Gamertell

In response to to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s comments concerning the possible future use of Blu-ray drives as accessories on the Xbox 360, Xbox Live’s Director of Programming, Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb posted this on his web site:

During an interview yesterday, Steve Ballmer was asked about Blu-Ray and the Xbox 360. I wanted to clear something up. Steve was referring to Blu-Ray accessories for the PC. As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360. In fact, the future of home entertainment starts very soon when Xbox 360 becomes the first and only console to offer instant-on 1080p streaming HD movies. With a library of thousands of TV shows and movies to choose from, Xbox 360 owners can instantly watch the movies they want, when they want, in the highest form of high definition.

This sticks pretty well to Microsoft’s PR repeated message of promoting HD digital downloads. Note that his statement still does not deny that Blu-ray drives by other companies may be usable with the Xbox 360, only that Microsoft - or Xbox - will not be releasing a branded Blu-ray drive for the console. Blu-ray drives are already avaialbel for personal computers so Hryb’s statement may be inferred to mean that Microsoft might be releasing a Blu-ray PC drive.

Promoting digital downloads as long as possible seems to make sense since the company can make money from each download whereas it’d only profit from a Blu-ray drive if a) Microsoft released it or b) the company found a way to charge console owners to attach one. And that second option would not make many friends and piss off current fans. And, of course, the guy in charge of Xbox Live would certainly love for his format to thrive instead of some external device.

Ain’t these public corporate debates fun?

Read [Major Nelson]