X-Play
From Wikislippy
X-Play is an American video game news show on G4. The show began as a video game review show on TechTV
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GameSpot TV
X-Play originated in 1998 on ZDTV as GameSpot TV. The show was originally hosted by Adam Sessler and Lauren Fielder until 1999 when she was replaced with Kate Botello. The show was filmed on a simple ZDTV studio set consisting of fake-brick walls, randomly positioned TV monitors, and functioning arcade game cabinets.For the occasional special episode, filming would move off-site to another location, such as the Sony Metreon arcade, and numerous game conventions such as E3.
Each episode would start off with Game News, where Sessler or Fielder would give a brief overview of top news stories featured on the GameSpot website. Game reviews were run in a segment known as The Grill (games were graded on GameSpot's official 0.1-10.0 system), Spotlight showcased special content such as interviews with industry leaders, and Game Breakers featured strategy guides and hints for recently released games. New episodes would debut on weekend mornings at 10:00 a.m. EST.
Extended Play
After ZDTV changed to TechTV, the partnership with Ziff Davis' GameSpot ended. This caused the show to be renamed to Extended Play in 2001.
When GameSpot TV converted to Extended Play, the show moved entirely to the Metreon, and took on a very simple style and format. Filming consisted of co-hosts Sessler and Botello and a small single camera crew; the show featured strictly game reviews and game hints, and the 10-point grading system changed to a 5-point system.
New episodes debuted once a week at 9:00 p.m. EST. Like GameSpot TV, certain special episodes would be filmed elsewhere. In August 2002, the series became a daily program with a mix of repeats and first-run episodes airing Monday-Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST, with Friday episodes remaining in the 9:00 p.m. timeslot. After the departure of Botello in early 2002, Sessler continued to host at the Metreon by himself.
X-Play
San Francisco
When X-Play debuted on April 28th, the show moved back to the TechTV studios from the Metreon, and Morgan Webb became a co-host, leaving her previous hosting duties on TechTV's The Screen Savers and Call for Help. X-Play had a larger scale than that of Extended Play, but it still maintained an extremely simple and spartan style.
The show's format consisted primarily of game reviews and previews with some previews being conducted as live in-studio demos by Morgan and Adam, with an occasional game-related sketch thrown in for comedic value. The Disembodied Voice was also introduced to the show at this phase in its history. This unseen announcer would begin each episode with an often over-the-top introduction to which the hosts usually responded or commented.
Unlike its predecessors, X-Play had more of an edge, containing some adult language and more mature (sometimes controversial) subject matter. This was due to TechTV owner, Paul Allen, hiring Greg Brannan, from the E! Network, to create a late-night block filled with edgy technology/video game programming. As a result, it was paired in a programming block with the network's other new show, Unscrewed with Martin Sargent.
Los Angeles
Crapcast purchased TechTV in May 2004 and merged it with its crappy G4 network, forcing a move for X-Play's base of operations from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
G4 changed the set thirty some times throughout a four year period.
On January 14, 2008, the set was once again revamped, to coincide with a complete overhaul to the show's entire format. The show is now a news show for video games.
Canceled Bits
Hatred
There are several gaming titles/genres/issues where co-hosts Adam and Morgan have displayed an exaggerated sense of "hatred" towards. However, these have been romoved. some included:
- Card battle games such as Yu-Gi-Oh!.
- Games based on anime series, particularly Naruto, Dragon Ball Z and Fullmetal Alchemist.
- Escort missions, where the player is forced to keep a non playable character from dying. This often proves difficult when the NPC's A.I. is so insufficient that they continuously place themselves in harm's way (leaving the player with little or no chance to save them).
- Japanese dating simulation games like Sexy Beach 2
- Game series which continue to produce titles without showing much in the way of innovation (such as Dynasty Warriors and Mega Man)
- The proliferance of World War II strategy and first-person shooter games on the market.
- Video games based on current movies or TV shows, since they are usually rushed to the market to cash in on the latest craze and end up being painful to actually play (such as the Charlie's Angels or Da Vinci Code video games).
- Barbie Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue.
- Jonny Moseley and the ridiculous comments made in his video game Jonny Moseley Mad Trix (including the classic line "What if it snowed in San Francisco?").
- Dane Cook and his brand of comedy.
Interns
X-Play had its own cast of interns (students from local universities who have signed up with TechTV to gain valuable work experience in the television production field), who will sometimes appear as characters on the show. When appearing on camera, they are commonly outfitted in a white undershirt with the word INTERN scrawled across the chest in black Sharpie. Some of the former interns have eventually been hired full-time within the G4 company itself (because no one else wants to work there and they all eventually left).
