Microsoft dismisses Blu-ray as "historic phenomenon"

[fox2jk]

Once MP3 downloading surpasses CDs in total sales, then we might have something to worry about.

Sorry, but until the CD format is flushed down the toilet, don't expect video downloads to replace SD-DVD/Blu-ray disks anytime soon.


Also, if and when MP3 downloads (Itunes) becomes the dominate source for purchasing music, they better offer true CD-quality tracks, because I'm not taking a step backwards in quality.

Samething goes for HD Video Downloads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNf9r...eature=related

[5thDanMaster]

Msoft are playa haters!

They didn't do enough to support their failed partner, now they want to bicker and cry...

War is over, nothing to see here.

[unreal1080p]

12-18 months?!?!?

Tell that man to put his pipe down.

Talking about jumping the gun. LOL

So, does he also think the next Xbox will not have to rely on some sort of disk drive for games? Yeah, I bet everyone will be ready to download games by the time the nex-gen consoles are released. (EXTREME SARCASM)

Remember the movie "Snatch" ?:

Turkish = Idiot HD DVD fan turned Idiot download fan
Charlie = Microsoft
Sausages = Downloads
Five minutes = 18 months
Two minutes = 12 months

Turkish: "What's happening with those sausages, Charlie?"

Sausage Charlie: "Five minutes, Turkish."

Turkish: "It was "two minutes" five minutes ago." ...

And repeat X INFINITY

--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2zlSfkdE8

[GrilledCheese]

I don't believe Microsoft has ever been successful in predicting, or leading, the next trend in anything. They usually wait for a trend to be identified, and then throw $$$$$$$$$$$ at it try and take over that market, which they do extremely well (as they did with Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, etc).

This is an example of a company with a true ability to predict and/or define a trend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARC_%28company%29

[szhjcn]

Can we all have some of what he's taken.

[HiDefFanboy]

I don't believe Microsoft has ever been successful in predicting, or leading, the next trend in anything. They usually wait for a trend to be identified, and then throw $$$$$$$$$$$ at it try and take over that market, which they do extremely well (as they did with Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, etc).

This is an example of a company with a true ability to predict and/or define a trend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARC_%28company%29

Great, now we can all look forward to Microsoft Blu-ray version 3.0 - now with HDi.

[Liqwid]

Do you stand by his prediction?

Not only is he predicting the obsolescence of Blu-ray - he's saying downloads will supersede all shiny discs in general!!

That includes DVDs, CDs, PC software - heck, even Xbox 360 games (what percentage of console games are bought via download as opposed to actual discs?).

Being that Lionsgate has been a strong BD supporter ever since the beginning, I would suppose his quote has some validity to it. Remember, that's two years before he believes we will see 15% Market share. And isn't Lionsgate including digital copies with their newer releases, soon? If so, that could aid them.

But in the thought of DD vs. BD, one won't overtake the other. Blu-ray will be great for the in-home experience. My idea is that digital downloads will probably be here to replace the rental market and provide a market for portable devices (i.e., PSP, laptops (using a memory stick or SD card)). Digital Downloads have the potential to even out with DVD. Right now, I do all rentals via the XBL Marketplace, it's much more convenient and you still get a higher picture quality than a DVD (given that you download the HD version).

[Liqwid]

Remember the movie "Snatch" ?:

Turkish = Idiot HD DVD fan turned Idiot download fan
Charlie = Microsoft
Sausages = Downloads
Five minutes = 18 months
Two minutes = 12 months

Turkish: "What's happening with those sausages, Charlie?"

Sausage Charlie: "Five minutes, Turkish."

Turkish: "It was "two minutes" five minutes ago." ...

And repeat X INFINITY

--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2zlSfkdE8

Funny. I need to watch that movie now.

[lostn]

The console war intensified this week, with senior Xbox exec boss Chris Lewis branding disc formats a thing of the past as Microsoft slashed the price of 360 in Europe – with the entry level model now half the price of Sony's Blu-ray supporting PlayStation 3.

Funny that, because the entry level 360 only comes with a memory card and no hard drive. How are you meant to promote downloadable movies when you don't include something to download them onto? Discs are here to stay.

"Going forwards, digital downloads is really where it's at," Lewis told GamesIndustry.biz. "More and more people's ongoing and ever-increasing downloading of music and movies is becoming the de facto. I think that's going to happen in very short order; people want to consume that way. Before very long we will look back wistfully at shiny discs as something that was somewhat a historic phenomenon in a way that we kind of think about vinyl or VCRs today."

On their 256MB memory cards, no less.

While Microsoft's belief in the long term potential of downloadable content over physical storage media is well documented, Lewis claimed that, despite Blu-ray's victory, the shift away from discs will happen "sooner than any of us think".

A massive upgrade in worldwide bandwidth is going to happen in the next year? Wow, I'm looking forward to that...

"That's the future direction, and I think that's going to be the case in the next 12-18 months," he predicted. "I think we're going to be talking much more about that than anything else. Do I think that this Christmas will somehow be defined by DVD playback? I genuinely don't think that will be the case. I do not think that [the demise of HD DVD] will have any material impact on our console velocity. And I think other factors, specifically our architecture around downloads, is far more advantageous and important for the future."

Does he actually think downloads will outpace DVD this christmas?

He added: "We are best placed to offer that, we already offer that, our online pedigree is such that we will offer the best and most seamless experience."

Lewis's comments follow remarks made earlier this week by Xbox 360 product manager Aaron Greenberg, who said in repsonse to speculation: "Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience. We're the only console offering digital distribution of entertainment content."

Let's just hope they are honest to their fans, and make sure the people buying those heavily promoted Arcade bundles are aware that they can't actually partake in this digital distribution and have to buy an overpriced and undersized hard drive from MS to be equipped for it.