Xbox 360 To Support 1080p Resolution
Microsoft announced at the Tokyo Game Show that a Fall software update will enable a new resolution in the Xbox 360: 1080p. Sony had long been claiming advantage over Microsoft, that it supported the highest HD resolution, but Microsoft was holding back this card until it announced pricing of the HD-DVD add-on.
If you have a TV that supports the resolution (or a VGA monitor), games programmed for 1080p will run at that resolution after the update. Games set at the 360’s regular 720p will be upscaled, a technology that worked quite well pulling original Xbox games from 480p to 720p. Not only that, but the 360 will now upscale DVDs to 1080p, eliminating the need for a seperate upscaling DVD player, and making that HD-DVD purchase a little less necessary.
Great job, Microsoft! I can’t wait for this update.
Coverage:
Joystiq:
Similar to the way the Xbox 360 upscales original Xbox games from 480p to 720p/1080i, you’ll be able to enjoy your existing Xbox 360 games at the new resolution. As if you needed more proof that Microsoft’s adoption of high definition HD-DVD is little more than a strategic move to limit Blu-ray’s potential sphere of influence, Microsoft’s 1080p software upgrade will also remove some of the value of their upcoming HD-DVD add-on by upscaling your existing DVD movies to HD resolutions, including 1080p.
So, Microsoft just announced that the Xbox 360 will play your existing DVDs back in high-definition — in addition to being able to play back legitimate HD-DVD content if you’re interested — and they’re gonna do it in 1080p. In the bullet point war, Sony better hope that extra Blu-ray disc space is worth it; they’ll have a chance to prove it at TGS this week.
