The network was launched in 2002 by NBCUniversal and Dish Network, featuring popular shows such as Xplay and Attack of the Show. Xplay featured video game reviews and gaming new, hosted by Morgan Webb and Blair Herter and featured Kristin Adams and Jessica Chobot as correspondents. Attack of the Show was a show that tackled pop culture, video games, and movies. Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn hosted the show which featured segments such as The Feed and Gadget Pr0n. Munn appeared in X-Men: Apocalypse where she played the mutant Psylocke. G4 shut down in 2014 after 12 years in operation. The network was revived in 2020 by new owner Comcast Spectacor to cater to the video game segment which has grown significantly over the years. The new G4 started out on streaming platforms before finally airing on linear television in November 2021. The revival of G4TV has been sadly short-lived. Comcast Spectacor, the parent company of G4 announced that it is shutting down the network for a second time. An email was sent to the staff of G4 announcing the closure. Part of the email from Dave Scott, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor reads: Scott thanked the G4 staff for their hard work and commitment to the network. The end of G4 resulted in the layoff of 45 staff members. Comcast has assured G4 team members that the company will provide support and discuss other opportunities that may be available. The 45 staff members are the ones that remained with the company after 20-30 people were laid off last month. Some members of the staff found out that they were unemployed through social media, a disturbing trend that has been on the rise recently in gaming media.
— Jirard The Completionist (@Completionist) October 16, 2022 The Washington Post’s Nathan Grayson reported that “former G4 employees who requested anonymity due to the signing of nondisclosure agreements told The Post that staff were locked out of internal communication services like Slack and Google Drive without immediate explanation.” The news of G4’s shutdown did not come as a surprise to fans after the news that the network laid off employees a month ago. Others also noted that the departure of Indiana “Froskurinn” Black and Kevin Pereira were signs that the network was in trouble. G4 TV President Russell Arons also left the company a month ago, which left the network in the hands of Comcast exec Joe Marsh.
