Following the cancellation of Australia’s greatest and longest running video game show, fans have turned to forums and social media to share their grief and memories.
The announcement has come as a shock to fans and the Australian industry, as Good Game’s Twitter account had indicated that it was ready to share details of the upcoming season. As a result, the canning of the main show – although Spawn Point will remain on ABC ME in a new format – has stunned and saddened many.
Stephanie “Hex” Bendixen, who presented Good Game for seven years and Spawn Point since its inception, posted on Instagram that the “future holds pretty big changes for me” and that the last month had been “incredibly emotional”.
The internet has responded by honouring the show’s efforts in elevating gaming to the mainstream media, its work in promoting Australian games and their creators, and creating a positive space for discussion about gaming culture on Australian TV.
https://twitter.com/TheDanBarrett/status/826223117626286080
@GoodGameTV played an important role in bringing gaming to the Australian mainstream. Kids could talk about games without being vilified.
— Peter Zaluzny (@peterzmedia) January 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/matthewwu/status/826222328350535680
This is real bummer. @hexsteph @bajopants and @GoodGameTV got me back into gaming after 20 year hiatus. Brilliant hosts. Farewell… https://t.co/VmboRehJbR
— David Lipson (@davidlipson) January 31, 2017
Steven “Bajo” O’Donnell quickly confirmed that he would still be hosting Spawn Point alongside Angharad “Rad” Yeo, Gus “Goose” Ronald” and James Cottee, the voice of the TV robot Darren. He released a full (and pretty hilarious) statement here on his own site. I recommend reading it.
And @goosemangus ! https://t.co/XidSbXZbrC
— Bajo (@bajo) January 31, 2017
Bajo added, however, that the online show Good Game Pocket would not be continuing with Nich “NichBoy” Richardson. Good Game later confirmed that all shows except for Spawn Point had been cancelled.
I’m devastated this is how it ends #GGTV has been my lifeblood for 6 years. I moved cities just to be part of it. Nothing will feel the same pic.twitter.com/XfwjGtoi4Q
— Gus ‘Goose’ Ronald (@goosemangus) January 31, 2017
In a statement just before the hour, NichBoy took aim at a typo in the press release:
https://twitter.com/NichBoy/status/826233294429642752
He then later tweeted out a statement from a Facebook group dedicated to Good Game Pocket, wherein he revealed that he was looking forward to “a lot of new challenges and opportunities ahead” this year. NichBoy also broke ranks by saying the decision to cancel the show was “short-sighted” and misguided, given the Good Game demographic was one “the ABC are desperate to appeal to”.
https://twitter.com/NichBoy/status/826234064264798208
Fans have also taken aim at the ABC following the news, although the official statement makes it clear that the cancellation was more to do with the leaving of key presenters rather than any decision from upper management.
https://twitter.com/joshnandrews/status/826230980843233281
https://twitter.com/Sam_H_Kennedy/status/826221362259693569
Comments
12 responses to “Fans React To Good Game’s Cancellation”
GG says that Hex and Nichboy were the ones who left, but the Twitter post from Nich makes it seem like he didn’t want to leave?
This is just fuelling my theory that it was indeed canned due to ABC budget cuts, and that they’re trying to cover for that by saying the hosts left.
Most likely motivated by ABC itself. A while back, the ABC tried to use the then Abbott government as a scape goat for cutting 400 jobs; claiming the jobs were cut due to the efficiency review.
Turned out that the ABC had planned to do so for some time and many were far from impressed they (the ABC) stooped so low.
So this is out $0.08 a day at work; a public network acting like a commercial network. Definitely not the ABC I grew up with as a kid.
And before anyone starts, this behaviour was present even under Rudd and Gillard so it is not isolated to the Coalition.
It does seem suss, especially if you listen to the end of year Good Game podcast where Nichboy mentions that he’s excited about changes to his role. To me it sounds like there were talks on pushing him as host of GG and something went askew at some point.
Just on that why was Bajo absent from the show late last year?
He was working on some other project.
I can’t remember the exact name of it though. He tweeted about it .
What ever did happen to Junglist?
He made himself out to be a victim.
:/ I mean, what with all the cuts that happened at the ABC last year http://www.smh.com.au/comment/abc-suffering-slow-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-20160601-gp90ft.html and all the turmoil in the upper arts management at the ABC it’s not super surprising, but it still SUCKS and it definitely seems like a last minute decision that they’re communicating really messily. Feels like a step backwards to me
I never watched the first season as i never owned a HDTV then but when second season came around with junglist i watched it and was instantly hooked but nowdays with a click of a button you can get your gaming reviews by youtubers and various gaming websites.
Hearing about the sad news on why Good Game is cancelling their show is absolutely bullshit! and completely f**ked up! You should be ashamed yourself ABC I got two words for you. F**k you!
Strange to see my Reddit post here. Still in disbelief at the reason they’ve axed the show. Smells like budget cuts to me.
First Peter Capaldi leaves Doctor Who after 3 seasons and now this. It’s only just the first month 2017.
……the hell you just say?!
Edit: Geez man I thought you meant he walked away from the show immediately, he’s seeing out 2017.
That’s hardly a consolation though, still pretty gutted to hear he’s going so soon.
To be honest I really don’t give two shits about them getting canceled they where pretty crap to begin with, so not that much of a loss.
I stopped watching GG after they let junglist go. I find Bajo too twitchy and the introduction of Hex didn’t do anything for me. Good riddance!