14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that, at long last, Microsoft has made up its mind regarding the addition of a Blu-ray player to the Xbox 360 gaming console. And the final answer, straight from the mouth of Shane Kim, one of the most important Xbox 360 spokesmen for the Redmond based company, is that there's no chance of ever seeing a Blu-ray add-on for the Microsoft device.
The vice president of strategy and business development for the Interactive Entertainment division of Microsoft has clearly stated that "I can categorically say that we're not working on a Blu-Ray player for Xbox 360" and then, to add more weight to his words, said that "To my knowledge, we don't have any intent to do that."
Rumors regarding a Blu-ray addition to the Xbox 360, either as a new version of the console or as an add-on, have been swirling around the press ever since the HD-DVD, which Microsoft backed in the high definition DVD competition, failed to resist the assault of the Sony made Blu-ray, which is already integrated in the Sony made PlayStation 3.
Shane Kim also reiterated Microsoft's opinion that digital distribution of console content is getting so big so fast that it simply does not make business sense to invest in creating and marketing a new disc device for the console.
The recent announcement of Xbox Live Primetime and of a partnership with Netflix adds the weight of action to Microsoft's statements. The above initiatives will see Xbox 360 users gaining access to movies and to television shows that can be streamed to the console in real time.
Shane Kim stated that "We are in the entertainment business. Many of our partners are the major networks and entertainment studios ... Being in the entertainment business, you partner with people and you may compete with those people as well".