Xplay
Xplay is an American television program dedicated to video games, blending in-depth reviews, comedic skits, and industry news, which primarily aired from 1998 to 2013 across two networks. Originally launched as GameSpot TV on ZDTV, the program premiered on July 4, 1998, and featured hosts Adam Sessler and Lauren Fielder, focusing on gameplay previews and critiques. In 2001, following the end of its partnership with Ziff Davis' GameSpot and TechTV's rebranding, the program adopted the name Extended Play before settling on X-Play in 2003. Sessler continued as the lead host, joined by co-hosts such as Kate Botello, Morgan Webb, Kristin Adams, and Blair Herter in later seasons.
The series moved to G4 in 2004 after Comcast's acquisition and merger of TechTV with the gaming-focused network, where it became a flagship program until its conclusion in 2013 amid G4's rebranding efforts. Over its primary run, it produced more than 1,300 episodes. It briefly revived in 2021 on a rebooted G4 network, with returning host Sessler and co-hosts Froskurinn, The Completionist, and The Black Hokage, alongside reboots of companion shows like Attack of the Show!, but the network shut down less than a year later in October 2022 due to low viewership.
History
Original series
Preceding the launch of ZDTV on May 11, 1998, a program by video gaming website GameSpot was projected for a mid-summer release. GameSpot TV premiered on July 4, 1998, airing 30-minute weekly episodes that previewed and reviewed video games, featuring GameSpot editors such as Jeff Gerstmann and Greg Kasavin. The show's quirky set, with a chained link fence and flaming TV screens, gave a gritty vibe, though early viewership was low, with co-host Adam Sessler estimating around 10,000 per episode. The show secured notable interviews, including one with Gabe Newell about Half-Life. The Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999, lead to death threats against Sessler and a restriction on depicting gun violence on the show, which limited coverage of certain titles such as Grand Theft Auto III.ZDTV was acquired by Vulcan Ventures in November 1999, and the network rebranded to TechTV in August 2000. On February 17, 2001, GameSpot TV was retitled Extended Play to distance it from the GameSpot branding, and it became part of TechTV's live broadcasting endeavor, which resulted in a high turnover rate. Extended Play survived post-9/11 economic cuts and layoffs that affected other programming. With the April 28, 2003, premiere of TechTV's late-night programming block, Extended Play was revamped, retitled X-Play and moved to this block, upon which it became the network's top-rated program. Because X-Play aired at a later time slot than its predecessors, it featured more risque language and subject matter, and the previous gun violence restriction was lifted.
In May 2004, Comcast acquired TechTV from Vulcan, and merged it with its video game network G4 to form G4techTV. The acquisition led to staff layoffs and a poorly handled transition that strained relations with the new owners. In September 2004, X-Play relocated to Los Angeles; the new set was conceived as a modern apartment that meshed the personalities of Sessler and co-host Morgan Webb. G4techTV would revert to G4 in February 2005. The crew's resistance to G4's culture inspired a creative peak, though a costly musical episode flopped. The limitations of television were highlighted by the rise of streaming platforms like YouTube and issues like the E3 2006 broadcast, which was interrupted by ads and FCC-mandated breaks, notably cutting off the Halo 3 reveal. From this point forward, X-Play struggled with declining ratings, exclusive content battles, and the inability to compete with instant online content.
On March 4, 2007, it was announced that the G4 studios in Santa Monica would close on April 15. Production of G4 programs was relocated to the studios of the E! Television Network situated elsewhere in the Los Angeles area. As a consequence, new sets had to be designed for X-Play, and many G4 employees involved in production were laid off. Tensions rose between G4 and E!, who clashed over cultural differences. On January 14, 2008, G4 commenced with a complete overhaul to the show's entire format, branding the move as X-Play "jumping to the next level". In December 2008, the show aired X-Large one-hour episodes for the month. Economic factors forced G4 to contract X-Play's schedule back down to only three original episodes per week, starting on March 2, 2009; in addition, the show's timeslot was moved out of prime-time to 6:30 p.m. EST and a number of X-Play staff members were laid off.
On October 26, 2012, G4 announced that X-Play would cease production after 2012. The program ran for a total of approximately 1,300 episodes.
Revival
In July 2020, G4 teased a revival of the network, set for a 2021 launch. Later on November 24, 2020, G4 released A Very Special G4 Reunion Special, which featured former X-Play hosts Adam Sessler, Morgan Webb, and Blair Herter, as well as correspondent Kristin Adams. On January 28, 2021, G4 announced that X-Play would return with it. On February 12, 2021, G4 announced that Adam Sessler would return to host. The revival premiered on November 19, 2021, broadcast live on G4's Twitch and YouTube channels. Unlike the previous iteration, the episodes were two hours long. The revival was canceled in October 2022 when it was announced that month that G4 would shut down for the second time, with its final episode airing on October 20.Format and content
Xplay primarily centers on reviews, tips and tricks, and previews for contemporary PC and console video games, as well as competitions, strategies, industry news and gossip. The program's reviews were initially provided by GameSpot and its sister site VideoGames.com. Occasionally, episodes may feature a theme, such as retro or zombie-based games.Hosts and staff
Adam Sessler was the host of the program for the bulk of its original incarnation. Previously, he had worked two-and-a-half years in a bank's credit department while moonlighting as an actor on a public-access San Francisco program, Chip Weigh Magnet Down. Through a friend's connection, he learned about a hosting opportunity for GameSpots program. Though out of touch with gaming, Sessler prepared for the audition by memorizing the titles Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy VII but botched the latter during the audition. Auspiciously, the audition director, who also ran the public-access station, recognized Sessler from his comedic sketches, particularly his Michael Flatley impression. She asked him to perform it, and this serendipitous moment landed him the hosting role, a break Sessler attributed to pure luck. Throughout GameSpot TVs production, Sessler honed his skills and gaming knowledge, covering titles like Banjo-Kazooie and Spyro the Dragon.Sessler's first co-host was Lauren Fielder, the editor-in-chief of GameSpots sister site VideoGames.com and executive producer of PlayStation Undergrounds weekly radio show, which was hosted by VideoGames. Fielder moved to a correspondent role in September 1999. Kate Botello, previously co-host of The Screen Savers, became Sessler's co-host on April 29, 2000, and departed on March 29, 2002. Morgan Webb became Sessler's co-host in May 2003 after previously serving as an associate producer on The Screen Savers. In April 2012, it was announced that Sessler would no longer be part of G4. Sessler and Morgan Webb reunited for Bethesda Softworks' press conference at E3 2016. The program was originally produced and directed by documentarian Annaliza Savage, who served in this position until 2003.
The revival was co-hosted by Sessler, Froskurinn, The Completionist, and The Black Hokage. During a "Gaming Grievances" segment in a January 2022 episode, Froskurinn criticized the network's viewers, alleging a sexist backlash against her, particularly for not being as "bangable" as former G4 hosts Morgan Webb and Olivia Munn, who she claimed were objectified and harassed as "fake gamer girls." She made further allegations of dehumanizing comments and unconscious biases targeting her for being a woman in gaming, despite reading the same scripts as Sessler. Her remarks were shared on G4's Twitter and supported by Sessler. Following significant layoffs at G4 in September 2022, Froskurinn was let go from the network after Comcast bought out the remainder of her contract. Some speculated that her exit was linked to a September 15 tweet where she posted an "I survived" meme, seen by some as insensitive after the layoffs.