Sony cuts back on PSP manufacturing predictions

[jvd]

Just a little heads up . At my store at least (and most of the ones in the area ) the ds and psp have switched places again . With the free pack in and blue ds we can't keep them in stock now . However we now have 38 psps in the back and they are barely moving .

However the umd movies are selling better than the games . Of course this is do to few games coming out that people are interested in . Though hitched sold pretty well . Its the first umd we sold out of

 

[mech]

Mods, come on, he's ruining every damn thread he enters. It's ridiculous. There's no clever or interesting debate, just post after post by PC-Engine being the worst Nintendo troll I have ever seen.

Actually YOU are ruining the thread by bringing up pro Nintendo and anti SONY rhetoric.

I say again what does Nintendo have anything to do with UMD movies? I'm waiting for your answer Dexter.

In any case, here's what a less biased source had to say about UMD production (Shacknews)

Sony announced that sales of UMD-based movies have surpassed over 100,000 units sold. That's a rather impressive amount considering how most thought they wouldn't sell as well priced the same as a standard DVD. Sales have nowhere to go but up as starting this week, we're going to be seeing a huge surge in the amount of titles released. Check out this complete list over at GamesAreFun.

That's nice and dandy but it's just regurgitating information that's already known then predicting UMD movies can only go up from this point onward? LMAO...yeah right Nostradamus.

See, what on earth is he talking about? He's barely even coherent, and certainly not making any sense in the context of what I posted.

 

[PC-Engine]

See, what on earth is he talking about? He's barely even coherent, and certainly not making any sense in the context of what I posted.

What part don't you understand??? I'd be glad to walk you through it.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

In any case, here's what a less biased source had to say about UMD production (Shacknews)

Sony announced that sales of UMD-based movies have surpassed over 100,000 units sold. That's a rather impressive amount considering how most thought they wouldn't sell as well priced the same as a standard DVD. Sales have nowhere to go but up as starting this week, we're going to be seeing a huge surge in the amount of titles released. Check out this complete list over at GamesAreFun.

according to USA Today on 05/22/2005

Two UMD movies have now sold more than 100,000 copies each: Sony's House of Flying Daggers and Resident Evil 2, both released April 19. Sony's Feingold calls the sales tally "remarkable," noting that it took nine months for the first DVD title, Air Force One, to cross the 100,000-unit mark.

I think someone got the story mixed up. Why would they report 100,000 sold now if it had been accomplished individually by two seperate titles a month ago and in the span of a months time?

Or do you think they meant 100,000 UMD movies sold in Japan?

 

[jvd]

this is an acomplishment why ? the first dvd players cost more than double the cost of the psp . Its silly to think that the adoption rate of the dvd player at much higher prices would be faster than that of the psp at lower prices .

 

[PC-Engine]

this is an acomplishment why ? the first dvd players cost more than double the cost of the psp . Its silly to think that the adoption rate of the dvd player at much higher prices would be faster than that of the psp at lower prices .

Exactly, not to mention Air Force One isn't what I would call a high profile title.

Put Batman Begins on a DS cart and I'm willing to bet it will sell at least a 100,000 copies too, doesn't mean it'll take off as a movie format.

 

[Magnum PI]

Exactly, not to mention Air Force One isn't what I would call a high profile title.

neither is RE2

 

[PC-Engine]

Exactly, not to mention Air Force One isn't what I would call a high profile title.

neither is RE2

Well RE2 did pretty well at the box office and it's also a videogame based movie which will natually sell on a videogame machine.

 

[mckmas8808]

this is an acomplishment why ? the first dvd players cost more than double the cost of the psp . Its silly to think that the adoption rate of the dvd player at much higher prices would be faster than that of the psp at lower prices .

Thats the reason why UMDs could be successful. Once the price of each UMD drops I think we will see a surge for this media format. UMDs never was suppose to surpass DVDs just be an additional format. You guys are kidding yourself if you think UMDs so far aren't looking good.

 

[Ty]

I still think Sony should pack in the UMD version for their Director's Cut/Limited Edition DVD SKUs. At least for the first 6-9 months of the format's launch.

 

[mckmas8808]

Ty you win idea of the year. I said this to a couple of my friends the other day. For instance the movie Hitch should have came in a normal DVD package for say $16.99 or a DVD/UMD package for $24.99.

I see nothing wrong with that. But to me this will only work with new movies coming out not any of the older ones like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

 

[Magnum PI]

I see nothing wrong with that. But to me this will only work with new movies coming out not any of the older ones like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

why ?
do you think that the UMD users are unable to enjoy a good film if it wasn't just released ?

 

[mckmas8808]

Well you know how things get sold for less than what it's worth when it's first released. That's kinda how I was thinking about it. But hey if company's want to release older movies like Bad Boys with the original DVD copy then hey I'll buy it.

I can't wait for Sony and others to get smart enough to release combo packages. Even if it cost more for some reason it would feel like I got a better bang for my buck.

 

[Sis]

Ty you win idea of the year. I said this to a couple of my friends the other day. For instance the movie Hitch should have came in a normal DVD package for say $16.99 or a DVD/UMD package for $24.99.

I see nothing wrong with that. But to me this will only work with new movies coming out not any of the older ones like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Given that the studios currently purposefully hold off on "special edition" versions of a DVD for several weeks/months in order to double-up on sales, I find it VERY hard to believe that any studio would combine a DVD and UMD in the same package. This is especially true in light of the recent posts that show that UMDs are selling just fine without doing this--the studios would prefer that you buy both the DVD and the overly priced UMD.

I like using my PSP as a movie player, but I'm also fairly skeptical of any long term success of the UMD format. But then again, even a moderate success, which it is now, is probably damn good in the eyes of the studios and Sony.

EDIT: Also there's the added logistics of maintaining three SKUs: dvd only, umd only, and dvd/umd combo set.

.Sis

 

[mech]

You can already get combo packs for certain animes in Japan.

 

[Dave Baumann]

I still think Sony should pack in the UMD version for their Director's Cut/Limited Edition DVD SKUs. At least for the first 6-9 months of the format's launch.

This is what I was thinking as well. I personally can never see myself going out and buying a movie on UMB format and playing it back on my PSP. If it were free on the otherhand, then I probably would use it.

What other devices are set to be using this?

 

[mech]

To be using UMD? None that I've heard of.

Which is part of the reason I'm surprised it's doing so well - despite what certain people in this thread think, the numbers sold so far are very good indeed considering everyone's expectations, and definitely much higher than I would have expected. I thought this format would be DOA. I guess packing in Spiderman 2 helped show people how good it looked.

I'll certainly buy a few movies whenever I go on long overseas trips, just because it's a lot easier, cheaper, and better quality than trying to bring along the memory sticks required to take a bunch of movies with me, but this is hardly a regular occurance. I can't see me buying more than, say, 10 movies over the lifespan of the system.

 

[jvd]

I still think Sony should pack in the UMD version for their Director's Cut/Limited Edition DVD SKUs. At least for the first 6-9 months of the format's launch.

This is what I was thinking as well. I personally can never see myself going out and buying a movie on UMB format and playing it back on my PSP. If it were free on the otherhand, then I probably would use it.

What other devices are set to be using this?

Currently none . Nothing in the pipeline . Which is exactly why the above will never come to pass. Retailers wont want to carry the extra sku for such a small market segment . Mabye in another 2 or 3 years if umd sales continue to grow. But it wil ltake alot more than a few movies hitting a 100k

 

[Kolgar]

Back on topic, I would like the PSP doomsayers to provide a link showing when Sony actually said it would ship 18 million units.

As far as I can tell, Sony never said that. They mentioned a 12 million number, and they say they're on target to meet that.

Sony denies it has reduced its PSP orders in any way. "I'm not sure where the 18 million claim came from," a Sony Computer Entertainment America rep told GameSpot. "We announced in the Sony earnings call that the fiscal year 2005 PSP shipment targets were 12 million units worldwide. We are still on target and there has been no reduction in forecast."

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06/22/news_6128025.html

 

[Ty]

Given that the studios currently purposefully hold off on "special edition" versions of a DVD for several weeks/months in order to double-up on sales, I find it VERY hard to believe that any studio would combine a DVD and UMD in the same package.

Oh I agree that studios would certainly want to charge consumers as many times as possible for the same content. My proposal was only an idea for Sony to give the format a shot in the arm so to speak.

This is especially true in light of the recent posts that show that UMDs are selling just fine without doing this

Not according to some people here.

EDIT: Also there's the added logistics of maintaining three SKUs: dvd only, umd only, and dvd/umd combo set.

.Sis

Definately true as shelf space is at a premium and retailers will not want the extra SKU to contend with. Btw this was my argument against a hybrid DVD/HD-DVD disc (which would compete for shelf space against Full Frame DVDs & Wide Screen DVDs).

This is what I was thinking as well. I personally can never see myself going out and buying a movie on UMB format and playing it back on my PSP. If it were free on the otherhand, then I probably would use it.

Same here. However, if a Special Edition version of a movie, say LOTR had the UMD version packed in, I'd pay the extra bucks to have it, just in case. After awhile, a bunch of these UMD movies might prompt me to buy a PSP just so I could play these movies I already had - a reverse incentive. And of course, once I had the PSP, I might be more inclined to buying the UMD-only versions of movies.

Retailers wont want to carry the extra sku for such a small market segment .

Hey now, before you mentioned that retailers wouldn't worry about carrying another SKU for the Hybrid DVD/HD-DVD disc. You even mentioned _5_ SKUs for Evil Dead. Are you now reversing your stance on this argument?

Also I'm guessing UMD retail boxes could be significanly smaller than the average DVD box - guessing as I haven't seen one in person. They the same size as UMD game boxes?