Extract text from USM files
To convert your USM file to another format, you need CRIWARE or other Video software.
To convert other file formats to the "Game Cutscene" file type, you need software like CRIWARE or a similar tool.
A .USM file is primarily a CRI Sofdec video container used to store high-quality cutscenes, opening movies, and UI animations in video games. Developed by CRI Middleware, this format is a staple in titles from publishers like Capcom, Sega, and Bandai Namco. While .USM files often contain standard video streams (like H.264 or VP9) and audio streams (like ADX or HCA), they are encapsulated in a proprietary wrapper that prevents playback in standard media players like VLC Media Player or Windows Media Player. Users typically encounter these files when attempting to extract game assets to view cinematics, create fan edits, or upload soundtracks to YouTube.
The main challenge with .USM files is that they often interleave multiple audio tracks (e.g., different languages) and sometimes include alpha channels (transparency) for in-game overlays. Direct conversion often fails or results in silent video because standard converters cannot decode the proprietary ADX audio stream. To make these files usable, they must be converted to a widely supported format like MP4 (for web and sharing) or MKV (to preserve multiple audio tracks and subtitles). Less commonly, a .USM file may refer to data from the Universal Sound Manager asset for Unity, but this is an internal development format not intended for video conversion.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your USM file.
Users also converted MP4, M2V, BYTES, AVI, UFSM, ACB, PCK, ZIP, BLK, HCA, ISO, AWB and PDF files.
If you want to convert USM file to MP4, EXE, ISO, BIN, CUE, PAK, WAD, PK3, PK4, BSP, MAP or SAV, you can use CRIWARE or similar software from the "Game Video Container" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MOD, BIN, CFG, SCX, DAT, MPQ, LOG, CUE, INI, EXE, SCM or ISO files to USM, try CRIWARE or another comparable tool in the "Game Video Container" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our USM converter.