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R.I.P. UMD

Where did the Sony PSP UMD movie market go wrong? We take a closer look...

Whenever you launch a new game machine, like the Sony PSP, you want to stretch out to as far an audience as you can, and the best way to do that is through the quality of the software. I know that Lumines has certainly attracted many people to the device, as have the likes of Wipeout Pure and Ridge Racer. And whoever was still left out around that time no doubt got hooked when Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories made its eventual debut. But Sony still wasn't satisfied, and with the handheld device they attempted to reach out to more of a casual audience for the machine. That's where the UMD movie format came into play.

UMD movies are basically mini-disc versions of current DVD's, with picture quality that's able to stretch out across the wide screen of the PSP and audio that is similar to that of a stereo set-up with the headphones. You're basically able to watch movies on the go. When Sony released the PSP in March 2005, they packaged the hit movie Spider-Man 2 with it, to give people an idea as to what to expect from it. Some people would have preferred an actual demo disc with playable items, instead of just a "viewing disc", but Sony was confident that people would buy into the movie format, and began working with studios aplenty on a number of releases.

So now we're reading reports, a year later, that indicate that the UMD format is dying, if it isn't already dead. It was a huge gamble on Sony's part, one that required a great deal of thinking and marketing that eventually blew up in their face. So, what went wrong? Why is UMD the next Betamax and what exactly happened to shift so much attention away from it? Well, here's a few theories as to what was really flawed in the system.

First off, the movies released for it. Sure, there were a bunch of major titles that were certainly good for on-the-go watching, like Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 and Hellboy, but, let's be honest, there were also some movies that didn't deserve a release on the format whatsoever, and they literally cluttered shelves as a result. I mean, who's really going to spend $20 on a UMD version of Uwe Boll's terrible House of the Dead movie? Or, for that matter, is anyone really going to invest $30 in a Green Day music disc when they can easily get the audio CD or music downloads for a mere $10? The market could've used more concentration in this area. I know diversity is good, but come on, some of these titles just have no reason for existence. On DVD, they might score, but for on-the-go, no need.

Secondly, the lack of extras. DVD's are a big hit with people not only because of their presentation, but also because of their boisterous extras, like audio commentary with the stars and director or deleted scenes and so forth. It gives the viewer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what's going on, if you will. UMD's don't really have the room for these kinds of features, and very few of their releases have any extras whatsoever. No trailer, even. And yet they're priced even higher than the DVD's in most cases. What's the point? Why not just buy a portable DVD player and enjoy the movies as originally intended? It wasn't a smart business decision.

Third, not nearly enough interaction. There's only so much you can do with a movie, rewinding and fast-forward, before you realize that it's not really going to change. Sony had a smart idea when they decided to couple the likes of Wipeout Pure with a movie as a tie-in, but they did it with the dreadful actioner Stealth, and despite the promises of being able to race against the deadly machine, the release never really saw good sales, especially sitting on a $40 price tag. Stealth wasn't even worth $20, so why pay $40 for a sampler of levels? Just buy the Wipeout Pure game for $20 and consider yourself happy.

And let's face it, playing movies or TV programs on a handheld just isn't as schnazzy as it could have been, mainly because electronics have been perfected to the point that you can take them on the go. I mean, really, did anyone even bother buying any Game Boy Videos of the Pokemon or Cartoon Network episodes? And all the hype for the release of Shrek 2 and Shark Tale went down the drain when people saw how incredibly choppy they were. Game systems, let's be honest, should stick to games. If we want to watch a movie, we have the option on portable DVD players.

So there's a few reasons, or theories if you will, talking about why the UMD market is in trouble. But really, it all boils down to the fact that there's just a general lack of interest in taking advantage of a format that can't even match up to current DVD, much less the forthcoming HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats. Sony should just shake it off, accept their losses, and concentrate their efforts on making more killer games like Daxter and Pursuit Force. If we want to watch movies, hey, that's why we have home theaters, right?

(Digg This)