Microsoft Rules Out HD-DVD games for "this holiday," Unsure About the Future?

I see nothing to make this just a random post...HD-DVD games will be awesome for graphics, but agreed the speed would take a hit...This would suck for 1st gen 360 owners...If it does happen, I see it years away...

 

Yeah, this is a little too 'rumorish' to be too concerned about. I think, if anything, it's just indicative of one fact: the whole format war, and "HD" dvd thing is so up in the air it is insane.

 

That stuff about replacing DVDs requiring a 'clear winner', and instead it's looking like most people are being led to just 'rejecting both formats' is real interesting.

In any case, I think I was right; nobody knows what the hell is going to happen. MS isn't going to hedge their bets on thinking that HD-DVD games is necessary right now. Hell, even the movies is up in the air.

And like I've said before, IMO using the formats for games wouldn't have really been needed for a while.

 

Not sure if this has been posted since I dont really keep up with the 360.

360 getting $200 HD-DVD, 1080p, jukebox, and FPS controller? Source: Popular hardware destination HardOCP.com, Taiwan-based Digitimes, and game-info site Digitalbattle.

What we heard: Ever since the Xbox 360 was first shown to the public in May 2005, rumors have surrounded it. Once the specs for the console were revealed, the speculation shifted from what the console could do at present, but what it will be able do in the future.

Microsoft answered part of that question at E3 this year, unveiling several new peripherals, announcing Live Anywhere, and taking the wraps off the 360's external HD-DVD drive. Soon, many speculated that a premium, hard drive-equipped 360s fitted with the unpriced HD-DVD drive would cost around $600--i.e. $399 plus a rumored $199. That's as much as the high-end model of the Blu-ray drive-equipped PlayStation 3, which has taken considerable flak for its premium price point.

This week, two sources reported that the 360 HD-DVD drive will indeed ring up at around $200. First was Digitimes, which stated flatly on Monday that "Microsoft will launch external HD-DVD drives for its Xbox 360 at a retail price of US$200 by Christmas of this year."

Seconding that opinion was HardOCP, which yesterday included the HD-DVD price point report as part of a piece titled "Xbox360 Roadmap Peeked At." The site elaborated on the add-on, saying it would "only require component inputs. ... No HDMI in sight." It also said that Microsoft would be releasing a cable to support 1080p video output. However, "Little more information is known on [1080 output] or if there will be a gaming performance impact."

Last but not least, HardOCP revealed that the Xbox 360 would soon get functionality borrowed from a Windows Media Center PC. "While this is not a term that Microsoft used, the Xbox360 will be seeing an added on 'media jukebox' for handling tons of movies, video, pictures, and music," said the site. No mention was made as to whether Microsoft was going to release larger capacity "outrigger" hard drive to store said media, since many 360 owners' 20-gigabyte HDDs are getting nearly full of game demos, trailers, and saves.

In other 360-rumor news, Digitalbattle reported that Microsoft is mulling a second controller specifically for first-person shooters. "The new controller would have an improved and more precise right analog stick for games requiring higher precision," read the report, which sourced Microsoft’s product unit manager Robert Walker's presentation at the Microsoft Gamefest developers' conference. Strangely, though, first-hand accounts of Walker's Monday speech, like the exhaustive recap of the session on FiringSquad.com, make no mention of a FPS-centric controller.

The official story: So what does Microsoft have to say about all this? Not much, unsurprisingly. Regarding the HD-DVD, "We haven't announced any pricing or availability at this point so we'll keep you posted," a rep for the game giant said regarding the HD-DVD. The same rep wouldn't comment on 1080p support and media jukebox functionality, and also would only say that "We have not made any announcements about a new Xbox 360 controller."

Bogus or not bogus?: $200 360 HD-DVDD? If bogus, it's a close estimate. Support for 1080p? Almost certainly. Media jukebox? Sounds probable, given the fact Windows Media Center PCs already have similar functionality. New FPS-specific controller? The jury's out on that one, but it would make sense.
Posted by thorsen-ink, Aug 15, 2006 6:54 pm PT
293 Comments | Post a Comment

 

The idea that I would eventually (possibly) have to get an external HD-DVD for the 360, plus have an external wi-fi, and no HDMI really makes me hesitant to complete the purchase. I hate external crap. I want it all in there. Plus, the price is going to end up being pretty hefty in the end. And this is coming from an Xbox fan. While I feel $599 is A LOT for a game system, at least have everything included and internal.

I'm hoping that in the next several months we get some indication of what is going to happen with the 360 system because I'm going to finally be getting a new TV that will support it. One of the biggest reasons why I want the damn thing is because I want next-gen gaming. I just think it sucks to push out a product and then change the rules on the early adopters and we all know it is going to happen eventually.

The whole thing just sucks. I don't want to have to wait another year to get a 360. If that is the case I will probably end up getting the PS3 just because I don't want all of the external crap. I seriously can't believe they didn't integrate wi-fi and HDMI. That really pisses me off.

 

how long until the dvd game is obsolete? I don't see that many games needing that amount of space for another 2 years....by then I see MS possibly releasing a re-designed 360 with integrated hd-dvd with faster read times...

One thing is true, i don't want to be playing NBA 2K9 on 2 discs.

 

I really doubt the 360 will ever require the HD DVD drive for games. I think in the future, games may have the option of going on the HD DVD drive, but don't see Microsoft letting games be HD DVD exclusively. If anything, I expect to see more download-only games and huge hard drives.

 

I can't wait for the days when you just download games and go with my new 1000 gig hard drive. Game prices should drop at least $15-20 if they are soley being sold online.

 

new 360 controller may be on the way!

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=10479

Speaking at a panel at the Microsoft Gamefest event in Seattle, Robert Walker, the company’s hardware unit product manager, has hinted that a new iteration of the Xbox 360 controller may be created with improved functionality for first person shoot ‘em-ups.

As reported in detail by veteran consumer site Shacknews and also relayed by others, Walker indicated that there were still no plans to support a keyboard and mouse in future titles but that a new optional “advanced” controller may be introduced with a redesigned right analogue stick (the equivalent of a mouse in most console control systems) to allow for more precise movements.

Walker made it clear that the proposed controller would not replace the current joypad, which has been almost universally praised by users. This is in notable contrast to the original Xbox controller, which was oft-criticized by by users, despite claims from Microsoft of hundreds of hours of playtesting. The original joypad was eventually phased out and replaced with the “Controller S”, which was originally designed for the Japanese market.

Walker also commented on the possibility of a motion sensor controller for the Xbox 360, repeating comments made by Microsoft executives concerning experiments with the technology on the PC. Walker admitted that the device released in the mid ‘90s was not well promoted to developers but insisted that the technology had not proven sensitive enough for shoot ‘em-up and racing titles. However, no new product announcements are expected imminently with regard to this.

 

a dumb question.

will the hd-dvd add-on play regular dvds?

If so, will it upscale?

 

That looks pretty big.

 

If I'm not mistaken, that's just a HD-DVD machine...RC Cola had a pic of the external HD-DVD drive in another thread, although it was half the size of the 360, which is still big...

 

No, that's the 360.

 

thats the ps3 sitting on top of 360

 

my bad...Damn, that is huge...Looks clunky and bulky...not what I expected...