Blu-ray discs expand to 400GB, thanks to Pioneer

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 7th 2008 at 4:30PM }

People were impressed when Konami and Kojima Productions managed to fill up an entire dual-layered 50GB Blu-ray disc with Metal Gear Solid 4. But 50GB discs? That's so passé. Pioneer has just developed a sixteen-layer Blu-ray disc that holds 400GB of data (!). With this kind of disc, your PS3 hard drive could be copied five times over, just for the heck of it.

Unfortunately, this impressive tech will not be compatible with your current PS3. [Update: There is some debate over this fact. Some are claiming current BD lasers will be able to read these discs. More info should be revealed next week.] However, the specifications used to manufacture these 400GB discs will allow any future reader that supports these discs to be backwards-compatible with older Blu-ray discs. We can already see the future: Final Fantasy XV on PS4, with over 2 weeks of cutscenes.

Tags: 400GB, blu-ray, pioneer

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 7th 2008 4:36PM

Yeah, I didn't expect these zillion-layer discs (like the previous 8 layer spec) would read on PS3s. Probably PS4 will have the capability though. And hopefully will be at least 4x if not 6x.

frankym @ Jul 7th 2008 4:38PM

Yoon....Funny closing comment about FFXV on PS4.

Truth is that digital downloads will probably appear on PS5.....this format could be the standard for the next PS

chin @ Jul 7th 2008 4:42PM

2 weeks of cutscenes - great =) lol

deafwing @ Jul 7th 2008 4:58PM

Man, I had to kick back and relax to what those MGS4 cut scenes, I can't imagine what to expect if a developer took advantage of 400GB of space. The expression "full of shit" comes to mind.

Kirky @ Jul 7th 2008 4:44PM

what would you even use 400 gigs for? not that I'm ungrateful for more space in the expanding world, but seriously, if something like MGS4 can fit on to one dual-layered blu-ray what in hell is gonna take up anything more?

Jettic @ Jul 7th 2008 5:19PM

Thats quite simple actually, imagine with the PS4, I'm sure there will be as big a leap in tech from the PS2 to the PS3 as there will be with the PS3 to PS4, multi-core technology (think 16 or 32 core processor) 2-4GB of ram, 1GB GDDR5 memory, think of the space that extremely-high quality textures will take up, not saying it's going to happen, but think about the possibilities.

After seeing the PS2 and Xbox not needing more than say one or two dual layered DVDs for one game, and then jumping to filling a 50GB disk, I'd say this is very possible.

MrEverdred01 @ Jul 7th 2008 6:29PM

Actually, they wanted to allow you to switch languages in Metal Gear Solid 4, so you could change something in the menu and play the game through in Japanese or Spanish or whatever, but they ran out of space. Even 50GB wasn't enough.

Mark @ Jul 7th 2008 4:45PM

I know Andrew Yoon's hiddenn agenda is to make PS3 owners feel like thir PS3 BD is obsolete, but the reality is, according the Engadget sister we don't ACTUALLY know if the PS3 will or will not play these 16 layer discs..

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/07/pioneers-blu-ray-disc-hits-400gb/

If you want the version without the PS3 hate (why is a PS3 hater posting on PS3Fanboy??)

"Update: Now that the English press release is out, it's less clear whether the new media -- whenever it might come to market -- will work in existing players or not. While "it is possible to maintain compatibility between the new 16-layer optical disc and the BD discs," players would seemingly require a modified optical pick-up mechanism to see the data. We'll learn more on July 13th when Pioneer discusses the breakthrough in detail"

So, the Jury is still out on if it will or will not work...

reson8er @ Jul 7th 2008 4:59PM

The Statement from Pioneer, via Blu-ray.com

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1484

"Pioneer claims that the specs for the laser remain unchanged compared to that of a typical Blu-ray player, meaning these discs would technically work in existing Blu-ray players."

Devin @ Jul 7th 2008 4:45PM

Damn, if only these were compatible. O well, I can only wonder what the read times on those discs would be, let alone the costs to manufacture.....

Phantom @ Jul 7th 2008 4:57PM

16 layers !!!!!!!!! I wonder how physically thick theses things are , and inch.

Yea , imagine Sqeenix or Kojima managed tom make a PS4 game that used all 400 GB. Who needs replayabilty when it'll take you 2 months to play a game once , with 2 weeks of cutscenes , that would be AWSOME you know , it they managed to keep it fun through the whole game.
Or uber large companies with multiple studios eg Ubisoft , 2k etc , could get their studious to work on one game . But each studio would work on a different point of view or whatever . Like Square Enix , instead of making FFXV and FFversusXV on seperate discs , they could put them on one disc .

Speakig of discs , could anyone explain to me why devs can't use DVDs to make games on the PS3 . Like instead of having mandatory installs on say a 8 gig game ,because of the slow BD drive , couldn't the just use a 9 gig DVD , and have no installs . There's really no reason to for devs to use BDs , unless they make a game bigger than 9 gigs . This would probably make multi-platform games so much easier to make.

Extinction @ Jul 7th 2008 5:33PM

Cause DVD reads slower than Bluray, not faster.
Despite the rumors, 360s DVD drive is 1.5 megabytes/second SLOWER on average than PS3s bluray drive. And this is using official specs from a manufacturer of 360 drives.
It also has longer seek times. And is easier to pirate, who owns Bluray burners?

Phantom @ Jul 7th 2008 7:05PM

yea , 360s dvd drive , but maybe the PS3's drive is faster for reading DVDs , and therefore , faster than bluray , I'm asuming it's easier to find a particular file in 9 gigs than 50 gigs . You'r cmparision shouldn't be between the 360 and PS3 dvd drives , it should be between the PS3 BD read speeds and PS#'s dvd read speeds .

reson8er @ Jul 7th 2008 4:57PM

Sorry Andrew but I think you read the article incorrectly.

"Pioneer claims that the specs for the laser remain unchanged compared to that of a typical Blu-ray player, meaning these discs would technically work in existing Blu-ray players."

Source, Blu-ray.com

reson8er @ Jul 7th 2008 5:03PM

edit:

Andrew you probably didn't read your article wrong, the article you read may have been wrong in the 1st place.

jatt4964 @ Jul 7th 2008 5:06PM

imagine da price of games if this happens

mike @ Jul 7th 2008 5:16PM

I thought MGS4 only had 33 Gb on it?

reson8er @ Jul 7th 2008 5:21PM

Nope full 50gb.

The1stMJC @ Jul 7th 2008 5:11PM

so this 4oo gb wouldn't work on ps3. What if they cut off like i don't know 200gb than would it be ps3 possible. the thought of a ps4 in 5yrs is gonna make me sick

Mark @ Jul 7th 2008 5:21PM

That's what Andrew Yoon wants you to think.

He lives in a pathetic little world, where he has to spin news and make stuff up, to make it seem exciting..

sonicyouth @ Jul 7th 2008 5:11PM

I'm curious as to what the next Xbox will use. Probably BD. I mean, it should be out in about 15 months, right? :)

Phantom @ Jul 7th 2008 5:20PM

Hmm , Sony would probably put up a struggle if they tried to use BD . MS would get sued for trying to use BD discs , then for any little they can find , in the end of course nobody would really win , because Sony isn't the only who owns BD , but it would probably delay the next xbox quite a bit . And MS wouldn't really have grounds to counter-sue (lol , like "MS sued Sony for sueing them )

Now watch as the Xbox720 uses Sony made BD discs , just watch .

tan @ Jul 7th 2008 5:43PM

i don't see what would be wrong with the xbox720 using blu ray discs..

its the next logical step (because digital download no matter how awesome it may be won't be great on my super slow connection - discs FTW!) and it would just be normal for it to have it, just like the ps2 had dvd drive and the xbox had a dvd drive.

Phantom @ Jul 7th 2008 7:09PM

No what I said was that Sony would probably try to sue MS . Yea it's the next logical step , and MS will for sure do it (unless they think that DVD is still dominant by then , MS isn't a company that takes risks like Sony does)

Joeman @ Jul 7th 2008 8:09PM

@Mark
Considering a dec is already making a game for the next Xbox? I pretty sure the next xbox will use 50gb and the ps4 will use 400gb. And xbots will say 400gb is pointless and 50gb is the best.

jq71586 @ Jul 7th 2008 5:16PM

This will not be practical. The amount of money it costs to replicate these things for mass consumption will be off the charts. The PS3 will probably never use more than a 50 GB disk. We'll just see multiple 50 GB disks instead if more room is somehow needed, IMO.

reson8er @ Jul 7th 2008 5:24PM

I agree totally, DVD did the same thing, while cool, these things are usually not cost effective and are only done for research sake or specific applications and not mass market.

nctiger @ Jul 7th 2008 5:19PM

Imagine the install times we will get then!!!!

nihillasohen @ Jul 7th 2008 5:25PM

I think this is a great move for Blu-ray. They solidify their goal of become the standard for the next generation. If it readable by the current players that would be the perfect position for the future. The number of layers can be adjusted for the product your putting out, and it would be almost impossible for another company to come in an introduce a new disc format. This will fend off anybody that will try to move in, until digital downloads become a viable option.

Phantom @ Jul 7th 2008 7:17PM

I'm not sure how much I would like digital downloads , whenever I get a choice between digital and hard copy I take hard , like GT5:P and Socom as soon as it comes out .

Of course I think that these fancy 400 GB disc's won't be used much UNTIL digital distrupution go mainstream , and people will want large disc's to back up their downloaded data onto .

Also , the jump from disc's to digital IS A HUGE STEP . A step much larger than going from DVD disc's , to BD disc's , they're physically the same shape and all , so it's not hard for older , less techie people (like dad , or grandpa) . But digital on the other , HUGE step (forward) and will be hard for them to adjust to . So I think the Digital will be a great way for people buy movies , games etc in say 7-10 years . But it won't phase out for a while , unless the grim goes on a spree , WHICH IS VERY BAD.

Twinturbo120 @ Jul 7th 2008 9:14PM

I don't think anyone can utilize this kind of space. I mean 400GB's? thats insane. Thats a BIG ASS GAME

ben @ Jul 8th 2008 10:50AM

there is only one way

when they make the end game

the game that adapts to the player. reading and adapting to the individual players taste in games and skill level. everyone will own the same game but no one will be playing the same thing
mecca for gamers

held225 @ Jul 7th 2008 8:27PM

Cool!! that would be sick if my PS3 could play those. And i hope M$ wont use BD...why? remember, it was M$ who said "we need no stinking Blue ray" so Xbox720 will probably use digital downloads. im pretty sure Sony (as a main dev of BD) wont let them have it. And also if i remember right the EU branch of M$ said that "digital download will be the future".... i personally dont think so at all, BD will be around for a long long time, after all PS3 is future proof !!

t_jh @ Jul 7th 2008 10:18PM

i think sony would let MS have bd, sony would be making a profit of every disc they use.

kayzerzoze @ Jul 7th 2008 9:42PM

DAMN! thats alot of space when ever this come out say next year i can really see kojima coming back to do MGS5 wish would be freaking great because like he said in an article i was a liitle dissapointed in the way the game came out or something like that.

also i can see Rockstar coming out with GTA V
and whos gonna need DLC after that

so take that u M$ and XBOTS

ballernaz @ Jul 8th 2008 2:21PM

What they should do is build a reader nto the ps3/4 so they can scrap the hard drive- imagine your playing a game and you save it, instead of it saving to the hd, it writes it to the disc. Or just use one of these as a hard drive-400 gigs 4 much cheaper than an HD and u can just switch it out for more space

Tdubbs @ Jul 9th 2008 7:15PM

It's great that they improved the capacity of these discs, however, if current blu ray lasers can't read the new discs then I say, "don't call them blu ray discs then"