Grab your popcorn and buckle in. G4 officially returns for your viewing pleasure next month.
Starting November 16, G4 will launch on Verizon Fios, Cox, and Xfinity TV. Gamers can also stream the network on Philo. G4 added it will “collaborate with Twitch on a multi-year promotional and commercial partnership through G4’s official Twitch channel.” It plans to continue creating channel-specific content across its social platforms and YouTube.
“Since the initial announcement of G4’s revival at Comic-Con @ Home last year, we’ve been in constant dialogue with our audience through the content we’ve produced,” G4 president Russell Arons said. “We made a promise to fans that we would build this network with their input and are proud to say that our promise has been kept.”
G4 Programming
G4 will produce and deliver programming from a “first-of-its-kind 24/7 broadcast studio” located in Burbank, California. The initial lineup of programming will feature new and legacy G4 shows. This list includes:
- Attack of the Show! – the original geek culture variety show with returning host Kevin Pereira. The unscripted program promises to give laughs through epic stunts, hilarious sketches, and deep-diving into the latest internet trends.
- Xplay – The ultimate video game review show returns. The show will bring back its reviews and comedy skits like before. Viewers can also expect interviews with industry members “expanding the conversation with insightful and irreverent explorations into every game worth your time.” Adam Sessler returns to helm this legacy G4 program.
- Ninja Warrior – The beloved competition series reawakens! Viewers will get to see all 167 episodes of the legendary competition series The Quest to Summit Mt. Midoriyama, better known as Ninja Warrior in the United States. The show pits heroic athletes of all types from pro gymnasts down to comedians against a four-stage, formidable obstacle course. G4 will also present three tournaments never-before-seen in the United States, SASUKE 35, 36, and 37.
- Boosted – This weekly esports comedy series plans to appeal to gamers and esports fanatics alike. Boosted will cover the latest trends, news, and tournaments in the esports world every week.
- ESL Gaming – G4 partnered with ESL Gaming, the world’s leading esports and gaming lifestyle company, to produce and broadcast several prime-time esports programs. This is a first for ESL Gaming in the US and Canada.
- Dungeons & Dragons Limited Series – G4 will continue its partnership with Wizards of the Coast with a limited-run series. The series is set to follow four campaigns featuring a mix of G4 talent, veteran D&D players, and celebrities.
The network will announce additional programs and content closer to the launch.
Cast of Hosts
While some names were already mentioned above, viewers may want to know who else they will see on the reincarnated channel. For longtime fans, they will recognize returning hosts Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler. Those new to the G4 party include esports personalities Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez, Ovilee May, and Froskurinn; WWE Superstar Xavier Woods AKA Austin Creed; YouTube personalities Kassem G, Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil, The Black Hokage, and Gina Darling; Popular Twitch streamers Fiona Nova and Will Neff; rising vStreamer CodeMiko; and a degenerate rat-puppet named Ratty. Phew, that was a “word”ful. You can read the full press release and additional quotes here.
As a huge fan of the original network, I’m happy to see G4 return. How well will it be received remains to be seen. VENN, a similar gaming network, launched in 2019 with millions of dollars in investments hoping to be the “MTV for gaming generations” targeting millennial and Gen Z audiences. While it continued to gain investors in 2020, the network began to tumble downhill shortly after. The network furloughed nearly half of its staff and scaled down programming in August 2021, as reported by Jacob Wolf of Dot Esports.
