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Sony To Bundle UMDs With DVDs

Posted by Zonk on from the getting-the-format-out-there dept.

Eurogamer has the word that Sony is planning to bundle UMD versions of movies with DVDs in order to increase the public's exposure to the PSP-specific format. From the article: "From March 28th, PlayStation Portable owners will be able to purchase DVD-UMD bundles for movies The Grudge, Resident Evil, Underworld, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The Terminator. April 25th will see the arrival of Ghostbusters, Mad Max, The Fifth Element and Snatch, and more bundles will follow in May."

5 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Is it just me... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...or does that list sound suspiciously close to the list of first-release Bluray discs? How many times does Sony expect customers to buy these movies? Especially the Fifth Element. I mean, it was an 'okay' movie the first time. It's still an 'okay' movie, but now it looks dated. So why do I want to rush out to buy it on VHS/DVD/DVD-UMD/Bluray? Just so I can reach five copies so that I can call them my "five elements"?

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    1. Re:Is it just me... by generic-man · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why do you assume that someone will go out and buy every edition of a movie? If someone owns a PSP and a DVD player but doesn't have a hi-def TV, then the DVD-UMD bundle might be a good buy. For a PS3 owner, the Blu-Ray disc is the better buy. Sony's movie studio owns the rights to that "suspicious" list of movies and it can milk them for all they're worth. You don't have to buy them.

      I don't own the Fifth Element on any media, so I for one appreciate the fact that my patience is going to be rewarded with a higher-definition copy of the movie.

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  2. It's kind of like a rebate... by PFI_Optix · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You buy the DVD, sell the UMD on eBay to someone who doesn't want/need the DVD, and you both get a discount.

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  3. Overall goal? by RyoShin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, if I understand this correctly, Sony is bundling the UMDs with the regular DVDs to try and get the regular public more interested in the PSP, right?

    But, from the article, the bundles will cost around US$25. Most, if not all, of the movies listed are already available for $15 or so. Why would the average consumer spend an extra $10 to get another copy of a movie that they wouldn't be able to use? The only time I can see them buying this is that they either don't know what they're getting, or they have a relative with a PSP and want to get a cheap gift.

    All this will accomplish will be increasing the amount of UMDs sold, as those with both a PSP and DVD player will be more inclined to get the bundle, so he can choose when, where, and how to watch the movie. I don't see anyone buying a $200 portable gaming system because they paid an extra $10 for media for it.

    Sony can, of course, spin the result, saying that there is a higher UMD saturation in the market after the fact, or there is now a bigger system:UMD ratio.

    1. Re:Overall goal? by damsa · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sony was selling the UMDs for 20 bucks stand alone. So consumers can spend 25 bucks for a DVD and UMD, meaning that DVD costs 5 bucks. It makes more sense if you look at it from that perspective.