New tri-layer Blu-ray disc holds 128GB, not PS3 compatible

There was a time where having 60GB on a computer was more space than you though you needed. But as technology advanced, so did the size and volume of the media we use. When Sony announced PS3 games would be placed on Blu-ray discs that hold 50GB of data, we gasped at the thought of how beautiful the games would look and how much extra content could be stored. Now Sharp has announced a new Blu-ray disc that has more than double the capacity.

These new triple layer re-writeable Blu-ray discs can hold 100GB of data. The write-once discs are limited 128GB which can hold up to 12 hours of regular digital television broadcasts. BDXL will be out in Japan on July 30, 2010 and will cost around $55-$60. No date has been given for a United States release.

What does this mean for gaming? Nothing. Apparently BDXL can only be played on a new type of machine which means the PS3 is not compatible with the discs. Sharp will be releasing two Aquos Blu-ray recorders in Japan to accompany the new discs. These players can be given backwards compatibility with standard double layer Blu-ray discs.

If physical media continues to be the standard in several years, the next PlayStation console could use BDXL.

Read [PC World] Read [Slash Gear]