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The G4 Network Is Dead and It’s a Good Thing

The G4 Network Is Dead and It’s a Good Thing

All good things must come to an end…

For folks like us, having a network dedicated to airing nothing but gaming related programing on a 24/7 basis was kind of like our Shangri-La. When I was first turned on to the channel back in the mid-2000s, I thought I had wandered into some kind of mirage. You’re telling me I can flip on a cable channel and be wrapped in a cocoon of video game goodness? Mind completely blown! And remember, this was also a time before apps and smartphones made watching content on the internet so prevalent. Having access to this sorta’ thing at your fingertips was a pretty big freakin deal!

I immediately fell in love. A huge fan base had already formed around one of the network’s staples called X-Play . It offered up straight-forward reviews, hosted by the male/female duo of Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb (originating from ZDTV). However, one of the first things I ever remember watching was this quirky little roundtable entitled G4tv.com (yes I know it’s weird naming your show after the website). The format here was great, as the trio of Scott Rubin, Tina Wood and Laura Foy provided playful banter into the latest releases and hot-button industry issues going on at the time. They’d also take calls from fans live on-air and work in the occasional interview for flavor. However, by far my favorite gem that ever graced their airways is that of Judgment Day . The bro-mance (and sometimes heated disagreements) between both Tommy Tallarico and Victor Lucas became the stuff of legend. Over the course of an episode, they’d bring you reviews of content on every system (including portables), take an in-depth look at the latest peripherals on the market and even give viewers a little throw-back love for some classic titles with their “ Buried Treasures ” segment.

And of course we can’t forget the iconic Attack of the Show . Originally hosted by Kevin Pereira, Adam Rose and Sara Lane (and later launching the career of one Olivia Munn), this show came about after the first big shift in G4’s ownership. After merging with the struggling TechTV, G4 was known as G4-TechTV for a short while. This is around the time Attack of the Show was created to help utilize some of the talents acquired in the buyout. While the show became hugely popular for a time (think of it like SportsCenter for gamers), the ground soon began to shift beneath its feet amidst changes in the corporate structure. Not only did Attack of the Show become a revolving door of hosts by its conclusion (with all the original cast baling at some point or another), those remaining behind began to see the writing on the wall regarding their time slots as well. The downhill slide first began with the cancelation of G4tv.com, Judgment Day and several others. Then, as things continued to change at NBC, alterations slowly trickled down. G4 was gradually morphed into a Spike alternative. Much of their gaming content was removed and replaced with the likes of American Ninja Warrior, Cops and Cheaters . Like a cancer, these decisions literally ate the once-loved brand from the inside out (utterly destroying it). What was left in its aftermath was nothing more than a shell, as it remained G4 in name only.

The G4 Network Is Dead and It’s a Good Thing

After the last remnants of its former self Attack of the Show and X-Play were canceled back in the fall of 2012, its future sank into limbo. It has aired nothing but re-runs since, prompting speculation the network would one day re-launch with the mission of getting back to its roots. Fans devotedly held on to this hope until just recently, when news came that G4 would officially cease broadcasting on November 30 th (finally crushing that notion forever). An unfortunate end to something that stated out strong but quickly lost its way.

Let this be a lesson to you kids. Never understatement the power of a corporation’s poisonous influence and just how screwed up things can become by people who have NO IDEA what they’re doing.

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