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G4 will return to TV on November 16th
You can watch 'Attack of the Show!,' 'Xplay' and other shows on cable and streaming services.
G4 returns today on YouTube and Twitch
G4 is back, starting with a weekly series that will air on YouTube and Twitch ahead of its official relaunch this summer.
G4 teases the return of 'Attack of the Show!' and 'X-Play'
G4 plans to bring back both Attack of the Show! and X-Play.
Comcast is bringing back G4TV in some form
Long defunct cable television network G4 is returning sometime in 2021, according to a teaser posted on Friday afternoon (via Variety). On July 15th, the streaming service became available to anyone who wants to subscribe to it.
G4 channel shutting down for good this month
NBC Universal is putting an end to its G4 cable television network after more than a decade of operation, Nebraska affiliate Great Plains Communications reported earlier this month. G4 aired gaming-focused television shows like X-Play and Attack of the Show before ceasing its production of original programming in 2012. The channel was to be rebranded as an Esquire network in 2013, but fell back on airing re-runs of older series after conversion plans were abandoned. Kansas-based cable provider Golden Belt Telephone confirms that G4 will be taken off the air on November 30. [Image: NBC / G4]
NBCUniversal dissolves G4, rebrands it as 'The Esquire Network'
Because nothing quite says "hip brand rejuvenation" like associating your channel with an 80-year-old magazine, NBCUniversal today announced the rebranding and makeover of its G4 television channel into "The Esquire Channel" (as in Esquire magazine). G4 primarily aired video game-centric programming, as well as a vast array of re-runs -- something NBC exec Bonnie Hammer doesn't think was the best idea. "Realistically, guys who are into gaming are not necessarily watching television," Hammer said, directly refuting the 2012 statistic that 49 percent of US households own a gaming console. "Let's create a real brand, define a space, understand who we are programming for." The New York Times reports that The Esquire Channel will be pitched as "an upscale Bravo for men," though it's not exactly clear what that means -- we'll find out on April 22 when the network goes live in 62 million homes. For now, NBC's got demographics its targeting. Specifically, "a more educated, affluent, sophisticated male viewer," says the NYT piece. One thing it won't be? Reality shows with a noun and the word "wars" behind it. "Much of today's programming targets men in a one-dimensional way ... tattoos or pawn shops or storage lockers or axes or hillbillies," Esquire Channel's general manager Adam Stotsky said. It doesn't look like the channel's beyond reality programming altogether, with its first two shows being a cooking competition named Knife Fight and its other being a celebrity-based travel show named The Getaway. Nor is it beyond the aforementioned re-runs, announcing Parks & Recreation and Party Down as headed for syndication on the forthcoming channel. [Photo credit: The New York Times]
G4 becomes Esquire Network in April
The G4 television network stops being G4 on April 22, and with that, likely stops being something we cover. As reported late last year, Owner NBCUniversal will rebrand the formerly gaming-and-Cops-rerun channel as The Esquire Network, named after the magazine.The Esquire Network is described as "an upscale Bravo for men," as NBC cable executive Bonnie Hammer imagines it. It will attempt to appeal to sophisticated audiences with shows like "Knife Fight," about chefs competing with each other, and "The Getaway," a celebrity travel show.Nowhere among the list of programming is anything about video games. "Realistically, guys who are into gaming are not necessarily watching television," Hammer told the New York Times. Maybe not on cable networks, anyway.
Report: G4 to become the Esquire channel
Cable network G4 will be rebranded as the Esquire channel, acquiring the magazine's name and branding sometime in the early part of next year, The Hollywood Reporter, uhm, reports. The deal has been finalized between G4-owner NBCUniversal and Esquire-owner Hearst Corporation, according to The Hollywood Reporter's sources, and production of new content aimed at a "metrosexual" male audience is said to be underway.While the channel's new content will feature some gaming-oriented material, subjects such as fashion, cooking and travel will also be covered in an attempt to capture a more sophisticated male audience. As X-Play and Attack of the Show have already been cancelled, we doubt any of G4's late gaming content will be resurrected in the channel's new form. We are, however, looking forward to finding out how to recreate Nathan Drake's designer look for an off-the-rack price.
G4 ending X-Play, Attack of the Show [update]
G4 just announced the final vestiges of its video game content, Attack of the Show! and X-Play, will cease production by the end of 2012."Both shows will include original episodes through the end of the year, and will look back at their most memorable moments as we lead up to their final episodes," G4 noted in a statement.Attack of the Show debuted March 28, 2005. X-Play had been on the air since April 28, 2003, back when the network was called TechTV. G4 had recently seen the departure of long time hosts Kevin Pereira from Attack of the Show and Adam Sessler from X-Play.That's it for gaming content on G4, making Geoff Keighley's GameTrailers TV on Spike the only prominent video game related show left on American air... er, cable.Update: Joystiq has been informed by a source close to the matter that G4TV.com's gaming editorial staff at "The Feed" is being laid off, with their final week taking place before Thanksgiving. We currently don't have an official count on how many jobs have been lost. At least five editors have been laid off and a skeleton crew may remain on staff past the pre-Thanksgiving layoffs.A representative for G4 had "no comment" regarding further layoffs. Asked if the network had intentions of continuing with what we described as any gaming content, we were referred to the attached press release, which avoids the subject.
Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes talks Dark Legends design
If you have wondered about what was going on in Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes' head while designing Dark Legends, wonder no more. I was asked to sit in on a Google + hangout, essentially a public video conference call, with Cinco, Carter Dotson from 148apps and Heidi Duran from GirlGamer. The event was moderated by Ashley Esqueda from G4TV. Cinco fielded some questions from us and fans of the game. Want to see some cool concept art? Need to know if the energy mechanic in Dark Legends was created just to make fast cash? Have you heard about Spacetime's newly announced title Arcane Legends, but have no idea what might be involved with the game? Have you wondered about the images in the opening video, the appearance of top hats, and the possibility of obtaining all of those great costumes through in-game means? You can find out the answers to these and other important questions in the video, embedded just after the cut.
The MMO Report: 2011 bloopers edition
What do science jazz bands and motorized feminine hygiene products have in common? They're both mentioned on this week's MMO Report, for starters (yes, really). Moving right along, host Casey Schreiner takes a break from his industry news roundup routine to regale us with a 10-minute blooper reel featuring the best (worst?) outtakes of 2011. While there isn't much in the way of MMO news on this week's episode, there are plenty of shots of Casey shuffling his papers, zany cameraman hijinks, and a few choice monologue missteps and associated bleep bombs. We've got the full show embedded for you after the break.
The MMO Report: Unwanted guests from Connecticut edition
This week's MMO Report finds host Casey Schreiner in fine form despite the disconcerting presence of another neck-bearded nerd crowding the camera during the show's opening monologue. The interloper turns out to be Schreiner's cousin Dave, who is apparently taking our intrepid host up on last week's hospitality offer. Never fear, though -- there is some MMO news to be had during the show's eight-minute running time. City of Heroes and its upcoming free-to-play conversion gets a mention, as does the Star Wars The Old Republic trailer focused on Smugglers (who Casey says will "kick you in the nuts, tag you with a sticky grenade, and laugh in your face as you fall to your knees in agony"). There's also a blurb about Dungeons and Dragons Online's new update, RIFT's latest promotion, Minecraft's adventure pack, and of course Uncle Casey's mailbag. Check it out after the break.
The MMO Report: Gamescom wrap-up edition
This week on G4TV's The MMO Report, host Casey Schreiner talks about RIFT's half-year anniversary, Guild Wars 2's crafting videos, WildStar, and several other topics that act as a bit of a wrap-up from last week's Gamescom in Germany. In Uncle Casey's Mailbag, we get treated to Casey's opinion on the BioWare same-sex-marriage exclusion in Star Wars: The Old Republic and are warned about being put on the National Sex Offender Registry for comments that came in from last week's show. You sickos! Check out the video in its entirety after the cut.
The MMO Report: Higher credit rating edition
This week's MMO Report finds Casey Schreiner looking to exchange sexual favors for a higher credit rating. With that out of the way, he also finds time to talk up a few MMOs. Highlights include a mention of Blizzard's panda-flavored expansion rumors as well as a bit of commentary on BioWare's Jedi Consular class trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Next up is a blurb about Guild Wars 2's Sylvari week, and in addition to hearing Schreiner utter the phrase "sentient tree-sprout," we get a recap of the recent blog post focused on the character designs. Bounty Hounds Online also gets a mention, and The MMO Report even has a few beta codes to hand out for the upcoming sci-fi MMO. This week's Massively mention (always the highlight of every MMO Report broadcast) is up next, and focuses on DC Universe Online's superserver merge. Finally, no MMO Report would be complete without Uncle Casey's mailbag, and you can find that -- as well as the rest of the show -- after the cut.
The MMO Report: The Force is with you edition
Casey Schreiner needs to play with his new laundry and wash his iPad -- or maybe it was the other way around -- so we must hurry through the description of this week's MMO Report! I'm not joking, he really has to leave quickly. Casey starts with quips about a bearded dragon in the new expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, which is ironic, coming from the Master of Beards himself. Following that, our man of MMO mystery discusses the vehicles, beta, and pre-order for Star Wars: The Old Republic. He says the very thing that is on the mind of every fan: "EA you're doing it wrong." First you announce release date, followed by pre-order, and then beta! On another topic, Casey begs the new VP at Disney Interactive Studios, Bill Roper, to actually release information regarding the Marvel MMO. And lastly, Sir Schreiner lets us in on PvP for Rusty Hearts and explains why America needs to be more like Russia. To catch all of this and dip into Uncle Casey's mailbag, jump past the break and get ready for all the sweetness of the MMO Report.
The MMO Report: The no-class edition
This week the MMO Report was shot at 12 o'clock Tyrian Standard Time, which most likely means that you were fast asleep or eating lunch. To help you catch up on what you may have missed, we will give you a quick overview of what Casey Schreiner had to say about this week's MMO news. First off, the host extraordinaire mentions Massively by name when regarding the new hide-outs in the Champions Online. It appears he is most fond of the Mother's Basement venue. However, the Moon Base may have caught his eye, too. Secondly, Casey reaffirms his love for EVE Online, or not... maybe it is just his enthralling voice that keeps us glued to our computer monitors as he discusses the trailer that tells us why we should love EVE. Next, our intrepid host stealthily guides us through all the non-American names associated with the surreal MMO Glitch. Lastly, he breezes over the new The Secret World trailer before reaching into his glorious mail bag and pulling out some memes. Jump past the cut to witness the full splendor of this week's MMO Report, and don't miss next week's Fan Faire edition that is all about SOE's event in Los Vegas.
The MMO Report: Casey says frak edition
This week's MMO Report is all about Casey's ego. Not one shred of MMO news bullied its way onto the show this week, unless you count a story about Battlestar Galactica Online reaching two million subscribers as news. OK, maybe you can count Age of Conan going free-to-play, or maybe the newest Minecraft update is technically news. Perhaps Perfect World Entertainment buying Cryptic Studios would be considered news, too. But let's not forget: The MMO Report is really about Uncle Casey's Mail Bag. So that is exactly what will fill the rest of this post. The Mail Bag this week is all about love, love, and memes. Fans share their love for each other, love for Casey, and love for Morgan Webb. Yes, she's been gone for two weeks, but apparently Casey's manly smell has not ousted the memory of the time Morgan hosted the MMO Report. One fan has not forgotten; he was so inspired that he created a meme about it just to show how much he cared. Jump past the break if you are interested in catching a glimpse of Casey Schreiner's ego. We have the full video ready to go. Maybe you will catch the news that we missed while staring at Casey's incredible beard.
The MMO Report: The throne of agony edition
This week on the MMO Report, our very own mountain man, Casey Schreiner, decided to grace us with his presence after taking off a week for his birthday. I mean, really... where is his loyalty? Thank goodness he returned because the internet would have exploded if we had to see another flawless MMO Report from Morgan Webb. The internet can't take that level of perfection. At any rate, this week we discover just how awesome Massively is as Schreiner reports on our report of the Bungie MMO rumors; then we find out that Second Life may be just as weird as we thought it was; next, the power of the Guild Wars 2 Engineer has inspired Casey to tackle the next level of greatness; and lastly, we find out what can no longer be contained in Casey's Mail Bag. Life is too short for you to miss a single episode of the MMO Report, so catch it after the break!
The MMO Report: Beerds!
Today on The MMO Report: World of Warcraft subscription numbers, RIFT's new advertising campaign, Star Wars: The Old Republic's (lack of) release date, Aion's latest patch, All Points Bulletin: Reloaded, and BEER WITH BEARDS! BEERDS! Ahem. Sorry, getting ahead of myself a bit. Today's MMO Report starts by talking about Blizzard's WoW subscription numbers, specifically that they are dwindling. But it's OK -- they'll be back. Next up, RIFT's new advertising campaign, the RIFTcast. Parodying morning news weather forecasters, the advertisements are short, clever, and effective at spreading the word. Massively gets another shout-out for our coverage of the Star Wars: The Old Republic release window, and Casey admits a bit of surprise at TOR's adoption of a subscription model, adding that regardless of pricing, "we'd still play this game if it required half a pint of blood on startup." Aion's patch 2.5 gets some coverage as Casey points out the improved graphics, the mentor system, new instances, and in-game events to celebrate the occasion. And to top it off, All Points Bulletin: Reloaded is entering open beta soon. I swear I'm forgetting something... OH YEAH! Beer with beards! Go check it out after the break!
The MMO Report: Bears and UFOs and explosions, oh my!
This week on The MMO report, Casey's lead story is about the absurdly adorable Cenarion Hatchling pet now for sale on the Blizzard Store. The wee bird-deer-thing costs $10 with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Red Cross efforts in Japan, therefore making it, as Casey puts it, "good for something other than your own surreally twisted ego." Next up is RIFT's patch 1.2, The Spoils of War. Introducing myriad new features and content, the patch is one of RIFT's largest yet. He also gives Massively a shout-out for delivering information on the newly confirmed Marvel Universe Online. Details so far include the ability to play as iconic Marvel characters to face off against Doctor Doom with a story penned by none other than Brian Michael Bendis. Last up is BioWare's Sith Warrior progression trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic, which compares the Sith Marauder -- described by Casey as "quick, agile, and a real bastard of a Rogue" -- and the Juggernaut, the Sith Warrior's tanking option. Hit the jump below for all this plus Uncle Casey's Mailbag and a decidedly awesome picture involving Casey, a bear, and flying saucers on The MMO Report.
