Classic Video Game Show Starcade Will Soon Get A Twitch Marathon
Twitch has been doing incredibly well when it comes to hosting marathons of diverse and enjoyable [...]
Twitch has been doing incredibly well when it comes to hosting marathons of diverse and enjoyable shows, including Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Bob Ross and, as of late, Mystery Science Theater 3000. But now it's ready to tap into the gaming psyche once again, as the company has announced that it has partnered up with Shout! Factory to bring Starcade to the streaming channel.
The hit video game-oriented game show, hosted by Geoff Edwards and featuring a number of classics like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and other obscure favorites, will have a full 123 episode run starting August 22nd, airing on the official Shout! Factory Twitch channel.
The show ran from 1982 to 1984, producing a number of episodes under the team of James Caruso and Mavis E. Arthur, alongside JM Production Company. Shout! Factory made waves earlier this year when it announced that it was bringing Starcade back. It didn't note if we'd get a peek at this new build during the marathon, but the company confirmed that "additional content" would be aired, so it could be behind-the-scenes for that.
JW: #Starcade is coming to @Twitch! It's an 80s retro video game streamathon for 6 days featuring the entire series, starting Aug 22 pic.twitter.com/6DnzN3ZFov
— Shout! Factory (@ShoutFactory) July 22, 2017
"Based on viewership numbers, it's clear that the Twitch community has a passion for video games and classic programmatic television," said Ben Vallat, VP of Business Development, Twitch. "With Shout! Factory's Starcade marathon, both of these passions are combined for an entertaining look at the past, while allowing them to be collectively viewed in an interactive manner that defines the future of television."
"As Shout! Factory continues to offer retro television programs packaged for today's new digital formats, Twitch provides viewers a unique interactive experience," said Gene Pao, SVP of Digital Media, Shout! Factory. "With Starcade, we're thrilled to be bringing the godfather of competitive gaming to a platform known for celebrating this engaging style of content."
This is an ideal opportunity to catch up on gaming history you might have missed in the 80's, and you'll see a number of memorable and obscure arcade games alike – and that just might get you into the retro scene again.
And who doesn't love Geoff Edwards? He was the man. (Fun fact: Alex Trebek hosted the show at one time while pilots were happening.)