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Report: G4 To Be Reformatted, Name Change Possible

The cable network, which was originally designed as a 24-hour video game station, has been moving away from its original format for some time. Now, reports have surfaced that G4 may receive a suave makeover -- with a name change for the network possible.

The entertainment industry bible Variety is reporting that NBCUniversal, which owns G4, is planning to rebrand the network, focusing on a more upscale, stylish format aimed at the "modern male." Variety says the format could be similar to the men's fashion and culture magazine GQ.

Since its inception, G4 has struggled to find an audience, though a few shows like its long-running video game/pop culture program Attack of the Show! and American Ninja Warrior have been successful. Recently, popular X-Play host Adam Sessler (and the G4 personality with the strongest ties to the game industry) parted ways with the network. It's not known if that parting has anything to do with the network's rebranding.

The network appointed a new general manager early in 2012, former NBC marketing executive Adam Stotsky.

While video games would likely remain a part of this new, lifestyle oriented approach, it appears that the network that was to be devoted to video games is moving farther away from its roots.

Source: Variety

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Comments
  • As long that i can watch Bailey,Underwood on AOTS or Morgan on X-Play Don't care for the others show on that network.

  • I stopped watching almost all the good shows on G4.

    Olivia and Kevin left Attack of the Show. Adam left X-Play and I never liked Morgan Webb that much to begin with.

  • Woooow, that REALLY sucks!!! Another reason why I HATE fashion -___- always messing things up!!!

  • I stopped watching when they began showing things like Ninja Warrior and Attack of the Show.  I'd usually just catch an X-Play episode here and there, but then Adam left and I just gave up on it.

  • Oh, well. that channel sucks anyway. the only thing that I found that was worth watching was X-Play, and now that Sessler's left, there's nothing for me to watch. I mean, it's terrible that the only television station with video games as a selling point is terrible, but they've been showing a lot of Cops... yeah. Cops. not even the awesome cartoon.
  • It's sad that Sessler and Pereira left, and one day Morgan Webb will probably leave too, but as long as they keep X-Play and Attack of the Show, I'll keep watching. :D
  • Boooo!!!

  • a fashion thing?  That doesn't make any sense.

  • That's what they get for airing boring shows like quantum leap and making the biggest, most ridiculous mistake of all by letting go Adam Sessler. I do like G4, but it's been heading in the wrong direction for awhile now.
  • I used to watch that channel all day long..but it has changed alot..n now they wanna change it more..i hope they dnt kill this channel..i mean the only problem i see is..i love watchin cops n ninja warrior but not all day everyday..just add sum variation..but the only reason i suspect doom from this next change is......NO!!!!! NOT ANOTHER REBOOT THIS YEAR!!!!!!LMAO

  • Oh how I miss the old G4 days..... Back when it was actually called TechTV.

  • I don't think the concept of what G4 was originally supposed to be is well suited to TV. As web-based show, I think it would work better.

  • G4 was amazing early 2000s, with shows like Judgement Day, Cinematech, G4tv.com and such others. Pretty much when it merged with that other network is when it started to drop. I use to watch it almost all the time...haven't bothered with it since then. Bad idea after bad idea, has driven the channel into the ground. I highly doubt it'll ever get back to the way it was.
  • I miss G4. I used to watch it all the time when I had Time Warner. Too bad Direct TV doesn't carry it.

  • I don't even know why G4 and gaming are mentioned in the same sentence anymore....

  • Actually, I heard that they are gonna stick to their roots and not change the name, just making the network less geeky but more sophisticated.

  • i've never watched the channel once ...  partly due to it not being a cable channle i had or even knew of before a couple years ago  and i didn't have cable when i learned of it n now that i do i don't personally watch tv much ..  its sad to see a station ppl liked go tho even worse it turn into something for 'fashion' but at the same time i can't help but think if more ppl had it / knew of it it may not've happened

  • im not too upset, without Sessler Xplay isnt really any good anyways

  • Ehh, so we'll get another Spike TV? I was tired of Cops re-runs anyways. I really miss the days of Tech TV, before it became G4. There were some really great shows on then.