Two new entertainment firms sign up for UMD

As movie studios continue signing up to release movies on the UMD format, two companies have announced that US PSP owners can also look forward to a selection of music and anime titles.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a range of music videos for the handheld, including Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana's Nevermind, Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast, Marilyn Manson's Guns, God and Government and Metallica's self-titled album.

For rap fans there's Busta Rhymes' Everything Remains Raw, Boozed, Broozed and Broken Boned from the Black Label Society, Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour and the Up in Smoke Tour, featuring Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Eminem.

Eagle Rock is also offering one-minute MPEG-4 song clips, from artists including Alice Cooper, The Cure and Dio, on its website.

Meanwhile, anime publisher Geneon Entertainment is releasing the first two episodes of vampire thriller Hellsing and supernatural action series Gungrave. Animated sci-fi adventure Appleseed and hip-hop martial arts series Samurai Champloo will also get an outing on the UMD format.

Eagle Rock's music titles are due out by the end of the year, while Appleseed and Samurai Champloo are slated to launch on July 5 in the States. Gungrave and Hellsing will follow on August 16.