G4 Officially Shutting Down on Nov. 30
The NBC-Owned TV Channel Launched in 2002
According to a short statement by Nebraska-based telecom company Great Plains Communications, G4 will leave airwaves on Nov. 30, 2014. The troubled gamer channel has been withering away since NBC Universal decided not to add new programs in 2013. Since then, it has been stuck with reruns of "LOST," "X-Play," "Ninja Warriors," "Cops," "Heroes," "Cheaters," and various movies.
Back in Sept. 2012, Variety reported that G4 would be rebranded with a "more sophisticated look while remaining true to its tech and video game roots." Those roots were planted back in the early 2000s, when we enjoyed shows like "Arena," "Cinematech," "Cheat!," "Portal," "Judgment Day," and more.
While that rebranding would eventually be applied elsewhere, G4 never recovered from a loss of creative vision and commitment from higher-ups. With no new programs to speak of, it's been dropping from cable networks like Time Warner and Comcast over the last year. On top of that, G4's syndication rights to "Cops," "Heroes," and "LOST" expired this last August, leaving the channel with little to offer.
"Attack of the Show," which began airing in 2005 with co-hosts Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn, managed to garner a decent following and continued for seven years. "AOTS" ran the gamut of tech reviews, pop culture parodies, and general daily news in an attempt to inform and entertain the geek community. Despite this, ratings declined until the show was cancelled in Oct. 2012.
For those of us who remember G4's glory days, this has been a slow burn of nostalgia and disappointment. With YouTube and Twitch, it appears today's gamers have little need to reach for the remote control. Our thanks and best wishes go out to the crew of G4 as they join other projects.
Check back for updates; we expect NBC Universal to issue an official statement in the coming days.
