Sony PSP UMD movie sales not so hot

Based on last year’s numbers, it seemed that the sale of UMD movies for the Sony PlayStation Portable were still doing pretty well, but studios this year are releasing fewer, or even no new movies in the UMD format.

According to Video Business Online, UMD movie sales are well below expectations, and as a result, three top movie distributors – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, and Warner Home Video – are doing some huge cutbacks.

Average UMD sales are in the 50,000 copy range, with top titles – like Napoleon Dynamite – selling over 100,000 copies. Interestingly, comedies are faring much better than other genres. The UMD is dying, per se, thanks largely to those DVD/UMD combo packs we’re starting to see in stores. By spending an extra buck or two, you get a UMD version in addition to the DVD, but I’m starting to think that the UMD’s future will mirror that of the minidisk.