS games in that list, including one with Halo badging.

Gears alone is a bigger mover than anything on PS3 this fall. GT5P already failed to move software or hardware. Sony will finally get a hardware bump with the MGS4 bundle but that'll be over with by the time fall rolls around, and MS more than matches Sony in the fall.

Explain what's going to be huge on PS3 aside from potentially MGS4 (assuming it's more like 2 than 3 saleswise).


And Zero, the operative words were "rehashes of shit no one cares about." Resistance and Motorstorm are not bank. Even though I'm personally buying both and not sure about Fable.

[Phoenix Dark]

Resistance and Motorstorm are going to move hardware. I don't think LBP or Home are going to do much of anything; LBP especially strikes me as the perfect overrated bomb that becomes a "cult classic". SOCOM is going to move hardware no doubt

Banjo looks horrible, it won't do much of anything.

[Brehvolution]

No, there's no SOCOM hype. Read the post.

You think Motorstorm, Resistance, and LBP are bigger franchises than Fable and Banjo? lol. Maybe Resistance, we'll just have to see. Of course, I rattled off 3-4 other MS games in that list, including one with Halo badging.

Gears alone is a bigger mover than anything on PS3 this fall. GT5P already failed to move software or hardware. Sony will finally get a hardware bump with the MGS4 bundle but that'll be over with by the time fall rolls around, and MS more than matches Sony in the fall.

Explain what's going to be huge on PS3 aside from potentially MGS4 (assuming it's more like 2 than 3 saleswise).


And Zero, the operative words were "rehashes of shit I DON'T CARE about." Resistance and Motorstorm are not bank.

Fixed.

Why bother to attempt to explain anything to you man? I respect your opinion and all... let's just agree to disagree.
It's nothing personal, we just having different gaming tastes and that is cool too.

[AdmiralViscen]

Hey Zero Hero, maybe you should stop spamming pics like a cunt and read my posts. Motorstorm 2 and Resistance 2 are both on my buy list, Fable 2 is in the maybe pile.

Resistance and Motorstorm are going to move hardware. I don't think LBP or Home are going to do much of anything; LBP especially strikes me as the perfect overrated bomb that becomes a "cult classic". SOCOM is going to move hardware no doubt

Banjo looks horrible, it won't do much of anything.

Motorstorm is a joke, it's PS3's PGR4. Only it'll do better than that.

I don't know how you can give it the benefit of the doubt over the sequel to the #3 selling XBOX game behind the Halos. Resistance failed to move hardware the first time around, let's see if Sony can leave Killzone alone and actually get people to pay attention to it.

And then there's still the other 4 360 games I mentioned.

So, cross your fingers for SOCOM. When does that hype machine kick off? Gears is well on its way.

[Mupepe]

there's no mgs4 hype? wow i didn't know that

no one cares about banjo, and if Rare's history plays itself out again expect it to under preform. I'm not sold on Fable being a guaranteed hit. The first game did very well of course, but I wonder if anyone actually cares about the franchise now

Every casual I know who owns a 360 knows about Fable 2 and believe it or not, most casuals love the game.  I can't name one of my casual friends who hate it.  Why?  Because they didn't get sucked into the internet hype of the first game and didn't get burned with their panties in a twist.

[AdmiralViscen]

Anyway, the point is that MS has 8 or 9 exclusive titles for this year, and RROD and pricing is a bigger issue than whatever PD thinks is a short list of games. It seems that he's the one who's looking to his own taste rather than consumers'.

See Mups on Fable 2.

[Brehvolution]

I apologize AV for the LAWL pics. A wave of LOL came over me as you denounced all the PS3 "rehashes(sequals)" yet pumped up the 360 sequals.

I loved the original Fable on PC and it is the only 360 title I hope still comes to PC.

[Phoenix Dark]

My own tastes are firmly in Microsoft's corner. That doesn't mean I can simply deny the obvious, which is that the PS3 has MORE marketable games this year. MS has the big hit (Gears), and a bunch of x factors. Plus some bombs like Too Human and Banjo. The PS3 has at least three system sellers, most likely four: MGS4, Resistance 2, SOCOM, and Motorstorm.

yearoftheps3 continues

[AdmiralViscen]

I apologize AV for the LAWL pics. A wave of LOL came over me as you denounced all the PS3 "rehashes(sequals)" yet pumped up the 360 sequals.

I loved the original Fable on PC and it is the only 360 title I hope still comes to PC.

We're talking about sales in this thread, it has nothing to do with my personal preferences.

Resistance and Motorstorm did jack shit for PS3 in 2006/2007, I don't know how they became the kings of Fall 08. Resistance can do it with the right marketing but Motorstorm just isn't going to do it. Even though I'm dying to play it (more than R2 actually).

Rehashes of shit people love and buy in droves = 'going for the jugular'
Rehashing shit people sorta bought or didn't buy and delaying the new blood = 'oopsie daisies'

And I'd think you'd be hard pressed to call Banjo, Fable, or Halo Wars rehashes. One hasn't had a sequel in like 8 years, the other in 4 years, the other isn't even the same genre as its predecessors. But that's actually a matter of opinion.


As for MS' strategy, they have the kiddie software and the hardcore software this fall, a price cut to bring it MUCH further from PS3 is what it takes to go for the jugular.

And this Jasper motherboard should come with a visible casing redesign so people know the quality has changed.

[Brehvolution]

Sales?!?

[AdmiralViscen]

With Killzone 2 pushed to next year and more and more of the PS3 exclusives looking like DirectX 8 developed games (I think I'm really only psyched for Little Big Planet at this point), Microsoft's exclusive stuff is looking better and better (Ninja Gaiden II, Banjo-Kazooie, Gears of War 2, etc.), so why not go for the throat and remove one of the PS3's biggest selling points: BLU-RAY SUPPORT.

360 vs PS3 in ability to move hardware this year

Biggest obstacle: Lack of Blu Ray, pricing, quality, or software? The fourth option is the least likely. Middle two are most likely.

[Brehvolution]

So is this Just in America or worldwide?

[Cormacaroni]

My own tastes are firmly in Microsoft's corner. That doesn't mean I can simply deny the obvious, which is that the PS3 has MORE marketable games this year. MS has the big hit (Gears), and a bunch of x factors. Plus some bombs like Too Human and Banjo. The PS3 has at least three system sellers, most likely four: MGS4, Resistance 2, SOCOM, and Motorstorm.

yearoftheps3 continues

I'll give you MGS4 as a system-seller, but the advance word on the other 3 would have to be pretty freaking hot for them to sell systems, I think. The folks hyping those 3 on GAF already have PS3s at this point (you'd imagine). I think they'll be solid sellers, and there's no reason why Resistance 2 and Motorstorm 2 shouldn't sell better than the originals given what appear to be significant improvements and the larger install base. But system sellers is a reach IMHO.

[AdmiralViscen]

So is this Just in America or worldwide?

America obv, the worldwide story has already been told.

My own tastes are firmly in Microsoft's corner. That doesn't mean I can simply deny the obvious, which is that the PS3 has MORE marketable games this year. MS has the big hit (Gears), and a bunch of x factors. Plus some bombs like Too Human and Banjo. The PS3 has at least three system sellers, most likely four: MGS4, Resistance 2, SOCOM, and Motorstorm.

yearoftheps3 continues

I'll give you MGS4 as a system-seller, but the advance word on the other 3 would have to be pretty freaking hot for them to sell systems, I think. The folks hyping those 3 on GAF already have PS3s at this point (you'd imagine). I think they'll be solid sellers, and there's no reason why Resistance 2 and Motorstorm 2 shouldn't sell better than the originals given what appear to be significant improvements and the larger install base. But system sellers is a reach IMHO.

Exactly.

Sony should turn on the SOCOM hype machine and forget about the Killzone one.

[Brehvolution]

I'm a firm believer that no 1 game sells a couple hundred dollar system.  It's the library. Both the PS3 and 360's libraries are growing.

I am glad that MS is giving Sony some good competition. Can you imagine the industry fallout if it was just the PS3 against the wii?

I don't care about sales because I care about games. I account for 1 sale.

[AdmiralViscen]

I agree.

Though you seem to be in the wrong thread.

[crimsondynamics]

I don't think Sony has any system seller atm - not even MGS4, which may sell a few thousand units, but nothing like the 700,000 units the Wii did - not even close. Not even half of that amount. A quick look at "Playstation franchise game" GTA IV did squat for the PS3 and the 360.

If Jasper does come with a case redesign (and please, one that is home theater friendly - how hard can that be?) I will bite. I want to feel sure knowing that the 360 I buy will not die on me, and I can't be bothered to check manufacturing dates or lot numbers.

[AdmiralViscen]

I don't think Sony has any system seller atm - not even MGS4, which may sell a few thousand units, but nothing like the 700,000 units the Wii did - not even close. Not even half of that amount. A quick look at "Playstation franchise game" GTA IV did squat for the PS3 and the 360.

If Jasper does come with a case redesign (and please, one that is home theater friendly - how hard can that be?) I will bite. I want to feel sure knowing that the 360 I buy will not die on me, and I can't be bothered to check manufacturing dates or lot numbers.

GTA4 and GT5P. The two best selling franchises on PS2. 200k hardware sold.

I think MGS4 can get it up to 300-350k (not sure of the number of weeks in June or MGS4's release date) because of the hardware bundle, but then it'll be back to normal.

[crimsondynamics]

Yes, GT5P - damn, that's two hard hitters that did squat for the console.

[Bildi]

A software title by itself hardly ever does anything appreciable to hardware sales.  Last year the only title that did anything worth mentioning was Halo 3.

Even Halo 3 could only gave the 360 a one month bump and then things were back to normal.

[pilonv1]

Like MGS4 is going to spike hardware if GTA4 and GT5P didnt.

[Cormacaroni]

Well, to clarify what I mean by 'system-seller':

I think the promise of MGS4 has already sold a bunch of PS3s. So when I call it a system-seller, it doesn't necessarily mean I expect a bump in sales the month it's released.

[AdmiralViscen]

MGS4 is the re-intro of the 80GB and has a hardware bundle, there'll be a bump.

[Cormacaroni]

Whether there's a bump in sales after release or not....I wouldn't argue with anyone that wanted to claim that MGS4 had sold a million PS3s. Ditto for FFXIII and GT5, although there is some crossover for sure. The sales that month only tell a fraction of the story I think.

[The Sceneman]

MGS4 is the re-intro of the 80GB and has a hardware bundle, there'll be a bump.

yep and I'll be a part of that bump lol