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PSP Movies Sputter Out
http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mf...gvisit=y&npu=y
excerpt: According to The Hollywood Reporter, movie sales to PSP users really haven't done much of anything. Although no official word has been issued, the fate of UMD films appears increasingly dim, considering that Wal-Mart has reportedly trimmed back its UMD inventory. Movie studios owned by conglomerates Viacom General Electric, News Corp., and Disney seem to have pretty much abandoned the UMD format as a viable ancillary channel for their respective libraries. |
I've been shocked that UMD movies got as far as they did. They also seemed like an overpriced gimmick to me, but yet I'd go into Wal-Mart and there would be more UMD movies than there would be games.
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This is old news.... this was floating about the first of this month. Sony has been canceling some of their pending UMD releases due to poor sales. This doesn't look to bode well for Blu-ray either, since Sony is hoping to wed Blu-ray with their new PSP.
Content may be King, but the kingdom vaults are empty March 8, 2006 ... Sony believed that customers would buy movies to watch on their PSP (Playstation Portable), and worked with several studios to make sure a range of content was available, but sales have been so disappointing that even Sony Pictures themselves are “scaling back” production of the proprietary UMD (Universal Media Disk) content. Sony have blamed piracy for the disappointing sales, and given the availability of various utilities for copying DVDs onto a PSP it seems likely that users have baulked at paying for content they already own, just to be able to watch it on the move. |
Here's the link to the Hollywood Reporter story
Originally Posted by Quatermass
http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mf...gvisit=y&npu=y
excerpt: If anyone has access to the original 3/30/06 Hollywood Reporter story, could you post the gist of it here (so as not to violate any copyright laws) |
This is a complete shock to me. A shock I tell you. How is it already March and these are just now dying off? I expected this announcement months ago. :eek:
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Despite all the naysayers, I still think it could have been a viable, but niche format. They mention having a large range of products, but I don't think that was the right approach. There should have been more tie-in type releases, like say the upcoming Final Fantasy VII movie, or game based anime shows. I've got my PSP up on eBay anyways, but I did think it was a pretty neat feature, I watched Endless Summer last fall on a flight to VA, but I admit that's probably a *really* niche title.
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"Sony have blamed piracy".
The real world blames the fact that they were more expensive than DVDs, had less quality than DVDs, had less space for extras than DVDs, and could only be played on ONE very expensive player. |
Originally Posted by DonnachaOne
"Sony have blamed piracy".
The real world blames the fact that they were more expensive than DVDs, had less quality than DVDs, had less space for extras than DVDs, and could only be played on ONE very expensive player. |
The only people I ever saw buying them at Best Buy were military, and they'd usually leave with a stack. Other than that, they don't have to be restocked often...
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It doesn't take a genius to realize that selling a movie for $25 to someone so they can watch it on a 4" screen isn't going to sell. Sorry Sony but you're a total frickin' retard.
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What a shock, a Sony proprietary format failing.
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Originally Posted by Quatermass
If anyone has access to the original 3/30/06 Hollywood Reporter story, could you post the gist of it here (so as not to violate any copyright laws)
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Well, that announcement was bound to come sometime or another. Honestly, I love my PSP, but why in the hell would anyone want to watch movies abroad on a 4-inch screen when a laptop is just as sufficient (and doesn't require a special format)? The same goes for the video iPods.
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I usually rip movies onto my memory stick from my DVDs, but I liked the idea of including the UMDs as pack-ins for some DVDs.
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the quality is amazing on the psp but overpriced
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Originally Posted by mcarver
This doesn't look to bode well for Blu-ray either, since Sony is hoping to wed Blu-ray with their new PSP.
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Originally Posted by DonnachaOne
"Sony have blamed piracy".
The real world blames the fact that they were more expensive than DVDs, had less quality than DVDs, had less space for extras than DVDs, and could only be played on ONE very expensive player. So is this the scapegoat for everything when things go bad? I'm sure piracy will be to blame for the Presidents declining approval rating! |
Originally Posted by Vandelay_Inds
The scary thing is, these apes are the gatekeepers to the movies we all love.
Not according to my collection. Fox and WB have Sony beat by a long shot. It's been ages since I've picked up a Sony release. Of course it's been ages since they've released something other then a double or tripple dip. As long as there continues to be more good releases than I can keep up with, I don't really care if Sony wants to screw themselves out of my money. If everyone but WB just stopped releasing movies, I don't think I'd hardly notice. |
Originally Posted by UAIOE
So is this the scapegoat for everything when things go bad?
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I have seen UMD 2 packs for 19 bucks CAD at Walmart which is what they should be selling them for (under 10 dollars).
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Sorry, should have said PS3...
AME Info Blu-Ray was then thought to have the edge by being included in the new Playstation3 gaming consoles. But the PS3 launch date has moved back from Spring 2006 to November at the earliest, by which time a second generation of Xbox360s featuring in-built HD DVD may be around. joystiq * "[UMD is] awful. Sales are near zilch. It's another Sony bomb — like Blu-ray" [Universal] Comparing the current state of the UMD format to a hypothetical forecast of Blu-ray's success is dangerous. For one, UMD is only supported by the PSP (for now), while a range of compatible players will back the PS3's Blu-ray format. However, the statement from Universal could be indicative of Hollywood's general paranoia about the "HD era," which has already forced the delay of the launch of Blu-ray products. Still, Sony would do well to learn from the UMD-Hollywood debacle and focus on what the PS3's core audience is interested in, indeed, "a game player."
Originally Posted by Peep
Really? On what planet was that?
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Originally Posted by surfingelectrod
I usually rip movies onto my memory stick from my DVDs, but I liked the idea of including the UMDs as pack-ins for some DVDs.
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I'm glad they are sputtering out....I hope they clearance them out eventually. I MIGHT pay $5 or so for a UMD movie.
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I like the little guys, I own about 40 of them and they are all great! I am staying with them for the long haul!
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