INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

G4TV Network Canceled For Good

By Amanda Lager
Published on: 02:42 PST, Nov 17, 2014

G4TV has finally been canceled after a long, drawn-out, and somewhat painful death. NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group released a statement to the remaining cable providers still offering the network that it will be pulled on November 30.

According to IGN, NBCUniversal had ceased investments on G4TV after a 2013 rebrand deal fell through. G4TV canceled creation of the shows that it became famous for, including Attack of the Show, X-Play, and Cheat. Instead, for the past year, G4TV has aired reruns of other geeky shows such as Lost and Heroes. The G4TV website, primarily dedicated to online games, is now directing their traffic to Syfy Games.

Originally NBC had planned to turn G4TV into Esquire, as reported by the Inquisitr in December 2012. G4TV’s programming was supposed to be replaced with general interest television shows on topics such as cooking, travel, and fashion. The Inquisitr reported that Esquire was rumored to already be in production to release early 2013. Unfortunately for fans of G4TV, the new network never launched, and all plans were scrapped.

Watch below as the cast of Attack of the Show said goodbye to viewers during its last episode in 2013, after nearly eight years of being on air.

Polygon adds that NBCUniversal replaced Style instead of G4TV because the former’s current viewership is 74 million households compared to G4TV’s 62 million. Style also had to compete with three other female-centered channels: Bravo, E!, and Oxygen. By giving Esquire the 74 million viewers, the replacement channel would have a chance to succeed. NBC still expects to launch the male-centered channel on September 23.

Bonnie Hammer, chairman of the NBC, said at the time that G4TV’s cancellation would open up new opportunities for the male demographic not being served by the gaming channel.

“Style presents brand overlap within our portfolio. Esquire Network, on the other hand, offers an opportunity to introduce a lifestyle network that speaks to an upscale male audience underserved in the current marketplace.”

G4TV was launched in 2002, when it was TechTV. It originally focused on video games, then expanded to general technology and programming focusing on young men. Only a few years ago, G4TV in its prime as a major source for gaming and technology news. The network secured exclusive broadcasting rights to the E3 convention in 2010, only to lose the deal two years later as the channel canceled its original programming.

Fans and the gaming industry have begun sharing their thoughts and memories on the canceled network.

[Photo Source: YouTube]

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