Video Games in the Realm of Television

[Mr. Scaves]

A little while's ago Gameinformer published an article about the current state of video games in television. They had main focuses on the station G4 which originated as a gaming network station. They pointed out ow over the years how all of their game related programs except for X-play have been cancelled. Also that X-play in it's current state is in trouble. If you're a fan of the show then you must notice that the show comes on like only two or three days a week now, it's runtime schedule is all over the place and the show's length has been cut by three minutes.

They also discussed Spike which has or either had twogame related programs that ran regularly. Game Heads later translated to Gametrialers TV and the annual VGA awards. Gametrailers TV has a terrible show time that comes on late at night which would prevent it from getting better ratings also the VGA awards seem more like a joke to the gaming community and industry than a respectable and honorable tribute. Remember Jack Black dancing around in a diaper?

Video games culturally in the television market is doing extremely poor right now and I feel sorry for it, because I want it to do better. What are you opinions on the subject?

[pherai]

every gaming related TV show sucked anyway, so good riddance. MTV sucks major dick trying to do cover music, so why would I want someone to attempt the same with video games?

I think everybody just wants video game TV shows to affirm their hobby. They will bitch about their quality, but watch the shows anyway because most gamers are dumbass lemmings.

[magical voice show]

gom-tv motherfuckers

[Radiantsilvergun3]

Until people in the television world take the subject seriously it's never going to take off. I can't watch X-Play not because I disagree with Adam and Morgan more then 90% of the time but because I can't stand Adams terrible jokes. I don't want terrible jokes I want informed opinions even if I disagree with them and mroe often then not the terrible jokes are mixed in with with bizarre complaints showing they don't take the job very seriously at all.

I don't need anything to Affirm my hobby though.

[Mr. Scaves]

I don't really ever remember Adam complaining, but he was serious when he gave interviews to people and that time he spoke to Jack Thompson.


every gaming related TV show sucked anyway, so good riddance.
You have to be kidding here you must not be passionate about ivdeo games if you didn't like Icons or King of Kong.

[pherai]

You have to be kidding here you must not be passionate about ivdeo games if you didn't like Icons or King of Kong.

Never watched Icons (sounds boring though), and King of Kong is a movie, not a TV show.

[Radiantsilvergun3]

Icons was actually pretty cool. Did a history of for certain developers who where icons of the industry. I remember them doing oh...whats his name...Keiji Inafune and went over his history with Megaman and other games he's made. Was really interesting...like a half hour documentary with some interviews. I liked it.

[Mr. Scaves]

Never watched Icons (sounds boring though), and King of Kong is a movie, not a TV show.

I didn't say everything had to be a TV show Basically I was referring to any game-related content on TV meaning any documentaries like King of Kong, movies, programs, advertisements, etc.


current state of video games in television

[pherai]

eh...I hate to be splitting hairs, but movies are a different discussion to me. I don't think you can make TV that appeals to a niche audience as successfully as you can with films. That's why I have no hope for gaming related TV programs. Not a surprise there will be a decent video game related documentary from time to time.

[Grog]

There used to be a show on G4 years ago called Judgement Day that actually was pretty good, other than that I can't think of anything that I'd care to see.

[Tim Static]

G4 has turned into the modern day Mtv, if you will.

Once upon a time, Mtv played music videos, yes kids, music videos. (and those videos were once an art form, not a gay bling contest, anywho...) They stopped playing videos.

Once upon a time, G4 had gaming shows about gaming, gamers and such.

Now its turned into a channel to watch different non game shows and movies.

sad.

[Grog]

I didn't say everything had to be a TV show Basically I was referring to any game-related content on TV meaning any documentaries like King of Kong, movies, programs, advertisements, etc.

Games still have Atari sound effects, no way they'll get serious.

[Mr. Scaves]

Yeah, but games now have transcended more with the whole public thanks to Nintendo and Live. I would like to see a much better and well done Video games awards show. The Music and movie industry have have great repectable shows, but games dont, despite the fact that they've been around for more than 50 years.

[matrix9280]

Sega Channel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Channel) is the only video game show I've ever liked.

Video Games unlike movies and tv shows are interactive. Why do I want to watch people talk about video games when I could just be playing them instead? When you at your friends house do you talk about Street Fighter 4 or do you play Street Fighter 4? That's why these gaming shows tend to fail alot. Oh yeah and they suck too.

[Mr. Scaves]

When you at your friends house do you talk about Street Fighter 4 or do you play Street Fighter 4?
We would talk about it because he doesn't have the game and I only have 1 controller that's busted.


Oh yeah and they suck too.

Get the fuck out of here! What's a casual doin on this site?

[pherai]

you want more legitimate awards shows? come on, as far as being quality, interesting TV, awards shows are on par with reality shows.

[Chachi]

Why would TV networks want to embrace a medium that cuts into ratings/potential advertising revenue? Of course they're gonna throw gaming on the backburner.

[Rioting Soul]

I like it when somebody in a sitcom is playing a game and you can't see what it is, though you recognize the controller. But 8-bit sounds are playing.

"Hey, what'cha playing Johnny!"
"Halo!"
*pew-pew-beep-boop*


Icons is(was?) really good. They even did a piece on SNK's history.

[Mr. Scaves]

Why would TV networks want to embrace a medium that cuts into ratings/potential advertising revenue? Of course they're gonna throw gaming on the backburner.

but I want to see Boxing Paper-View like epic battles of Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6 on my TV since internet is not an option for me. Direc used to show MLG Halo, Counter Strike and DOA matches, but I didn't really like any of those except Halo.

[ProfessorS]

G4 is basically a dorkier Spike nowadays. Don't they show COPS reruns now? And speaking of MTV, they've fallen off more than ever, showing Star Wars Movies and Futurama(Don't get me wrong, I love those things, but do they really belong on MUSIC TELEVISION?). Also, how come nearly every channel on the planet shows reruns of either CSI or Law and Order?

As far as video game shows go....you can't beat some of the old school shows like Video Power (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezbeHt_7N8g) and Gamepro TV.

And shit man, the cartoons? I'll admit they weren't great but I could still watch the Super Mario Bros Super Show and be entertained by it.

[Million]

Games still have Atari sound effects, no way they'll get serious.
This is the funny thing that I doubt a lot of folks even notice....whenever they need a sound effect for a game in a sitcom or a commercial, or even a prime time drama we get the jump sound from Atari 2600 version of Donkey Kong, or a dying sound effect from Atari 2600/VCS version Pacman. I heard Mario's 2600-DonkeyKong Jump just the other day on a commercial. Come on, man...it's 2009 here! Couldn't they at least move on to 8bit sounds like the Super Mario Bros. jump sound?

I think gaming on tv could work; it just apparently hasn't been produced in a way yet that could reel in the ratings in a big way. It could also be a cultural problem, with most people from my generation and up (30+ year old folks...ugh, it pains me to even say that...I still feel like a big kid...getting "old" is not fun) still regarding video games as "something for kids and teenagers" rather than a legitimate form of entertainment like movies, music, books, and tv shows. It annoys me how amazingly ignorant and douchey such people are, btw. Actually, I think this is more of the problem now that I've thought about it long enough to post something. As long as most people who are about 35-ish and up see video games as "childish crap"....video games on tv will never bring in the big numbers in terms of ratings, no matter how great the production value of the show is....it is always doomed to fail because of how the douchebag majority in our society regards this entire industry.

*on a sidenote, I really miss Electric Playground on G4. I usually preferred their reviews over Xplay, and I thought the (usually)contrasting viewpoints between Tommy and Victor worked well.

Xplay actually improved the last time I saw it though...they toned down the goofy segments significantly and became more of a serious reviews/news show.

[maxx]

i miss tech tv...just wanna say that

[ReXXXSoprano]

G4 has turned into the modern day Mtv, if you will.

Once upon a time, Mtv played music videos, yes kids, music videos. (and those videos were once an art form, not a gay bling contest, anywho...) They stopped playing videos.

Once upon a time, G4 had gaming shows about gaming, gamers and such.

Now its turned into a channel to watch different non game shows and movies.

sad.

It's a shame this happened but money must be got so G4 had to diversify they bonds and shit.

[Dai_]

i miss tech tv...just wanna say that

We all do buddy....... we all do ......

[Chachi]

but I want to see Boxing Paper-View like epic battles of Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6 on my TV since internet is not an option for me. Direc used to show MLG Halo, Counter Strike and DOA matches, but I didn't really like any of those except Halo.Wouldn't appeal to the lowest common denominator, so until things improve, you're out of luck.

[Grog]

This is the funny thing that I doubt a lot of folks even notice....whenever they need a sound effect for a game in a sitcom or a commercial, or even a prime time drama we get the jump sound from Atari 2600 version of Donkey Kong, or a dying sound effect from Atari 2600/VCS version Pacman. I heard Mario's 2600-DonkeyKong Jump just the other day on a commercial. Come on, man...it's 2009 here! Couldn't they at least move on to 8bit sounds like the Super Mario Bros. jump sound?

I think gaming on tv could work; it just apparently hasn't been produced in a way yet that could reel in the ratings in a big way. It could also be a cultural problem, with most people from my generation and up (30+ year old folks...ugh, it pains me to even say that...I still feel like a big kid...getting "old" is not fun) still regarding video games as "something for kids and teenagers" rather than a legitimate form of entertainment like movies, music, books, and tv shows. It annoys me how amazingly ignorant and douchey such people are, btw. Actually, I think this is more of the problem now that I've thought about it long enough to post something. As long as most people who are about 35-ish and up see video games as "childish crap"....video games on tv will never bring in the big numbers in terms of ratings, no matter how great the production value of the show is....it is always doomed to fail because of how the douchebag majority in our society regards this entire industry.

*on a sidenote, I really miss Electric Playground on G4. I usually preferred their reviews over Xplay, and I thought the (usually)contrasting viewpoints between Tommy and Victor worked well.

Xplay actually improved the last time I saw it though...they toned down the goofy segments significantly and became more of a serious reviews/news show.

Electric playground was another good one. Also it's not even exclusive (though it is the majority) to that generation. Even people my age in their 20's will think of gaming as something that the nerds do in their basement and say no girls allows.

[Dasrik]

Electric playground was another good one. Also it's not even exclusive (though it is the majority) to that generation. Even people my age in their 20's will think of gaming as something that the nerds do in their basement and say no girls allows.
And it is precisely this attitude that dooms video games from ever being taken seriously.

[MVC2FAN15]

G4 use to be the shit back in the day before it merged with Tech TV. Tech TV was even good back then. Went downhill when they merged together.

[Mr. Scaves]

Anybody like Grandma's Boy?

[Philth]

Code Monkeys is funny.

[Rhio2k]

I really hate how when someone plays a game in a sitcom, you usually hear Atari Pac-man sound effects, and the game has a totally fake and stupid-sounding name:

Rachael: Whatcha playing, Ritchie?

Ritchie: We're playing Space Donkeys! *pac-man effects*

Or goals people who know ANYTHING about videogames facepalm at:

Roseanne: One more scepter and I'll be queen of the Monkey People!! *pac-man sound effects*

Another thing that pisses me off is when cartoons deal with videogames...they ALWAYS do that stupid shit where the characters are sucked into a videogame, and it's a real piece of crap game that wouldn't be allowed to exist in real life.

[Mr. Scaves]

You see, great things like evo need to be on television. I also heard that a game-based reality show is coming on this fall.