The reason I ask this question is that the media annouced awhile ago that the UMD was a failing format and that many movie studios where going to back away from the format altogether just because no consumers were buying the movies. Well just recently I see alot of movies on UMD. For example, Dark Knight, Super Bad, Ghost Rider, and Pineapple Express and the recently Resident Evil: Extinction.

Is the format beginning to pick back up or is it failing? I don't know what to say. I'm beginning to like the UMD movies. So far I have purchased Ghost Rider, Spider Man 2, Spider Man 3, Super Bad. And I was thinking about getting Pineapple Express. Many stores are advertising the format too! I went to Gamestop I see a lot of movies on display. Then stores like F.Y.E. and Walmart. There are stores that advertise the format but then I hear around the web that the format sucks and its a failed format on Sony's part!

Why is that?

other than dark night the other ones have been kickin around for a long while in bargain bins

to me its a totally dead format.

you can just dl movies right into the system.

UMD is a battery killer, and in my experience it seems to break down quick. same with many of my friends.

i guess the best answer is, if you have to ask if its dead or not, then its dead

Saying UMD is a "dead format" is like saying the proprietary Nintendo Wii DVD-esque disc is dead, because no one buys movies on it.

UMD is awesome for games. I don't see any reason why Sony would drop it. IF they enhanced it with cheap Blu-Ray tech down the road, and it could store a whole 480i DVD's worth of info, it might even make a comeback as a movie format, assuming Sony made the royalty prices attractive.

I think a disc format, like UMD, would almost be a prereq for any handheld fancier than the PSP.  I sincerely doubt Sony will "drop it" and move to carts.

once psp finally dies off, there will be no more UMD

put it another way, its a format you will never see any other device play. and when it dropped thats what they envisioned

wii discs are not a format.

UMD is beyond irrelevant, the next psp can have flash cards and be way better and better on battery.

They could drop the UMD drive and just sell games as downloads prices would need to drop even more on memory cards for that though

Movies aren't sold on Wii discs.

As Sony have allegedly dropped UMD in favour of direct downloads for PSP2 i'd say yes, it is a dead format.

They break easily, they use too much power and are generally a pain in the arse to crry around. Sit down wrong with one even in your front pocket and the clear and white plastic seperates.

UMD is dead. As soon as the PSP is replaced it will completly be off the store shelves

I bolded the key word there.

And um... if you stick a cart game in your pocket?  Hello, static electricty, so long game.  I don't think durability in your pocket was the point.  Also, the PSP has something like 5x the horsepower of the DS, which is the real battery issue with games -- the UMD is expensive, but its not a bad game format at all.  Its a problem for movies.  I very much doubt Sony will go the cartridge route for games anytime soon.

They could sell psp stores cards in stores or something.