Microsoft 'yanked optical drive from Xbox 720'

[gregmcc]

Not sure if this can be believed, but its interesting news.

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/03/09/microsoft_drops_optical_disc_drive_for_next_xbox/

Microsoft's next Xbox - whatever it's called - will not feature an optical disc drive, moles have claimed. Instead, it will gain games by downloads and possibly on memory cards too.

Allegedly breaking one of the "strictest NDA" contracts ever encountered, the insiders said the console will indeed be launched in 2013, as rumoured, with a type of removable solid-state storage rather than the DVD format of yesteryear, MCV reports.

The news that console manufacturers could turn their backs on discs is worrying for already struggling high street outlets, such as Game, which may have to hope that punters will prefer to buy games on memory cards rather that suffer long download times, in order to easie its business troubles.

 

[Toitjie]

I do agree with MS on this one though - if this is true.

optical drives are something of the past and we should move on to a media that is faster.
A 8gb flash is cheap, and how cool is it that you could have a branded flash stick that has the games logo all over it, etc.

yes, one day you will be sitting with 200 memory sticks, but who cares!

ill even spend a half a day downloaded the game than actually sitting with a disc... xbox live can handle the licensing etc.

 

[_Jakes_]

I do agree with MS on this one though - if this is true.

optical drives are something of the past and we should move on to a media that is faster.
A 8gb flash is cheap, and how cool is it that you could have a branded flash stick that has the games logo all over it, etc.

yes, one day you will be sitting with 200 memory sticks, but who cares!

ill even spend a half a day downloaded the game than actually sitting with a disc... xbox live can handle the licensing etc.

Its better than sitting with 200 DVD's

 

[Argus]

adds a unfortunate for consumer but fortunate for developers DRM as well
they can link the game installer to the serial number of the flash
and the flash has to be present to play

but also adds nice things like you can link a flash serial number to your online account
so when you take your game to your mates house you automatically have access to your saved games via the cloud
based on the serial number instead of entering your account username and password

 

[Nerfherder]

They are going back to the days of cartridges

Interesting move

 

[hungrybeaver]

I'm not so sure about this. Stick a Bluray drive in there at least, and make the Xbox a complete home entertainment system. The games can be delivered through the net or on flash drives or BR disc or DVD.

If I'm going to purchase a console I'd want it to work as a home entertainment system, ala PS3 or Xbox 360. Removing optical media is silly.

 

[The_Unnamed]

They are going back to the days of cartridges

Interesting move

I, for one, am glad to see this. Disk based media sucks...

 

[Singularity1]

I do agree with MS on this one though - if this is true.

optical drives are something of the past and we should move on to a media that is faster.
A 8gb flash is cheap, and how cool is it that you could have a branded flash stick that has the games logo all over it, etc.

Next gen games are going to be much larger than 8GB. I doubt that memory sticks would be cheaper than blu ray discs. The main problem will be downloading and saving games that could be larger than 50GB.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

I'm not in favour of this, especially in the land of slow and expensive internet. If MS does this then I will be changing consoles, unless they provide a physical means of playing obtaining a game.

 

[ponder]

I'm not so sure about this. Stick a Bluray drive in there at least, and make the Xbox a complete home entertainment system.

Drives the costs of the console up.

 

[_Jakes_]

I would like to know the amount of Xbox 360's that failed because of optical drive failure.

 

[Chevron]

I'm not in favour of this, especially in the land of slow and expensive internet. If MS does this then I will be changing consoles, unless they provide a physical means of playing obtaining a game.

Get uncapped.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Get uncapped.

Slow and expensive being the operative words

 

[Vegeta]

Optical media sux balls and its stupid and I wish it would die already!
Download is amazing I can have it NOW not when that stupid shop on the corner stocks it.
Or I can buy a memory card or stick... no scratches, no moving parts, no suck

 

[isie]

I, for one, am glad to see this. Disk based media sucks...

yep if a disk is scratched its prety worthless, but if a cartride wasnt working you blew on it an it worked,
I wonder if that will still wor :wtf:

 

[frobbertze]

I wonder if the new console will have backwards compatibility at all. Obviously not disk based, but I have a lot of xbox live games that I would not want to lose if the new xbox ever see the light of day.

 

[Chevron]

I wonder if the new console will have backwards compatibility at all. Obviously not disk based, but I have a lot of xbox live games that I would not want to lose if the new xbox ever see the light of day.

Your account will just transfer over. They already said gamer score will be able to be transferred over.

 

[Ninja'd]

This sucks if you're a 2nd hand buyer.

 

[Chevron]

This sucks if you're a 2nd hand buyer.

I think that's the point.

Games get cheap very quickly though after a month or three. There's really no reason to buy second hand.