LinuxWhat is the USM file format?
.usm is a proprietary video container format developed by CRI Middleware (CRIWARE) for embedding cutscene footage in commercial video games. Also known as a CRI Movie or Sofdec2 movie, .usm files store interleaved video and audio streams inside a chunked binary structure identified by the four-byte signature CRID at the start of the file. Unlike single-codec formats, .usm is a wrapper - the embedded video track is commonly MPEG-2, VP9, or H.264, while audio uses CRI's own ADX or HCA codec. USM files are typically used for so-called cutscenes - non-interactive game sequences - and are widely found in titles from publishers such as Sega, Capcom, and Bandai Namco. They are similar in purpose to .BIK (Bink video) files, though the two formats are unrelated technically. The .usm container supersedes the older .SFD (Sofdec 1) format.
USM videos can usually be played back outside of a given game or converted to other video formats using tools such as FFmpeg or wannacri. Many .usm files are optionally encrypted with a per-game 64-bit key, meaning a demuxer may need the title's specific key before extraction is possible. Data in USM files can also be extracted using reverse-engineering tools. The process is rather complex, and game licence terms may preclude any attempts at accessing game data in a way not specified in the licence document.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA USM is game video data with no executable code, so the file itself isn't dangerous to handle. The practical cautions are legal and source-related: USM files are ripped from copyrighted commercial games, so redistribution may infringe; and people searching for an 'easy USM player/converter' often land on bundled-adware download sites - stick to the reputable open-source tools (VGMToolbox, wannacri, FFmpeg, vgmstream). Encrypted USMs additionally require the game's key, which you can only legitimately use with content you own.
Format details
in a nutshell- Ableton Live undo/temp (.usm) and other niche uses - A few unrelated tools have used .usm for internal/state data; minor compared to the CRI video meaning.
Programs that open USM files
Windows4 apps
FFmpeg
Open-source After demuxing, re-wrap/convert: ffmpeg -i out.m2v -i out.wav -c:v libx264 movie.mp4 (fixes pixelation and produces a playable file). 
VGMToolbox
Open-source Misc. Tools > Stream Tools > Video Demultiplexer, set Format to 'USM (CRI Movie 2)', drag the .usm in - outputs .m2v (video) + .adx/.hca (audio).
wannacri
Open-source Command line: wannacri extractusm movie.usm to demux/decrypt to a video + audio (supports keyed USMs with -k).
vgmstream
Open-source Decode the extracted CRI ADX/HCA audio stream to WAV so FFmpeg can mux it back with the video. 
macOS2 apps
Technical details
deep spec| Container type | Proprietary multiplexed video/audio container (CRI Movie 2 / Sofdec2) |
| File signature | `CRID` (hex 43 52 49 44) at byte offset 0 |
| Byte order | Big-endian - chunk headers and `@UTF` metadata tables use big-endian encoding |
| Internal chunk markers | `CRID` (container root), `@UTF` (metadata tables), `@SFV` (video stream), `@SFA` (audio stream) |
| Video codecs | MPEG-2, VP9, H.264, or CRI Sofdec/Prime - varies by game and CRIWARE SDK version |
| Audio codecs | CRI ADX and HCA, carried in `@SFA` stream chunks |
| Encryption | Optional per-game 64-bit XOR key; encrypted files require the title's key to demux |
| Color encoding | Typically 8-bit 4:2:0 YUV (dependent on embedded video codec) |
| Maximum resolution | Up to 4K, depending on codec and CRIWARE SDK version |
| Audio sample rate | Commonly 48,000 Hz (ADX/HCA); varies per title |
| Typical file size | Tens to hundreds of MB per cutscene; FMV-heavy games may span many GB across all USM files |
| Predecessor format | Supersedes `.sfd` (CRI Movie 1 / Sofdec 1) |
| Platform support | Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Android/iOS (via CRIWARE SDK) |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream (unofficial: video/x-usm) |
| Extraction output | Demuxing yields a separate video elementary stream (e.g. `.m2v`) and audio file (`.adx` or `.hca`) |
| Notable licensees | Sega, Capcom, Bandai Namco and many other commercial game studios using CRIWARE |
| Released | Sofdec2 / CRI Movie middleware (USM container superseding the older SFD format), 2000s |
| Latest version | CRIWARE Sofdec2 (current; ongoing SDK releases) |
| Specification | www.criware.com |
USM conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about USM files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open / play a .usm file?
How do I convert USM to MP4?
ffmpeg -i video.m2v -i audio.wav -c:v libx264 out.mp4. There's no single-click converter.
