Posted Tue Apr 3, 2012 at 01:25 PM PDT by Dick Ward
by Dick Ward
There's been plenty happening over the last month – so much that even we have a bit of trouble keeping up with it all. While March may not have had the biggest Blu-ray or videogame releases, it did play host to some significant reveals in both movies and gaming.
Blu-ray News
'The Secret World of Arrietty' Blu-ray Announced
The latest Ghibli film will be hitting disc on May 22nd in a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. The full details haven't been revealed, but we do know that we'll be seeing a storyboard feature as well as trailers and TV spots.
'Sherlock: Season Two' Announced for Blu-ray
The BBC knocked it out of the park with 'Sherlock' and now the second season of the series is slated to hit Blu-ray. You'll be seeing it on May 22nd along with audio commentaries and more.
Blu-ray Player Penetration Exceeds a Quarter of Homes
Blu-ray player penetration is up significantly, from 18% of homes in 2011 to 26% of homes in 2012. Interestingly, DVD player penetration also increased a bit over the year.
'Smokey and the Bandit' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed
Well it's about time! 'Smokey and the Bandit' hits Blu-ray on June 5th and will include Loaded Up and Truckin': Making Smokey and the Bandit as well as a CB radio tutorial.
'Harold and Maude' Blu-ray Delayed
If you want to sing out, wait until June 12th. The classic black comedy was just bumped back two months with no explanation given.
Gear and Industry News
New Onkyo Receivers May Suffer From Defects – Free Repairs Offered
Specific receivers made between November 2011 and January 2012 carry performance affecting issues that Onkyo is fixing for free. Click through to the full story for more information and a list of specific models.
Best Buy Loses Big in 4th Quarter – Closing 50 Stores
Out of the 1,000 stores Best Buy currently operates, 50 will be closing before the year is over. They'll be opening 100 mobile kiosks though, and another 50 stores in China.
Sharp 7-Series Shipping Now – 8-Series Coming in Late March/Early April
Sharp's new TVs are on the way to stores now, including the 80" 8-Series set complete with full array LED backlighting.
Onkyo Announces Mid-Range Receivers for May
The latest from Onkyo offer 4K upscaling, networking features, 3D support, and 7.2 channels of audio. The higher end of the two packs a dual-core video engine and Audyssey MultiEQ XT32.
Netflix Secures Original Series From Writer/Director Eli Roth
The new series will be known as 'Hemlock Grove' and follows in the tradition of recent supernatural thrillers and dramas. It's set to debut on the streaming service in 2013.
Videogame News
Rumor: An Elder Scrolls MMO is On the Way
Nothing has been announced or confirmed yet, but rumor has it that Bethesda's new online game will be themed around the 'Elder Scrolls' universe.
'Fez' Finally Comes Out April 13th
The indie game 'Fez' was first announced for a 2010 release date, but it's finally on the way to the Xbox Live Arcade at a price of 800 Microsoft Points.
An 'Adventure Time' DS Game is On the Way
Algebraic! A videogame version of the absolutely bonkers cartoon 'Adventure Time' is on the way for the Nintendo DS. Series creator Pendleton Ward says that he'll be heavily involved in creation.
Blizzard Reveals New 'Mists of Pandaria' Info and Trailers
Now that the beta has started to open up for some players, Blizzard has dumped a huge amount of info on our laps, including more on pet battles, farming and, of course, the new Monk class.
NECA's Portal Gun Replica Available May 18th
In mid May you'll finally be able to get your hands on a portal gun of your own. The 1:1 replica will run $139 when it starts selling on Think Geek.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.