G4 Shuts Down Just One Year After Relaunch

By Marc Deschamps

According to reporting from Deadline, G4 is coming to an end once again. Comcast has apparently pulled the plug on the gaming-centric network, and the outlet has obtained a memo sent to employees outlining the reasons for the move. Comcast chairman and CEO Dave Scott says in the memo that "viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results." The cancellation of G4 and its programming will apparently take place "effective immediately."

The news is bound to come as a disappointment for fans that were excited to see the network's return last year, as well as those that never watched the original G4. The original incarnation of G4 found a passionate fanbase, and those involved with the network's return were hoping to find even greater success, particularly considering how much stronger the video game industry is now compared to when G4 first launched.

Over the last decade, profits for the industry have greatly increased, and overall interest in gaming as an artistic medium has grown. The explosion of interest in esports and live service games likely spurred Comcast to bring back the network. It's unclear if G4's failure to find an audience can be attributed to the sheer amount of competition, or the fact that the network did not have much time to build a new base of viewers.

G4 first launched back in 2002, lasting through 2014. The network's revival began in November 2021, making it less than a year since Comcast resurrected the brand. The revived version of G4 seemed quite promising, bringing in a lot of strong talent, including Kassem "Kassem G" Gharaibeh, Austin Creed, and Gina Darling. As of this writing, G4 talent has not weighed-in on the announcement on social media, but it seems like we'll be hearing a lot more information about the news in the coming days and weeks. Hopefully fans will get a little more information about the cancellation, and the reasoning behind the move.

Were you excited for the return of G4 last year? Are you disappointed that the network failed to find an audience? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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