I’ve been fortunate enough to manage the PSP brand since its launch in March 2005. As we’ve progressed from launch through the first few years of the PSP’s life-cycle, several important trends have emerged. One trend has been the movie/video-viewing usage growth by PSP owners; we know that nearly 60% of you purchased the PSP at least in part to watch movies and videos.
As we looked at these numbers, we started thinking about how to bring even more accessible video content to you PSP owners. We looked at the market and observed that people that were purchasing the PSP were not necessarily being offered the right video choice at the right price. One proposed initiative made a lot of sense to us: have SCEA distribute, market and sell targeted, top content from studios and other content providers for an affordable price.
So today, I’m pleased to announce that we have begun the first phase of this effort with this week’s launch of 10 MTV UMD titles for $14.99/each. With titles such as Jackass, Wildboyz, Viva La Bam, Beavis and Butthead and Aeon Flux, these initial UMD launches will be the first step towards broader content launches. With SCEA’s distribution, marketing and sales strengths, this initiative is a natural fit – and supplies great content to PSP owners. We hope you enjoy these titles. Look to SCEA for further movie and video content launches very soon.
Aeon Flux heck yeah… I’ve been looking for this anime series and it’s too expensive… I would also like to see Liquid Television from MTV also :D
Aeon Flux, good choice. I think the reason the first set of UMD movies were not received well was they were not aimed towards gamers. The price was high with no extras on the UMD. You shoud try to get more Asian Cinema on UMD.I own two UMD titles “The Warriors” and “South Park: When Technology Attacks”.
Hopefully future movie and video content you are alluding to includes a digital approach instead of complete reliance on UMD. While I like UMD for resale and saving valuable memory stick space, I’d like the option to download some of these and manage the content on my PC/PS3.
I love Jackass, i always laugh watching that xD
I noticed in the screenshots for the new UMD discs, the line: “THIS PROGRAM IS PRESENTED IN ITS ORIGINAL FORMAT. THE BLACK BARS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF YOUR PSP SCREEN ARE NORMAL.”
I hadn’t thought about that since all my UMDs (4) are feature films, not 4:3 TV shows.
Nice, but I am still looking forward to the day with DL content. I really hope you guys will push the PSP movie on blu-ray disc consept since we then get the best of both worlds.
Can’t wait to download these on the Playstation Store…
WINK
NUDGE
etc.
Really…. just fix your DRM issues and allow people to download video content at decent prices.
While UMD’s are nice… the future is in downloadable content.
With the 16 gb mem stick coming out, why not make them downloadable instead of UMD? Yall have already set up demos and games where they can’t be shared.
With the sole exceptions of “Beavis & Butt-Head” and “Aeon Flux”, does anybody here consider this a GOOD thing? COnsidering the kind of crap MTV coughs up (I wanted to use something stronger instead of “coughs up”, but I remembered that this is Sony’s blog…) and passes for “shows”, this is more detrimental than virtuous.
The price still sux. I rather just continue ripping my movies to memory stick. $9.99 would be worth it. I can’t wait for the Blue Ray transfer to memory stick update for the PS3 this will be even better for the PSP.
Yeah, I’m sorry. I realize that there is continued value in offering UMD videos and that appropriate content was a problem during the early months, but this $14.99 price is going to continue to be a barrier for many people who are seeing sub-$9.99 DVD’s, holding more content, etc.
If $14.99 is going to be the price, I think more incentives need to included. Free soundtrack ala the God of War PS2 releases or something.
Hey look! UMD video thats worth a damn!
Although, these being complete seasons should make that $14.99 price tag much more attractive. Aeon Flux for me.
This sucks. Stop promoting UMD, please release a digital download service. I hate carrying around UMD’s, I want everything digitally.
Same as all the rest are saying.
No more UMD’s. Digital Downloads.
And might I add way more compatiable formats of video files please!
Using Video files that my PS3 is able to use and then convert them for it wo work on my PSP…? That’s silly.
Please work on what we need and where the future is heading. Those and any other UMD’s your release are going to be met with the same resistance.
Everything is going digital. To keep up with the times you must go digital too. We don’t want UMDs anymore. They’re annoying to switch up and annoying to carry around. We want you to start an online video service like Apple and Microsoft has. C’mon you’re Sony.
I think the price point for any UMD needs to be sub 10 dollars. The format cannot be used for any other medium.
If I pay 30 dollars for Blue Ray title … I want the ability to copy them in a PSP format easily from my PS3. Additionally if I own a DVD of content it would be nice if I had an easy way of converting that to my PSPS from my PS3.
I would also like the ability to simply Download movies etc to the PSP is a PSP optimized format.
There are options for Amazon video I have not tried yet. I am hoping that the widescreen version of amazon video are PSP optimized :)
Another thing people want, that isn’t out of the realm of possibility is entire series’ not just seasons of shows, but entire series’ like I know my gf would totally buy an entire series’ of Buffy and or Angel on UMDs, she’s a penny pincher though, so I can’t imagine her spending more than $55 on the entire Buffy series, and about $40-$45 on Angel, just a suggestion, it’s never really been done before, excluding a select few… like x-files the entire collection etc… oh hey there’s one I’d buy, $100 for all the x-files episodes ever created on umd’s or blu-ray.
Oh and any chance we can find the ‘Haze’Korn single on the psn anytime soon, I’d gladly dish out $2 for nothing more than a song or a music video… this prior to release. Come on Sony… please run this by your partners/affiliates. Bringing actual mp3’s to the PSN?
I could not agree more with the majority on this. UMD movie’s are a waste of money!!! Sony, remember that PS2 you released many years ago? It had a DVD player in it, consumers liked it, and now many own a vast library of?………..you guessed it DVD’s!!!!
Why on God’s green Earth would I buy another copy of a movie on UMD when I own it on DVD? Makes no sense whatsoever. And judging by your poor(that’s putting it lightly, mind you) UMD movie sales, I’d say say the majority agrees with me.
This is one of the few areas I disagree with Sony on. The UMD format is suited well for games, but with larger memory sticks coming out, it only makes sense to go to pay-per-download service for the PSP. Carrying a UMD just for a show or movie on a portable is too much.
Please note that in my above comment I’m referring to UMD’s being ill-suited for movies/shows and not games. They are ideal for games.
Its to bad MTV sucks. Now people can carry that suckage on their PSP.
Great job, Sony; now, why did it take so freekin’ long to figure out the target audience and reasonable prices for UMD content? Either way, glad you finally came around.
Man, I loved Aeon Flux, but I REALLY want THE MAXX…that series was awesome!
@ 25 Qreacher
Amen to that!, and Spawn the Animated Series… geez Sony why only ever 3-4 of this and that when you strike an agreement with a partner… why not 23-24 of this or that?
Is anyone else here just posting out of boredom of coming here repeatedly to find out what the Thursday store updates include?
If so form line behind me… starting lastnight, lol.
I certainly won’t buy this. But when The Matrix Trilogy is released on blu-ray, please make sure that it is one of the blu-ray releases that have a psp formated version you can load to a memory stick. I predict the Matrix Trilogy will be the best selling blu-ray release this year, especially amongst the ps3 audience, if it has a psp version on the disc.
Really? Isn’t this targeting the same demographic as video pirates?
Here’s an idea. I want to browse movies on my PS3, buy them for a resonable price (under $5 or so) and without any limitations, be able to transfer that content onto my PSP.
Currently the best way to do this is to illegally download movies from the Internet. Give me a way to pay and I will.
Well the whole 16GB memory stick is not financially viable for most as A) Its not out yet and B) It will cost 350 dollars when it releases.
I think carring around a few UMD’s is not a real big deal. In truth if your using the PSP for commuting, I doubt you will be switching discs THAT much. If using it for anythig more than a short/medium commute, then UMD storage space should not be a concern (several fit quite securley in my messenger bag) in the first place.
I do believe that older UMD movies suffered from a too-high price point for what you got (e.g. limited features and use) but there is no denying the appeal of the medium on PSP. How about a way of uploading the movie including DRM ofcoarse to your Mac (or PC is your one of those people ;) ) and then you can send it to PSP as a Download and keep the physical disc at home…
Digital distrubition for movies is something I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of from SONY especially since they seem to be modleing the PS store around iTunes. They have also been quite vocal with their intent to provide said content via the PSN thise year.
In the end the choice is what consumers really want. These UMDs are a nice value for whats included if the content floats your boat.
Just my opinion :)
You claim to know what we want. Then why isn’t this a DOWNLOAD?
Get over your DRM hysteria and put it on the freakin’ store for download, already!
(although I may have to buy Aeon Flux. I hate UMD’s. )
Why does everyone love to complain here?
Store has been updated =)
Snap >> Care to expound on that statement? :D
Mr. psp manager person? CAn you please look at this? (sad puppy face)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvKwOm2UsP8
@Kamahl
“Why does everyone love to complain here?”
Because people who are happy are too busy being content to waste their time complaining about minor stuff.
Also could be that with the recent instability of LIVE and people having RROD’ed consoles in the shop, some people find it therapeutic to vent their frustrations indirectly here.
Besides, remember the formula:
Normal Person + Opinion + Anonymity = Jark Arss
I haven’t bought a PSP yet because I don’t think it would replace my Video iPod. I am eagerly awaiting a PSP model with a HDD and no UMD, and download of latest releases via PS Store.
Yeah, Aeon Flux! I love it! While we’re at the MTV classics, I have one small request: Sam Keith’s The Maxx, please!! There’s a great story!
Guess I’m getting Aeon Flux
Am I reading it right that even Aeon Flux (2 discs) is $15 too? The other seem to just be one disc…
The Max rocked! Give us Spawn too! That was also just as good! Also thanks for keeping the UMD format alive! This is proof the format is not dead!
All the nay sayers just got a smack to the face of the UMD is dead lie that everybody posted a few years ago. Now it’s back with a major vengance!
Cool, I don’t get to check out many TV shows so maybe I’ll get to pick up Aeon Flux.
I’m wondering about the Beavis & Butthead, will it have episodes that the current UMD video has or all new stuff?
Ah well, it’s a good start. And considering the launch price will be $15 then sales should bring it down to a reasonable $10 or even a worthwhile $5-6.
Oh, and one thing I hope to start seeing is the ability to nab the soundtrack from the UMD straight to your memory stick so you can enjoy the favorite songs even when not watching the movie.
I’ll want digital distribution of music and video on my psp when the 8gb, 12gb, and other higher capacity memory sticks are at an affordable price. For now, I shall welcome UMD’s as long as they provide good content for a reasonable price. Full seasons on a UMD could be a selling point. Gimme Aqua Team Hunger Force compete for $15! Or how about more anime series and movies; Elfenlied mini series, Tenchi, Evangelion series, Appleseed, and others . And seriously, if there’s room on the UMD, add some extras.
We all know that if Bleach and Naruto hit the PSPs UMD format it would make sales jump a huge ammount even at these prices. So I like the new price tag! 15 for a full season of TV? rock on!
Nice.
I hope you guys really did your homework and know what the demographic (us) really want. I am personally not a fan of what MTV has to offer so I hope for my sake you have other titles lined up.
Look on the bright side my US chums: in the UK, even when they’re in sales, UMD movies typically cost over $25. Their recommended retail price is usually over $40! With those prices it’s no wonder that they are hard to find in the shops – very few places are stocking the films any more.
Aeon Flux is a great choice, but this might be too late to convince the world to get into the format when everything else is sliding into digital-only media.
……… TV series, lots of TV series on UMD. I would really like more Family Guy Seasons. 30 minute to 1 hour videos are great on PSP, these two hour features I don’t have much time for when I’m on the go.
Battlestar Galactica on UMD would be nice too.
Anyway thanks for trying, at least Sony is starting to recognize most of us don’t want to pay more than 15 dollars for a UMD.
I was also wondering about 300 on UMD, why is it in the UK but not State side?
I disagree with those who say throw away UMD. I’m glad new UMD videos are being released for the PSP.
It takes time to transfer shows between the memory stick and computer. And it’s a management pain with the digital video. It’s much easier to just stick a UMD in and play. Also, UMD’s are great for a used or rental market.