This time, Microsoft gave it a shot using digital paint: Sony didn’t win the war (and, consequently, they didn’t lose it) because a mere disc does not represent the future. Digital downloads, on the other hand, are the real business.
Speaking with The Guardian, Xbox UK’s Neil Thompson stated the following:
"The horse that we’re fundamentally backing is the one that says the future of entertainment content is online digital distribution. I would argue that we backed the right horse. If we’re sitting here in 12 or 18 months time, we’ll be saying ‘why were people even thinking about a disc format when it’s really about digital distribution?’"
"The fact that Sony are desperately trying to deliver an online offering means they probably understand that there’s another front they have to develop for."
Rumor had it a while ago that Microsoft might be planning on releasing a Blu-ray player for its Xbox 360 console, but the company bluntly denied such suppositions.