Microsoft: 360 HD-DVD drive will be cheapest

***wraggster*** · August 8th, 2006, 21:18

While most hardcore gamers believe it's the games that will win the next-gen console war, others believe it will come down to something entirely different--movie playback. Sony has been banking on the PlayStation 3's integrated Blu-ray drive to move its console, and Microsoft has countered with an external HD-DVD drive, set to go on sale later this year.

The high-end models of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are $599 and $399, respectively, but the PS3's price includes the system's Blu-ray drive. Microsoft still has not yet announced a price for the external HD-DVD drive, and its cost could sway the next-gen race.

On the most recent episode of the podcast from Major Nelson, aka Larry Hryb aka Microsoft's director of programming for Xbox Live, Hryb had a few members of the HD-DVD team on his show for an interview. Though they didn't reveal an actual monetary figure for the drive, they did drop a few hints.

Albert Penello, Microsoft's director of global marketing, had this to say about the drive's price. "Here's the truth, we're still thinking about it. Here's what I can tell you for sure, it's going to be the cheapest HD-DVD player you can buy...without a doubt, when it comes out," he said. "Everybody is very enthusiastic with the direction we're going. There's still a few surprises left. I don't want to spill the beans yet, but I think people are going to think it's a great value."

Currently, only a few HD-DVD players are on the market, and they bottom out at just over $420. However, the Xbox 360 external HD-DVD drive won't require all the hardware of a stand-alone HD-DVD player (that will be provided by the Xbox 360), which should cut into its cost.

Penello went on to discuss Microsoft's strategy with movie playback on its next-gen console. "Xbox has always been about choice. It's always been about 'How do you want to game? How do you want to get online? How do you want to communicate with people?' What I'm excited about is that now we're going to say, 'How do you want to pick your next-generation DVD format?' We're not forcing consumers to buy something that may be obsolete, or forcing them to spend a lot of money on something they don't want." He added, "We're not betting our whole console on an unproven media format."

**Video_freak** · August 8th, 2006, 21:31

Is it the cheapest HD-DVD player conting the $400 XBox 360 or is it without counting the XBox?
I thought the XBox360 came with an HD-DVD player?
I guess the PS3 isn't that overpriced after all.

**stotheamuel** · August 9th, 2006, 04:04

heh itll have to be 200 dollars or less to be on par .. or better value than ps3... my guess is 200$

**MasterChafed** · August 9th, 2006, 10:57

i think they should give it to us free, for making us wait for hardware that was already supposed to be included.

**markymark1** · August 9th, 2006, 13:12

I dont think they will give it us free but i definately think that those who have already bought a 360(proved by bringing in receipt) should have it alot cheaper!

It was in the spec after all and the customer is ALWAYS right!!!

**slayer2psp** · August 9th, 2006, 16:55

it will cost from 99.99 to149.99 at the most and you dont need it to play games its for movies only. stand alone players are 500 at bestbuy for hddvd and bluray is 1000 and sonys still isnt out yet. i dont buy a game system to watch movies its for games ill add the drive to my 360 and ill get a ps3 but ill never buy bluray movies im sticking with hddvd my friend has a stand alone player and the movies look great on it so im going that route