
More
bad news for Sony's UMD format:
after word last month that
several studios were cutting back on UMD releases or dropping support for the format entirely, it now looks like the
discs are about to lose coveted shelf space in America's largest retailer. According to reports, Wal-Mart is expected
to stop selling UMDs, though the company has declined to comment on the rumors. Nevertheless, a spot-check of a
Wal-Mart store by journos at the Hollywood Reporter found the discs to be in scant supply, with just a handful stacked
haphazardly among the PSPs. Of course, this may not mean the end for the UMD format; Wal-Mart certainly isn't the only
place to buy them. However, as it gets easier (and cheaper) to use tools like the
Neuros
Recorder to get flicks onto the PSP, the already meager demand for films on UMD is likely to continue to dwindle,
further discouraging retailers and studios. But, hey, that means you should be able to pick up remaining inventory for
next to nothing on eBay and from liquidators as stores race to clear out stock. That may not be good news for Sony, but
it could be a short-term boon for video-hungry PSP owners.