I think with VCD playback it’s less of a matter of age and more to do with it being Japanese or not. While there are always exceptions, DVD/BR players from Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic etc are, overall, way less likely to play them than units from Funai, Dainex, Coby, Boifun, Cyberhome, Apeman, Memorex, Visio, etc.

It’s the real 1st world home theater versus bootleg crapola. It’s not %100 that cut and dry but it nearly is. Japanese manufactures and customers are not crazy about bootlegs, not even in 2025.

Every feature added to a product has to be designed, bug checked, and (in Japan) all licensees paid. If this doesn’t help bring in the money needed to pay for the implementation then it’s a loss. VCD doesn’t bring in any money except for factory jobs in India and street venders. They don’t pay for the films themselves and you know they aren’t using stamping gear from Japan either. There is nothing in it for them, no upside, and the downside is it puts “Pioneer Elite” next to the lowest trash on earth. Adding VCD functionality for them was an example of having very little to lose but absolutely nothing to gain.

Yeah, I don't think VCD was at all popular in Japan. Other than some adult titles, I haven't come across too much mainstream Japanese programming on the format. So it doesn't make sense for any of the Japanese manufacturers to include VCD playback. Hell, I'm surprised some LD players from Pioneer and Sony had VCD playback, but those were mostly the Karaoke players since some Karaoke programming was put out on VCD.

They were also for Hong Kong and Asian markets where there was an established VCD base.

Julien