Rumor: Microsoft To Release Xbox 360 With Built-In HD DVD

According to a report by Smarthouse.com, Microsoft along with Toshiba are currently working together to develop and release a new Xbox 360 that will feature a built-in HD DVD player. As I see it, Toshiba will definitely have some good reasons to invest in such a large move considering they spent well over a year developing and manufacturing HD DVD players themselves.

This move by Toshiba can be seen as critical since we are in the midst of a format war. Sony’s blue ray format has become more popular with manufacturers since the format can hold more data, as well as being part of the PlayStation 3, even though the 360 has easily outsold the PlayStation 3. The problem is the current 360 does not have an HD DVD player built in but has to be bought separately for an extra $179. It isn’t hard to believe that Toshiba would want to include in HD DVD player in a 360. According to the rumor, an unnamed Toshiba Senior executive (the so-called source of the rumor) stated that the Xbox 360 has to be more than just a gaming machine if they want the format to excel.

Included in the rumor is also that the new 360 will also feature a larger hard drive, HDTV tuner, and a special port for MP3 players.

This move would also benefit Microsoft since a lot of developers have been commenting that in order to make a hide if game they need a lot more storage space than a standard DVD. However, as I see it as a technically be a new 360, like a 360-2 or something…

Either way this idea doesn’t look too promising for the near future. According to Smarthouse, the new 360 will even be in the house until late 2008 or even early January 2009! By then it would definitely be too late. I see this rumor as some ideas thrown around between Microsoft and Toshiba. Considering how late it would be in the race and how certain games would only be able to play on the new 360, I don’t think the new 360 (at least one with a built-in HD DVD player) will come up to be, but then again it still is a possibility…

Guess we’ll have to wait a year to find out!

Source: Smarthouse

By: Griff
Date: October 22, 2007 (12:12 AM)

[tags] HD DVD, blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Toshiba, rumor[/tags]