[SOLVED] platform is not defined | No videos working

[UPDATE]: Solved after PC reboot or solved itself in time.

I am on the latest Chrome for Windows 10 (64-bit) and no videos are loading for me.

When I check the console window I see `platform` is not defined. I didn't scan through any code myself but I am assuming it is not setting the browser which is required for some reason and no default value is being set. But that is just me assuming while hung over from last night.

Hope this gets fixed soon and I have a lot of VODs I was hoping to catch up on before getting back to work in January 😅

Happy New Year btw!

EDIT: added more details

• What kind of issue are you running into?:
  • Any video I try is not working, I hit play icon and i just see blackness...
• Any specific videos where it’s occurring?
  • All (using Chrome, desktop, windows 10 64-bit, latest updates)
• Browser where issues are occurring (have you tried another one?):
  • Also tried firefox and chrome incognito mode
• Are the issues the same in incognito mode or when you disable extensions?:
  • incognito w/zero extensions, same issues
• Have you tried switching from HTML5 to Progressive streaming? Did this help your issue?:
  • Not possible as player controls don't load
• Have you tried switching from Auto quality to one of the other options? Did this help?:
  • Not possible as player controls don't load

I also just checked the network tab in the Chrome dev tools and I see a bunch of dest5.html attempts that failed. Not sure if that helps.

No issues for me

UPDATE:

I don't know if was time or if restarting my PC helped but it seems to be back.

I am having the same problem that was described here. A computer restart did not fix my issue, however.

I'm also having this issue and restarting my computer did not fix the issue. I've been using the "download" button to watch videos.

Been dealing with this for weeks, finally tried clearing my cookies for Giant Bomb and it worked. There was still a little wonkiness when I tried to switch to the GB player, but it worked eventually (really hate how it defaults to Youtube).

@esteban8612: this is the same issue I've had. The console logs will consistently show YouTube api errors. I realize YouTube is available for everything now, but I like the gb nav tools and community here :/

Piling on in hopes maybe someone at GB can see this and advise. I'm on Windows 11 and about a week or two ago I stopped being able to simply watch videos on the website. Audio-only stuff seems fine, but videos show the play button and clicking it does nothing. I tried both on Chrome and Firefox, logged in as a premium user to both and tried again after clearing cookies, etc. No dice. Like @alpha_bit said, I too prefer to watch on the GB website instead of via YouTube. Videos are watchable, but only using the download function which is not ideal for a person like me who is a) perpetually behind and b) doesn't always have the option of watching videos straight through - the download way keeps me from being able to track where I left off.

@blitzfitness: We are looking into it! Sorry for the trouble!

@rorie: thank you Rorie! Eagerly await the former glory.

@rorie: Thanks Rorie, you rock as always!

Thanks Rorie, I'm havign the same thing

If yall are still running into this, can you try another browser (Firefox/Edge) and also an incognito window in Chrome (assuming that's what you're using) and let me know if this still happens for you?

@rorie: I tried Firefox and a Chrome incognito window, still not working. It does work in Edge, though.

I am having this issue as well, the MP3 playback works but I get a blank void when trying to play a video.

Using Chrome Ver. 109.0.5414.75 as well as edge an getting the same thing.

Windows 10 Ver 21H2 OS build 19044.2486

I'm failing to get certain videos to load at all. I mainly use the PS4 browser. I've had to refresh the page multiple times to get anything to play, and some things just won't play at all. Trying it on my phone now and it still won't load. There's definitely something going on with the site.

This one won't play regardless of the platform I use.

https://www.giantbomb.com/shows/quick-look-road-show-yars-revenge/2970-14864

I have this issue on Firefox. Clicking play gives nothing but a black screen. I have been using the download button, but I saw in the community spotlight that middle mouse to open videos in new tab might work. I just tried it and it did work for me.

@rorie: Morning Rorie, tried a number of things and wanted to let you know about them, plus a bit of interesting behavior I came across. First, I should say I'm on Win11 and am fully updated. Before testing I checked to see if there were any Chrome updates for me and there was, so I'm now using Chrome version 109.0.5414.75. The behavior I have been experiencing is that I can play audio-only content, but not video content. So here's what I tested this morning: 1) after updating and re-launching Chrome I went to see if it worked normally for me and it did not, still ran into the same issues; 2) I then attempted to test it in Incognito, as well as via the Firefox and Edge browsers, and received the same behavior in all of them; 3) I saw the comments about "middle-clicking" to open in a new tab. I tried right-clicking and using open in new tab and new window and that didn't change anything (when I middle-click my mouse-wheel it just gives me that drag cursor).

However, while doing all of this I came across something strange. If I click on a show that has an audio-only option, like Game Mess Mornings (which for me, defaults to the Free Audio version) and click play, the audio version starts playing fast and perfectly fine. When I then change the selection to Free Video, like all the other videos, nothing plays. BUT, weirdly, if I try to change back to the Free Audio option, it's unable to do so. I'm not sure what that means because all this tech stuff is just wizardry as far as I'm concerned, but I had not expected that to happen.

Because only so many of us are experiencing this I feel like it has to be a personal settings situation. Because of that I took a look at my running programs and Chrome Extensions (even though they wouldn't impact the other browsers). I disabled Ad-Black (I'm premium so technically it shouldn't matter) and Privacy Badger in Chrome; and I disabled the smart firewall and autoprotect options in Norton 360 (even though the site was working fine for me a few weeks ago and all of these would be active then); and sadly, no change.

If there is any sort of log recording or debug-style stuff you want me to try just let me know what, where and how and I'll be more than happy to do so.

Looks like it's not working in Firefox for me. It does work in Chrome though.

Thanks for all the detail here! I'll pass it along to the engineers!

Frequently, when I load a video page, the site player video loads, I click play, and then the Youtube player loads in on top of it. And then the one video is continuing to play in the BG, and... I was about to type that I can't switch them, but I just went to be super sure about that, and apparently I've just been obtuse, not seeing the ... in the middle of the video. I... don't think that's how one used to switch? It's not super obvious, but either way, that part is self-fixable, now. So... nvm, on that, I guess.

Additionally, less in the bug-dept, but... I really wish the video player would default to Premium-Video/Video over Audio options, when the format is available.

@rorie:

Having the same issue, Firefox/Edge, using the download drop-down opens the video in a new tab and it will play from there, but not save progress so it isn’t ideal.

@dr1nkurmlkshake: Is this still happening for you? I think they pushed some stuff yesterday that may have helped?

@rorie: Seems to be working now, thanks!

@rorie: Just wanted to report things are working for me now as well in Chrome without any special steps. Thanks for being on top of this!