I’ve been trying to avoid reporting on all of this Microsoft/Blu-Ray rumor and speculation for a very key, very simple reason: I don’t care. I own my consoles because they play games, not because they make Tombstone come in crystal clear. However, if Microsoft had announced the Xbox 360 would support Blu-Ray, I feel we’d almost have to cover it.

That’s just it, though: The Xbox 360 ISN’T supporting Blu-Ray, and the assumptions of such are based on a severe twisting of Steve Balmer’s words. People saw a story from the AP or Reuters yesterday, and saw three terms: Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, Blu-Ray. From there people just jumped the gun and started relaying to the masses that Microsoft was announcing Blu-Ray support for the Xbox 360. Unfotunately, that’s simply not the case and all Ballmer had said was that Microsoft was working on driver support for Blu-Ray. On Windows. Because Vista doesn’t have enough driver problems as it is.

However, I think there was another force behind this blatant fuck up. I think some sites, especially the fanboy sites (not the actual “Fanboy” sites) want this to happen so badly that they ignored the obvious facts and said the Xbox 360 was supporting Blu-Ray in hopes that Microsoft would at the very least feel pressured into acknowledging the possibility. I don’t think it’s some sort of mass conspiracy or anything — I don’t see people sitting at home saying to themselves “Yes, if I say Microsoft will have Blu-Ray they will make it so!” while twisting the tips of their menacingly long moustache. But I do think that on a subconscious level some Xbox 360 and PS3 fanboys (again, not the actual Xbox 360/PS3 Fanboy sites) want this to happen so badly that they’re willing to ignore obvious proof to the contrary.

Why would both sides want this? PS3 fanboys would most assuredly use this to claim absolute victory over Microsoft, regardless of whether or not the sales figures say otherwise, and 360 fanboys would use this as a “Hey, look, we have Blu-Ray now, too” and argue that there is absolutely no purpose to buy a PS3. I know it may sound a little farfetched at first, but keep one thing in mind:

Most of the mainstream gaming media is comprised of fanboys.

Buy Now:Sony BDP-S300 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Popularity: unranked [?]