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More Movie Studios Consider UMD Releases
GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that several major motion picture studios are considering releasing some of their films on Sony's UMD format. The studios in question include Fox, Universal, and Paramount. From the article: "Fox is said to be closest to committing - with an initial line-up that could consist of Dodgeball, Napoleon Dynamite, I Robot, Super Troopers and Predator - while Universal could get involved by mid-summer and Paramount is currently evaluating the format's potential."
GBA Videos, PSP Movies, The little pocket video players for kids, none do all that well but companies keep pumping them out. No one is going to buy a movie twice just so that they can make it less useful and portable.
When I first heard of PSP movie capabilities and since it was from Sony, I had thought the ultimate idea would be to bundle the UMD version in with the DVD of their movie releases. They've missed it so far. This would sell more PSP's because people would soon have a bunch of useless UMD's laying around and be curious to make them useful, combat piracy because people will buy the DVD to get the UMD... just a bit of creative thinking and sales and UMD movies could bloom... but oh yeah Sony would have to give a little bit of their DVD profits to sell tons more PSP's and games and then when they've got a huge install base reap the rewards. When will they learn?
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No way in hell am I going to buy movies in the format, coolness factor be damned. I want tools to get my already-purchased normal DVD's onto UMD media, it's that simple.
Having fought legal battles on behalf of its (albeit doomed) Betamax, you would think these guys would learn that their customers really want the flexibility and freedom to use that expensive PSP to its fullest potential. Sorry, Sony, but purchased UMD movies are going to be nothing more than a passing novelty.