Friday, March 9th 2012

Durango Out in 2013, Lacks Optical Drive: Report

by
btarunr
 Discuss (77 Comments)
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox game console, codenamed "Durango", will arrive in 2013. More importantly, it is said to completely lack an optical disc drive. The lack of a disc drive could mark a milestone in the evolution of console game distribution. Microsoft already has a high-volume digital distribution platform in Xbox Live, its significance in a post-disc console era will only increase.

This is not to say that Microsoft will completely do away with physical media, an interchangeable NAND flash-based media could also take shape, seeing how prices of NAND flash-storage has come drastically down over the past couple of years. It would be a going back to solid-state game cartridges, for home consoles. Some portable consoles use solid-state media even today.
Source: Mail Online

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77 Comments on Durango Out in 2013, Lacks Optical Drive: Report

#26
jbunch07
Cartridges or USB flash would be awesome, they are more durable than optical disc
Posted on Reply
#27
Mega-Japan
btarunrGames on cartridge that's just a modified 64GB SDHC FTW.
SDHC can only go up to 32GB. And besides, those speeds would probably suck for console gaming. Even SDXC is unlikely.
Posted on Reply
#28
NdMk2o1o
Delta6326You are very lucky to have 30 Mb I have only 256Kb. If they go DL for all games it will be the end of my gaming.

And I don't know if its just me, but I always like to keep my Game cases.:cool:

America needs to realize how much we are lacking in the internet speed.
I am getting upgraded to 60MB this year aswell for free, oh and it's fibre so I download pretty much at the rated speed all day long :D
Posted on Reply
#29
Mega-Japan
NdMk2o1oI am getting upgraded to 60MB this year aswell for free, oh and it's fibre so I download pretty much at the rated speed all day long :D
This is one of many reasons why I've been wanting to move out of America ASAP. Either Japan or a scandinavian country will do. But even my American speed is godly compared to this dial-up crap I'm getting in Afghanistan :|.
Posted on Reply
#30
Benetanegia
Mega-JapanSDHC can only go up to 32GB. And besides, those speeds would probably suck for console gaming. Even SDXC is unlikely.
Speed is not a problem, install them in HDD and that's it. Flash drives are much faster than PS3's BD drive anyway, so "those speeds" do not suck I guess.

64 GB would be pointless anyway, and even 32 GB for 99% games. There's absolutely no way to create so much worthwhile content for a game, unless the game comes with several HD videos or something like that. Most games would be set with 16 GB and many even with 8 GB, at least in the few years after release. After that 32, 64 and 128 GB cards would become a cheap and fast option.
Posted on Reply
#31
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
jbunch07I've been thinking this for years...with usb3.0 speeds this would be more than practical! Only issue I see is no Support for blueray...but I'm sure digital copies will take care of that
yeah this is a problem. The only reason i was going to get the next xbox was for the Blu ray players I thought it was going to have
Posted on Reply
#32
jbunch07
nvidiaintelftwyeah this is a problem. The only reason i was going to get the next xbox was for the Blu ray players I thought it was going to have
I assume there will be an add-on you can get...but having an integrated optical drive would be much nicer...unless of course they don't plan on being a console that does "everything" but unless bluray or the next Gen format goes to flash memory I don't see this being very popular at launch.
Posted on Reply
#33
Benetanegia
While I think that an optical drive is useless nowadays or it should be because better options are available, I have to admit that the next Xbox not having any kind of optical drive is strange.

What if M$ is going to release 2 consoles? It's something that has crossed my mind since it was reported that M$'s next console would use a HD6670 grade GPU. That's crappy for an upcoming gaming systyem. So what if they are going with a simple model ala Wii (where HD6670 makes sense) and one high-end console? It's just a thought.
Posted on Reply
#34
NinkobEi
How will people watch movies on their Xbox then? Will this bring back old fashioned DVD players? Now there's a horrible thought
Posted on Reply
#35
DonInKansas
NinkobEiHow will people watch movies on their Xbox then? Will this bring back old fashioned DVD players? Now there's a horrible thought
Agreed. One of the big reasons I love my PS3 is the ability to watch Blurays and DVDs.
Posted on Reply
#36
NdMk2o1o
NinkobEiHow will people watch movies on their Xbox then? Will this bring back old fashioned DVD players? Now there's a horrible thought
DonInKansasAgreed. One of the big reasons I love my PS3 is the ability to watch Blurays and DVDs.
ergh I don't even use the dvd drive on mine, ethernet connection to modem and windows media centre over hdmi all the way for me ;)
Posted on Reply
#37
NinkobEi
NdMk2o1oergh I don't even use the dvd drive on mine, ethernet connection to modem and windows media centre over hdmi all the way for me ;)
Well yes, us tech-savvy TPU users would have no problem with it (why would we own one in the first place?). Main concern would be those we refer to as "noobs" or "miley-cyrus lookin mugs".
Posted on Reply
#38
imitation
BenetanegiaWhat if M$ is going to release 2 consoles? It's something that has crossed my mind since it was reported that M$'s next console would use a HD6670 grade GPU. That's crappy for an upcoming gaming systyem. So what if they are going with a simple model ala Wii (where HD6670 makes sense) and one high-end console? It's just a thought.
I remember reading a tech blog post that stated this exactly, MS will likely have a 720 and a "family" console. For the "family fun" console game downloads would make a lot of sense, since many games will not even be 1gB.
Posted on Reply
#39
NC37
Delta6326I really like the idea of games on Flash Memory, but if they get rid of the OD then how will I and others watch DVD's I use mine as a DVD player.
Heck I don't even game on my 360 anymore. Just use it for DVDs. Steam and TOR are my preferred methods of gaming.
Posted on Reply
#40
OneCool
What if they came in a gas can!!!!!!!!!!!

Pour your game in and play!!!! :pimp:


Posted on Reply
#41
bretts31344
I highly doubt this because that would mean absolutely no backwards compatibly. Also, having another device that can play DVD/Blu-rays never hurts.
Posted on Reply
#43
insane 360
well the 6670 wouldn't be that bad, it doesn't have to do anything but game, and will be coded just for that graphics, so games will look their best and run smooth, just think of how much improvement the 6670 is over the hybrid 1800/2900 in the current 360...

and i could see them putting in a slim "laptop" size dvd drive in for backwards comp. but moving forward with just a card reader :)
Posted on Reply
#44
FordGT90Concept
"I go fast!1!11!1!"
This, I did not expect. Microsoft is pulling out a giant middle finger and giving it to Sony. Good on them. Microsoft is probably going to end up putting HD videos on their Microsoft Store that can be streamed directly to consoles in order to compete with Sony's movie playback capability.
Posted on Reply
#45
Nihilus
I was hoping for this.
1.) No more scratched discs would be great.
2.) They would have plenty of space and speed (mega-japan?)
3.) They may still work out backward compatibility with a digital download (proof of purchase?)

Despite that it's still rumored to have an HD6670. Come on! HD7850 will be $100 by then.
Posted on Reply
#46
bostonbuddy
good. Physical media is so single digit 2000's.
wish it would have a hd 8970 equivilent tho
Posted on Reply
#47
Inceptor
A 6670, fully utilized, is more than enough power for a next-gen console. When a game developer has to work within limits 'set in stone' so to speak, they can optimize and squeeze quite a bit of performance out of something like a 6670. More so than what would be possible in a PC game that had a 6670 as its recommended requirement; because unlike a PC game, they only have to design a game that works great on one gpu and one set of drivers, not 10-20 different models running just as many driver variants.
Posted on Reply
#48
semantics
BenetanegiaSpeed is not a problem, install them in HDD and that's it. Flash drives are much faster than PS3's BD drive anyway, so "those speeds" do not suck I guess.

64 GB would be pointless anyway, and even 32 GB for 99% games. There's absolutely no way to create so much worthwhile content for a game, unless the game comes with several HD videos or something like that. Most games would be set with 16 GB and many even with 8 GB, at least in the few years after release. After that 32, 64 and 128 GB cards would become a cheap and fast option.
Wouldn't that be only in non sequential reads? Blu-ray at a min is reading at like 70-80mbps when it's streaming video, which would be at the upper end of speed of most SDHC cards.
Posted on Reply
#49
STCNE
Hope this isn't true, GTAIV was a 2 day download for me, and that's when I'm having a good week with ATT. I'm lucky to go even an hour without the internet flickering on and off, and ATT has a big anti-gaming policy with the service we're on. I've been kicked out of games on numerous occasions, pretty sad for a home service. :/
Posted on Reply
#50
WhiteLotus
I've not had a console since PS1, and to be honest, I am quite looking forward to the offerings of this generation. I am very tempted already.
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