G4 canceling its video game shows

Newsbrief: Cable channel G4 will end its two long-running programs that cover video games, X-Play and Attack of the Show, at the end of the year. Launched on the ZDTV network in 1998, X-Play (previously known as GameSpot TV and Extended Play) has been one of the very few television shows dedicated to video games in the U.S.. The half-hour show features game reviews, hands-on demos, trailers, and more. Attack of the Show began airing in 2005, covering technology, web, and video game culture. Both programs aired over a thousand episodes each, and helped launch the careers of various personalities including Adam Sessler (who left X-Play in April after hosting the show for 14 years, reportedly due to a contract dispute). The shows' cancelation follows reports that G4 owner NBCUniversal Media is planning to rebrand the channel early next year as it seeks to adopt an image similar to men's magazine GQ.