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The early 2000s TV network G4, which mainly covered video games, received a modern makeover last year. Sadly, the initiative was abandoned by Comcast since it did not work out. Some G4 staff members were shocked to discover their unemployment on Twitter.
Some background: G4 was a TV network that ran from 2002 to 2012 and featured a wide range of “gamer-centric” programming. Popular programs on the network included Attack of the Show!, a conversation show about pop culture and games, and X-Play, a review show about video games. The network was shut down in 2012 and reopened in 2021 in an effort to compete with the popularity of streaming websites like Twitch and YouTube.
Spectacor, a division of Comcast, announced today that its network revitalization did not go as planned. “We have worked hard over the past few months to build interest in G4, but viewership has been low and the network has not delivered sustainable financial results. It wasn’t what we wanted, and as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to cease operations with G4 immediately,” CEO Dave Scott said in a note.
G4 laid off several employees earlier that year, but the news of G4’s closure was still sudden and unexpected. Some employees found themselves fired after realizing that Slack and he lost access to Google Drive. Others, such as popular internet personality Girard “The Complete Nist,” found out on Twitter.
These are just the latest reports of layoffs in the gaming industry. His Fanbyte, his website dedicated to gaming news and advice, recently lost a number of talented employees to dedicate themselves to specific content. Also, Google Stadia recently announced that they are ending support for the platform. In both cases, employees often learned that they had lost their jobs through social media.