CES 2008: Microsoft could consider Blu-ray accessory for Xbox 360

James Delahunty
8 Jan 2008 18:51

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Albert Penello, group marketing manager for Xbox hardware indicated that Microsoft could consider making a Blu-ray accessory available for the Xbox 360 console even though it remains a backer of the HD DVD format. "It should be consumer choice; and if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to consider," he said when asked if Microsoft would support Blu-ray if HD DVD failed.
He said the company does not consider Warner Bros.' surprise decision last week to back the Blu-ray format exclusively as having a negative impact on the Xbox 360 in the current "console war". "I fundamentally don't think ... this has a significant impact on Xbox 360 versus (Sony's) PlayStation 3," he told Reuters at CES.
"With the PlayStation 2, DVD was a big part in the beginning, but over time, people were not buying it as a DVD player after first year or two," Penello said. While you can purchase a relatively cheap HD DVD external drive for the Xbox 360 console for high-definition movies, the PlayStation 3 (PS3) comes loaded with its own Blu-ray player.
"You can't say it's not a bummer, not a setback, but I've seen this battle declared over so many times," Penello said of Warner's decision. "I want consumers to have a voice in this and I think there are a lot of consumers who bought HD DVD who are going to have a say in how this shakes out."
Source:
Yahoo (Reuters)