History Series / XPlay

* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The announcer, who was eventually eliminated. In episodes from 2003 to 2005, he was played by the shows' former Production Assistant, Jason Frankovitz.

* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The announcer, who was eventually eliminated. In episodes from 2003 to 2005, he was played by the shows' Production Assistant, Jason Frankovitz.

** From 2001 to 2003, prior to her tenure as ''X-Play'' co-host, Morgan was seen as an on-air Correspondent on another TechTV show in ''The Screen Savers''. Among other things, she would often compete in the shows' weekly LAN Party every Thursday, playing ''Unreal Tournament'', and was one of that game's top players.

** In 2008, Webb appeared on ''The Tyra Banks Show'' to discuss male gamers and their habits. Many people who once had tons of respect for her, were outraged to see her disgrace herself, by insulting, degrading, embarrassing, and really hurting and confusing the legions of male gamers that looked up to her, and she was supposed to look up to back. Though some argue that it was staged, being that it is not physically possible for any gamer to own "every game console ever made". You can see it for yourself right [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdIZuu6IaQo here]].

* {{Gonk}}: Sessler very reluctantly reviewed some sort of DisneyPrincess activity "game," where you could not only make a bloated prepubescent princess, but slap your own face on it. When he did so, the results earned some OminousLatinChanting.

The first episode of ''X-Play'' was chosen to [[BookEnds end G4's final broadcasting day on December 31, 2014]], followed by a game of ''VideoGame/{{Pong}}'' played to completion, acting as the network's GameOver.

* FanDisservice: Parodied in the "[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty Naked Raiden]]" sketch... much to Sessler's dismay. "This is so uncomfortable.." [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "Stop doing cartwheels...]] [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl AHHHHHHHH!"]]

The first episode of ''X-Play'' was chosen to [[BookEnds end G4's final broadcasting day on December 31, 2014]], followed by a game of VideoGame/{{Pong}} played to completion, acting as the network's GameOver.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/x-play-show.jpg
[[caption-width:333:''"Now appearing on TVTropes, it's Adam Sessler and Mooooooooooorgan Webb!"'']]

The first episode of ''X-Play'' was chosen to end G4's final broadcasting day on December 31, 2014, followed by a game of VideoGame/{{Pong}} played to completion, acting as the network's GameOver.

The first episode of ''X-Play'' was chosen to end G4's final broadcasting day, followed by a game of VideoGame/{{Pong}} played to completion, acting as the network's GameOver.

''X-Play'' still reruns on the channel in morning blocks and its old time. However, somewhat to the chagrin of fans, the network (or rather, whoever is in charge of the master control of the network, which is literally a zombie feed until the last cable carriage contract runs out; as of January 2014 it's off the major providers) refuses to air any episode created before the last season (between August 2012 and January 2013).

## They also have a well known hatred for the [[VideoGame/DynastyWarriors different]] ''[[VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors Warriors]]'' [[VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi series]].
## Although they have since reconciled with the franchise, they were extremely critical towards ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' following his downfall during the middle of the decade.

Originally, the show was a television version of [=GameSpot=], with the ratings for each of the games duplicating that of the website, and the person who wrote the review on the website equivalent. When ZDTV became TechTV, and the show became ''Extended Play'', the game reviews and previews were now written by the shows' staff, and on-air talent. On top of that, the [=GameSpot=] rating system was replaced with a 1-5 rating system, with 1 = "Poor", 2 = "Fair", 3 = "Good", 4 = "Great", and 5 = "Perfect".

* CatchPhrase: "Brutally honest review." They use it almost once an episode sometimes. Usually (but not always) a heads-up that whatever game they're going to review is going to be panned.

* BrokeTheRatingScale: They refused to rate ''VideoGame/BigRigsOverTheRoadRacing'' among others, because their rating scale didn't feature a 0, then gave the ''[[VideoGame/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T. the Extra Terrestrial]]'' game a ceremonial zero.

* BrokeTheRatingScale: They refused to rate ''VideoGame/BigRigsOverTheRoadRacing'' among others, because their rating scale didn't feature a 0, then gave the ''VideoGame/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' game a ceremonial zero.

On April 26, 2012, [[http://kotaku.com/5905119/adam-sessler-out-at-g4 Sessler abruptly left G4]], so Herter took his place.

## [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames Licensed games]].

'''''X-Play''''' -- the end result of what happens when a SketchComedy show meets a video game review program -- became the only show to survive the [=TechTV=]/G4 merger intact, one of the last two original shows on the network prior to its Esquire makeover (alongside ''Series/AttackOfTheShow''), and one of the highest-rated programs on G4 until its end.

The show started in 1998 on ZDTV as ''[=GameSpot=] TV''; Adam Sessler co-hosted the show with Lauren Fielder, then, a year later in 1999, Fielder left, and he hosted solo for a while, before being paired up with Kate Botello in 2000. When ZDTV became Creator/TechTV in 2001, the show became ''Extended Play''; after Botello left the show in 2002, Sessler hosted the show by himself. [=TechTV=] filmed much of the show at San Francisco's Metreon arcade until 2003, when the show became ''X-Play'', Morgan Webb came aboard to co-host, and the show received a brand new studio. The change to ''X-Play'' also marked the beginning of the show's focus on game-related sketch comedy alongside its reviews.

Originally, the show was a television version of GameSpot.com, with the ratings for each of the games duplicating that of the website, and the person who wrote the review on the website equivalent. When ZDTV became TechTV, and the show became ''Extended Play'', the game reviews and previews were now written by the shows' staff, and on-air talent. On top of that, the GameSpot.com rating system was replaced with a 1-5 rating system, with 1 = "Poor", 2 = "Fair", 3 = "Good", 4 = "Great", and 5 = "Perfect".

After G4 purchased [=TechTV=] in 2004, it retained ''X-Play'', and even though G4 basically left the show intact -- a fate far better than all of [=TechTV=]'s shows and most of G4's shows received -- the show's focus shifted on a frequent basis for the next few years as G4 went through a severe case of NetworkDecay. The show eventually ended up as a half-hour version of G4 before the merger: it ran down the latest gaming news stories, showed previews and reviews for the latest games, aired interviews with different industry personalities, and even ran a hints segment called "Cheat" (which used to be a half-hour show itself on the same network). The sketch comedy also disappeared, for the most part, but had more to do with the show's former head comedy writer, comedienne/[[OneOfUs comic nerd]] Blair Butler, becoming an on-air personality for G4.

On 26 April, 2012, [[http://kotaku.com/5905119/adam-sessler-out-at-g4 Adam Sessler abruptly left G4]], so Blair Herter took his place.

On October 26, 2012, G4 announced that it would cancel both ''X-Play'' and ''Attack of the Show!'' at the end of the year before undergoing its Esquire makeover. The show ended on January 23, 2013 alongside ''Attack of the Show'' with a finale that had been taped a month before.

X-Play still reruns on the channel in morning blocks and its old time. However, somewhat to the chagrin of fans, the network (or rather, whoever is in charge of the master control of the network, which is literally a zombie feed until the last cable carriage contract runs out; as of January 2014 it's off the major providers) refuses to air any episode created before the last season (between August 2012 and January 2013).

* BiasSteamroller: Against {{RPG}}s, mostly [[EasternRPG JRPGs]], along with {{anime}}, UsefulNotes/WorldWarII games, [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames licensed games]], [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic games related to a certain sidescrolling blue bomber]], {{escort mission}}s, {{minigame}}s....
** They also have a well known hatred for the [[VideoGame/DynastyWarriors different]] [[VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors Warriors]] [[VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi series]].
** Although they have since reconciled with the franchise, they were extremely critical towards VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog following his downfall during the middle of the decade.
*** Regarding RPGs, Sessler admitted in a 2003 episode that he has nothing against RPGs in general, just Japanese ones with the exception of ''Kingdom Hearts''.
* BrokeTheRatingScale: They refused to rate ''VideoGame/BigRigsOverTheRoadRacing'' among others (because their rating scale didn't feature a 0), then gave the ''VideoGame/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' game a ceremonial zero.
* ButtMonkey
** Blair Herter, the very self-aware third wheel.

** "And we here at X-Play give (insert game's name here) a (insert number here)... out of 5."

* DeadpanSnarker: Both Sessler and Webb act in this manner, but tend to switch between it and sheer abstract goofball at times

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The Extended Play episodes back in the TechTV days had a computer-generated version of Sessler voiced by himself.

* EnforcedPlug: OnceAnEpisode, after reviewing a 3-star game, Sessler and/or Webb would try to segue into a plug for [=GameFly.com=]'s game rental service. Some of them were funny, but not all of them worked. Later the segment plugged a future program for [=G4=] which would invariably bomb. Near the end of the Creator/TechTV era, they were forced to plug G4's award show, ''G-Phoria'' on occasion, and mention that it's brought to you by EB Games and Jeep, even though they hadn't moved to Los Angeles to be with them yet (G-Phoria would eventually be merged into X-Play's editorial control and fade away quietly into their year-in-review by 2009). In addition, Sessler and Webb's appearance at ''G-Phoria'' on July 31, 2004, was their first time as G4 employees, just two weeks after the final San Francisco episode was filmed. Their first appearance, ever on G4, was two months prior, on May 12, 2004, during that channel's E3 coverage.

** In 2008, Morgan Webb appeared on ''The Tyra Banks Show'' to discuss male gamers and their habits. Many people who once had tons of respect for her, were outraged to see her disgrace herself, by insulting, degrading, embarrassing, and really hurting and confusing the legions of male gamers that looked up to her, and she was supposed to look up to back. Though some argue that it was staged, being that it is not physically possible for any gamer to own "every game console ever made". You can see it for yourself right [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdIZuu6IaQo here]].
* FanonDiscontinuity: Referenced in the opening of one episode, where Webb says "We like to pretend ''VideoGame/PerfectDark Zero'' doesn't exist." [[invoked]]
* FanService: They frequently point out these instances during reviews to make a joke about them. They also occasionally do skits focused on it, such as one about the history of breast physics in video games.
* FashionDissonance: Adam's loud striped shirts early on, which he admitted made him look like a worker at a hard candy shop in response to a letter where the writer said they were so ugly they made his genitals run away.

* FourPointScale: Averted -- Their review system is deliberately balanced to include all spectrum of games and to be as helpful as possible. They have condemned the use of most other scales because of the tendency for most games to fall into the same ranking. Near the end of Sessler's tenure on the show, they introduced half-star ratings under the reasoning that they felt they were giving too many perfect scores. However after going to Revision3, Sessler stated that the half-star ratings were [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqeiN4pqTjo introduced out of the control of the hosts and review staff]] after the 2011 holiday break by network management looking to pacify a certain game company and to get the show [[ReviewsAreTheGospel more influence]] on Metacritic, a site Sessler has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QsXrswJ-yM criticized strongly]] for being used as a metric by gaming companies to withhold bonuses and pay to workers for games which didn't meet an arbitrary number.
* GamerChick: Morgan Webb; from the very beginning, she's been accused of being chosen just to be eye candy and not really a gaming fan, despite her never ending insistence to the contrary.
* AGodAmI: "Who is this 'Bob' of which you speak. I am Thor-Axe the Impaler." in ''Splinter Cell: Co-op Theater''.

* HilarityEnsues: For some reason, one of the swag items advertisting ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}} 2'' to the media was the infamous Shake Weight with the game's logo screened onto the handle. The hosts decided to use it on one episode for any prompter read they did and Blair '''really''' seemed to love it...

* MsFanservice: Webb. She's been accused of being solely this, and not really a gamer, since the show's inception, even as she did an independent tech news video podcast during the course of the series. Parodied in one episode where Sessler wore the outfit she wore in her ''Maxim'' shoot.
* MurderSimulators: Addressed from time to time, usually when a controversial game is released that that MoralGuardians are claiming is one. The show's position, of course, is to either parody or deconstruct these claims.
* TheMusical: Two actually. The first is a tribute to the viewers of the show called ''On the X-Play Board...'' which makes fun of viewer reaction to the scores certain games receive and their responses on the G4 message boards. The second was a full episode musical about Sessler and Webb [[DealWithTheDevil getting an offer]] to make their own video game which of course turns out to be a disaster. It's actually pretty funny.
** The irony is that they ALREADY had their own video game on the ''X-Play'' page. It was a side scrolling beat 'em up where Webb uses her fists as a weapon, Sessler uses Slippy the Fish as his weapon.
* PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad: ''X-Play'' wishes all of its viewers a "Happy Non-Denominational Winter Season".

* PutOnABus: Many of the recurring sketch characters, most notably Ratty and Roger the Stan Lee Experience. Lampshaded when Sessler was forced to get some of the characters to help co-host an episode when Blair and Morgan were unavailable. [[HilarityEnsues Guess what happens when the characters help out during the episode.]]
* PutTheirHeadsTogether: In the segment "Kung Fu [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Master Chief]]", the title VideoGame character does this to a pair of ninja.

* SmallNameBigEgo: Parodied in-universe. A skit had Sessler tackling problems in the form of an RPG random encounter, in one of which the enemy was a bouncer at a club, and Adam's attack was to say, "Behold my celebrity," which fails.

* {{Troll}}/FlameBait: Certainly, they do seem to get caught up in the flame wars they so heartily make fun of sometimes. At some points, it seems they forget that they are at least ideally supposed to avoid bias in their reviews, which tends to fuel the problems with the UnpleasableFanbase even more. Yes, a lot of fans are unreasonable, but it doesn't help when you give them an excuse.

* CriticalResearchFailure: Morgan infamously claimed that [[VideoGame/BeatMania beatmania]] was a lame ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' ripoff despite the beatmania series making its debut at 1997 while the latter at 2005.

* DeadpanSnarker: Both Sessler and Webb act in this manner, but tend to switch between it and sheer abstract goofball at times.

* ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch:
** Morgan's review for ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' shows that she (or the other writers) either didn't play the game at all, or only played for maybe an hour or so and then jumped to conclusions about what the story would lead. All of which were wrong.[[note]]She claims that Dist is the effeminate antagonist bent on world domination - at the point of the game she was at, ''Mohs'' was being set up as the BigBad. And once the BigBad is revealed, it's not even Dist...and their goals don't even ''include'' world domination.[[/note]]
** The accusations of ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' being too easy when ItGetsBetter. Not to mention all the clips they've shown were from the first few hours of the game.
** The ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'' video proves that ''X-Play'' either don't actually play some of their games or are some of the most amazing {{Troll}}s known to the internet. The review simplifies the story to a ridiculous level and even completely makes up details (namely, [[TheHero Sagi]] has ''no memory problem'') while also glossing over the ''complete overhaul'' of the original game's combat system, all so that a joke about Sagi's name sounding like "[[INeedAFreakingDrink sake]]" could take up... [[OverlyLongGag about a third of the video]]. [[http://www.g4tv.com/videos/13567/baten-kaitos-origins-review/ It has to be seen to be believed]].

After G4 purchased [=TechTV=] in 2004, it retained ''X-Play'', and even though G4 basically left the show intact -- a fate far better than all of [=TechTV=]'s shows and most of G4's shows received -- the show's focus shifted on a frequent basis for the next few years as G4 went through a severe case of NetworkDecay. The show eventually ended up as a half-hour version of G4 before the merger: it ran down the latest gaming news stories, showed previews and reviews for the latest games, aired interviews with different industry personalities, and even ran a hints segment called "Cheat". (A half-hour show by the same name did the same thing on G4 years ago.) The sketch comedy also disappeared, for the most part, but had more to do with the show's former head comedy writer, comedienne/[[OneOfUs comic nerd]] Blair Butler, becoming an on-air personality for G4.

* FanDisservice: Parodied in the "[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty Naked Raiden]]" sketch...much to Sessler's dismay. "This is so uncomfortable.." [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "Stop doing cartwheels...]] [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl AHHHHHHHH!"]]

* FourPointScale: Averted -- Their review system is deliberately balanced to include all spectrum of games and to be as helpful as possible. They have condemned the use of most other scales because of the tendency for most games to fall into the same ranking. Near the end of Sessler's tenure on the show, they introduced half-star ratings under the reasoning that they felt they were giving too many perfect scores. However after going to [=Revision3=], Sessler stated that the half-star ratings were [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqeiN4pqTjo introduced out of the control of the hosts and review staff]] after the 2011 holiday break by network management looking to pacify a certain game company and to get the show [[ReviewsAreTheGospel more influence]] on Metacritic, a site Sessler has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QsXrswJ-yM criticized strongly]] for being used as a metric by gaming companies to withhold bonuses and pay to workers for games which didn't meet an arbitrary number.

* MurderSimulators: Addressed from time to time, usually when a controversial game is released that that MoralGuardians are claiming is one. The show's position, of course, is to either parody of deconstruct these claims.

* PunctuatedForEmphasis - Several examples, though far less [[LargeHam hammy]] than the actual quote itself from ''Film/ThreeHundred'':
** Webb: (about ''[[FiftyCent 50 Cent Bulletproof]]'') So why was this game even made? Cash, my friends. '''Cold. Hard. Cash.'''

* PutTheirHeadsTogether: In the segment "Kung Fu [[VideoGame/{{Halo}} Master Chief]]", the title VideoGame character does this to a pair of ninja.

* TakeThatAudience: The show received [[InternetBackdraft a lot of flak]] for its blatant unprofessionalism with their reveal of the Viewer's Choice for 2011, ''TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', implying they thought it won due to the fanbase's anger at them not nominating ''Skyward Sword'' for Game of the Year. See the offender [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9x6mN7C3gU here.]]
* {{Troll}}/FlameBait - Certainly, they do seem to get caught up in the flame wars they so heartily make fun of sometimes. At some points, it seems they forget that they are at least ideally supposed to avoid bias in their reviews, which tends to fuel the problems with the UnpleasableFanbase even more. Yes, a lot of fans are unreasonable, but it doesn't help when you give them an excuse.

[[redirect:Series/{{X-Play}}]]