On Videogaming TV Shows And Vitriol

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Sole Food' editorial discussing the vitriol directed against videogame-themed television programs, or, more specifically, the game-themed digital cable/satellite channel G4. The writer laments: "You'd think that people that enjoy the gaming lifestyle would be all over the only channel dedicated to their passion. Sadly, that's not the case", and goes on to suggest "there's been an enormous amount of improvement" in the channel, and comment: "my favorite thing about [G4] is that it will bring new people into the [videogaming] fold." Are there any game-related TV shows, either on G4 or elsewhere, that you think are being done just right?

Comments

Here are my thoughts:

[Sheetrock]

• Gaming is interactive; television is not. For most gamers, watching people play games is like watching people eat food. They're more interested in the participation.
• Gamers don't really need a heads-up about what's new. They largely play sequels or the latest tired iteration of the first-person shooter/RTS genres, or whatever their favorite magazine tells them to get for their consoles. Reviews all lie anyway.
• Gamers aren't going to bother sitting in front of a TV for hours when they can sit in front of a computer for hours. The biggest decision for many is whether to camp in a plane in BF1942 or bitch in the public forums.

Game channels/shows don't succeed because even if they were firing on all cylinders the hardcore gamer is on the computer and nobody else really cares to watch them. It's the poker tournament dilemma with electronics.

PA

[Kris_J]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-05 -16&res=l

we were standing in the LucasArts booth and Tycho was looking at Wrath and I was standing behind him listening to a conversation going on behind me. G4 was back there filming a little thing about KOTOR and some G4 Business guy was talking to some LucasArts Business guy.

G4 Guy: So you guys will give us access to whatever we need right?

LucasArst Guy: Oh sure, we love you guys. Who doesn't like G4?

G4 Guy: Tell that to Valve they won't give us shit. I don't understand why so many game companies don't want to work with us I mean we are great. If you give us some content we'll show it over and over again.

Gabe: HAHAHA! Uh...I was laughing at something I heard earlier.

I think it's great that they use their lack of programing as a selling point. Anyway I thought it was a funny story. As for G4 I think it's alright. Every time I see it they are showing a program I've seen multiple times already and it's usually about a game I played when I was in Junior high.

Re:XPlay

[BFedRec]

I agree... I think it's got enough content to be good, and odd enough hosts to be enjoyable. I don't see myself watching videogaming TV all day everyday... but I think that a half hour of X-Play every couple days is JUUUUUST right, I don't need to be in the thick of the video game industry, but I'd like to keep up with the basics of what's out there, and XPlay does a pretty good job of that.

CharlesP