So we all know the XBOX 360 was the first next gen console out. It also happened to come out during a hi def disc battle. Microsoft’s stand was we are making a game console, and that is our main focus. That being said, the disc war was in full effect. Blu-Ray supported by Sony and HD-DVD supported by some other people. Who? I don’t know because they lost. Anyway Microsoft obviously wasn’t going to back its main rivals technology so in a effort to show support for HD-DVD it released a add on HD-DVD drive. They wanted to make their console as affordable as possible. Their reasoning was sound but saving in the past will cost them in the future.Not having a next gen disc drive allowed Microsoft to keep their costs down, and launching early allowed them to get a nice customer base before the launch of the PS3 which was launching with a built in blu-ray disc drive. For me the day the DVD wars ended was the day the PS3 launched. An awesome console with a hi def disc drive, every console sold was a nail in the coffin of hd dvds. Everyone who bought one also bought and supported the blu-ray. With that being said I feel if Microsoft had included a built in HD-DVD I believe the war would have went a completely different way.
So what does that mean now. Now instead of the blu-ray drive being a luxury it is now an great feature. So instead of 360 having a price advantage now it has a technology disadvantage. I love my 360 but to tell the truth the DVD is starting to feel a little dated. With the huge graphic capabilities of console now a days a DVD is just not enough to hold it all. 8gb versus 40gb. What 2 disc PS3 game have you heard of? But it does have its disadvantages, such as required installs and slow disc speeds.
I don’t know if the next XBOX will include a blu-ray drive considering it is sony technology but I do know it has to do something because regular dvd isn’t cutting it anymore.
Red Gamer Blog 
5 responses to “How XBOX 360 helped blu-ray win!”
I agree that if the 360 was released with HD-DVD built in, HD-DVD would have won the battle long before the PS3 was released. I feel like the PS3 has done for Blu-ray what the PS2 did for DVD. It introduced the technologies into households that otherwise would not have adopted them in the first place (or at least as quickly). I won’t lie, the PSOne was my first CD player. The PS2 was my first DVD player. Now the PS3 is my first (and second) Blu-ray player. Sony has made these technologies more mainstream. I think everyone can agree that in the case of Final Fantasy XIII on the 360, more is not necessarily better. I totally prefer only having one game disc as opposed to 3. Perhaps that’s just me.
That is a great point. When the ps2 first released in japan the best selling thing for it was the Matrix DVD. Second time around with the ps3 they did it again. Microsoft should have seen that one coming.
PS its not just you who prefers 1 disc.
The Wii has defiantly taken over. As far as console sells go I highly doubt either will catch up. Hate it or love it the Wii has added a new demographic of gamers. People who would never play the video games play the Wii. As far as the “Hardcore” gaming systems go I think it will be neck and neck between XBOX and PS3. I own all 3 systems, I like some games on my Wii, PS3 is hot and has good exclusives, but I still have to rock out with my 360. Yeah its cost me some pain and some game discs but not other system makes me feel as connected the way the 360 does. No other system is as inviting in my opinion. And no other system is made by a US company. Love playing my PS3 but I miss my friends from 360 when I am playing it.
Interesting. I think HD-DVD was doomed for many reasons, but the insanity that was the Xbox360 HD-DVD drive put a nail or two in the coffin.
Welcome back by the way.
Yeah that thing was about as good as a Sega 32x.
Thanks. Good to be back.