WIRED Staff
Culture

Future of UMD Video Format in Serious Doubt, say Hollywood execs

Sony was banking on the PSP to make its Universal Media Disc portable video format a success. But after a surprisingly robust start, with every major studio pledging support and rushing out dozens of titles, the dream seems to be over, says the Hollywood Reporter today: Disappointing sales have slowed the flow of movies on […]

Sony was banking on the PSP to make its Universal Media Disc portable video format a success. But after a surprisingly robust start, with every major studio pledging support and rushing out dozens of titles, the dream seems to be over, says the Hollywood Reporter today:

Disappointing sales have slowed the flow of movies on the proprietary Universal Media Disc to a mere trickle. At least two major studios have completely stopped releasing movies on UMD, while others are either toying with the idea or drastically cutting back.

The piece is positively filled with negative quotes from Hollywood execs regarding the format's future, or lack of one.

  • "Releasing titles on UMD is the exception rather than the rule. No one's even breaking even on them." -- Paramount Pictures exec
  • "No one's watching movies on PSP" -- 'president of one of the six major studios' home entertainment divisions'
  • "It's awful. Sales are near zilch. It's another Sony bomb -- like Blu-ray." -- Universal Studios exec

Ouch. And Blu-ray isn't even out yet.