With all the companies switching over to Blu-Ray, it looks as if Microsoft will be doing the same. They plan to release to the Blu-Ray Xbox 360 as early as May 2008. One of the main reasons for the switch is to equally compete with the PS3.

The idea is to create a standalone Blu-Ray player that connects to the home console. Microsoft has also planned a built-in Blu-Ray player, but according to insider information, they believe that the HD format is slowly moving to online with more and more customers buying downloadable content instead of purchasing a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.

Microsoft and Intel have also been pushing other companies to join them in making the transition to Blu-Ray. Last week, Niveus rejected the HD-DVD and joined the Blu-Ray family with the insurance from both companies.

Even Michael Ephraim the Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment is also glad that Microsoft and converted, he says:

“We would welcome Microsoft to the Blu-ray stable. In fact it is quite logical for them as the PS3 has been very succesful in driving consumers to Blu-ray. In fact we believe that it has done more to win the format war than traditional Blu-ray player”.

Microsoft Xbox’s corporate vice president, Peter Moore says that the Blu-Ray player can adapt to the Xbox if it must. He says that they are not sure of how the next-gen console wars are going to take place but one thing he is sure of, is the capacity of how versitile the console is and how it can accomodate whatever format comes it’s way.

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