GameOn Cancelled. Cards Against Humanity to blame.

So, Game On and Shut Up And Play have been canceled. Originally given twelve weeks to prove itself as a viable set of shows, they were recently extended for another six weeks. But almost immediately after that (as of a couple days ago), they were both cancelled. Based on comments from Leo during Security Now's recording and the events of the LAN party a few days before, it seemed to viewers that it was due to the possibly unwise playing of Cards Against Humanity (a game that generates some vile phrases) which offended some (or one?) late night viewer(s).

Leo is pretty open with the audience about behind his business and has since explained that the sudden cancellations were entirely financial. The show is the most expensive one on the network to produce (by a large factor - $25k to $50k/mo) and didn't yet have enough of an audience to bring in a positive flow of money, so it was the logical choice to chop to meet financial needs. I'm sure the events on Sunday didn't help things, but it sounds like it was being axed no matter what. :/

As per his comments on Twitter, today, "it was too expensive to produce; not enough people watched" and "gaming isn't for twit".

I still hope the LAN party broadcast idea becomes a "thing" elsewhere, though. It was a blast, even when you weren't participating in the LAN and were just watching late hours on a Sunday night, when you were trying to extend the weekend as long as possible, before the Monday drudgery reared itself.

Here are two justin.tv links. You'll have to skip ahead to the exact time codes once you load them up:

• (video) During the recording of Security Now, Leo Laporte discusses what happened: http://www.justin.tv/twit/b/313843444 18h38m00s
• (video) The actual incidents that were broadcast: http://www.justin.tv/twit/b/313257033 Starts around 82h27m00s ends around 85h26m00s
• (reddit) Announcement: http://www.reddit.com/r/TWiTGameOn/comments/ruphj/fun_while_it_lasted_goodbye_gameon/

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

You know what? Whatever. There's adult content on all TWiT shows I've listened to. Every week of the actual TWiT podcast with a female cast member includes someone hitting on them with some of the weirdest and close to equally inappropriate phrases.

The expensive to produce video game show idea was something that I figured Leo would stay away from, given the number of format shifts that Adam Sessler's own show took throughout the course of history to "stay relevant" (mass appeal to make the most money). When he's starting to throw away too much money flying up people he's friends with to produce shows, he needs to start thinking about hiring staff closer to home. There's plenty of talent in the area dying to get a gig; especially one on a network like that.

This does suck.

Flying Brian in every week and putting him in a hotel seemed like a bit much. That show had so many other problems though. Namely, who was asking for another X-Play style show?

Why in the hell did they play Cards Against Humanity if they were worried about offending people? Idiots.

@BrockNRolla: That's another good question. It's hilarious to watch, but if you had the slightest inkling that you'd be recording for a moderately family-friendly network, I don't even think booze would allow myself to do that.

Hey guys I'm not a prude despite the prudish thing I'm doing durrrr.

I would feel a little embarrassed right now if I was one of the chatters enthusiastically asking for Cards Against Humanity that night :P

Sounds like they hate fun.

that card game sounds "hilarious"

this is my first experience with twit.tv from the links provided.

my impression of this is that its like the "Good Morning America" of tech broadcasting, so with budget woes and the content it seems an obvious conclusion in hindsight.

@Levio said:

that card game sounds "hilarious"

You sound "Unbearable."

I have a feeling Leo might have used this as an excuse to cut the shows. I think there may be another reason and he just saw this as a good opportunity. It seems like he's done that before ala the erik lanigan controversy:

erik also had a late night show. I think also leo just gets weird about what happens when he's not there.

What the fuck is TWiT?

All I read was "Its not rape if you yell surprise!!"

@Drebin_893 said:

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

They don't live in the real world. They keep it at bay by trying to shut down TV, books, video games, music, and art.

The Offended Woman caricature strikes again.

@Branthog said:

@BrockNRolla said:

Why in the hell did they play Cards Against Humanity if they were worried about offending people? Idiots.

They weren't worried about it. They had repeatedly told the audience and IRC that they had permission to work blue late Sunday nights during the LAN party (in fact, you can hear Glenn say something to that effect for the hundredth time or so in the video of them playing the game). Over the weeks, the whole "man, Leo is going to cancel us for the crazy thing we just did five seconds ago" thing was a running gag.

I am pretty certain that if the crew was under the impression that it was going to get them in trouble and that they were under content constraints during that time slot, they wouldn't have done it. At least one of the ten or dozen or more people there would have stood up and said "no -- we are so absolutely not doing this".

Which is why I say, there seem to have been mixed signals given to them from Leo and the rest of the "decision makers". (I don't have any real knowledge of this, but having observed the show since the beginning and having heard Leo also comment on the show over the months, I really had the impression myself that it was pretty generally no-holds-barred Sunday nights).

CAH is just so vulgar though. It seems ridiculous to broadcast that on anything but the most blue-is-very-in-the-clear shows. Even when they played it one night on GB the guys seemed super uncomfortable about saying some things out loud and this is certainly (or at least was certainly, time will tell) a vulgarity-friendly site. I can't say I've ever heard Leo swearing on any of his podcasts.

Even when someone isn't under content restraints, there are always societal content restraints to consider based on your audience. Even if the messaging was unclear, TWiT is a pretty vanilla network on the whole, and had I been working there, I certainly would have questioned whether CAH was taking it too far. That's just my impression though. As you said, there's no way of knowing what is really up.

All that said, if I was unclear with what Cards Against Humanity was all about and suddenly people started playing it in front of me, regardless of the primer, I would probably be pretty shocked. It seems like the sort of thing you play with close friends with the understanding that it's all horrible and belongs nowhere in the outside world. I just don't think the TWiT audience is right for that kind of content.

I agree that playing CAH was a mistake, but I'm still surprised that anybody could be truly offended by that game. It's one of those "cross the line twice" type deals, where it's SO over-the-top that it just boomerangs back into harmless nonsense. Definitely not something to air on a show that likes to maintain any shadow of decency whatsoever, but spend any given hour on the internet and you'll probably see worse.

@AndrewB said:

@BrockNRolla: That's another good question. It's hilarious to watch, but if you had the slightest inkling that you'd be recording for a moderately family-friendly network, I don't even think booze would allow myself to do that.

I haven't watched the streams, but who made the choice to pit C.A.H against Jenga? They must have none cards would win on a chat vote.

@Branthog said:

@ShaggE said:

I agree that playing CAH was a mistake, but I'm still surprised that anybody could be truly offended by that game. It's one of those "cross the line twice" type deals, where it's SO over-the-top that it just boomerangs back into harmless nonsense. Definitely not something to air on a show that likes to maintain any shadow of decency whatsoever, but spend any given hour on the internet and you'll probably see worse.

I actually wasn't very familiar with the "game" before that night, other than knowing it was a Kickstarter project. I found it pretty vile, but putting together phrases on a card strike me as vastly different than if someone spontaneously actually said those things of their own volition. I guess that doesn't make it significantly better, but the way the complaining emailer made it sound, they were just sitting around making snide remarks about rape and abortion and hitler. But . . . yeah, I think a sober mind would have said "this . . . is going to end badly". :)

Exactly. With no real ill intent behind the phrases, it takes the edge off considerably. Of course, I've only seen it played during TNT, so seeing people that I know DON'T think like that play it may have softened it somewhat for me as well. (also, go watch that TNT... it's one of the all-time funniest, especially with Brad squirming the whole time)

@Drebin_893 said:

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

They're just the ones harshing all our lives with their self righteous screeching at your local church, school or business. They enjoy it I think.

@GunslingerPanda said:

What the fuck is TWiT?

@Branthog said:

@Arker101 said:

@AndrewB said:

@BrockNRolla: That's another good question. It's hilarious to watch, but if you had the slightest inkling that you'd be recording for a moderately family-friendly network, I don't even think booze would allow myself to do that.

I haven't watched the streams, but who made the choice to pit C.A.H against Jenga? They must have none cards would win on a chat vote.

If you can't trust IRC, who can you trust?! :D

Whenever I want my shows cancelled, the only thing I trust is IRC. ;P

I don't like twit.tv, the shows feel like they are intended to old people.

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

Thank you, IRC chat *thumbs up*

I would totally watch a weekly show where people just sat around drinking and playing Cards Against Humanity.

Also, I haven't seen Leo since The Screensavers. I called in one time and talked to him, and I used to pirate episodes of the show when they only showed it in Canada because I couldn't watch it in the U.S. (that's right, come get me, I downloaded episodes of a tech TV show that only aired in Canada).

It's cool that he's still doing his thing.

I listened to a couple hours of it and I can see how somebody can be offended. Not because of the cards on their own but these people are kind of just not funny so instead of laughing a more sensitive person would be offended. I hate when things like that happen though. Maybe the show was actually better and it's not as good if you don't know who these people are.

The only show I give a shit about on TWiT.tv is TWiT. And even then it's not that much of a shit.
 
I like most of the personalities that Leo has, but his network is a little too family-friendly for me. I need my "fucks" and "goddamns" unbleeped. This is the internet, baby. I understand the family-friendly image he's trying to go for though. It makes sense for him. I always found it kind of funny that he loves new media and how it doesn't have to be like the old media, but then he censors all his shit. I say fuck it. But again, I don't have to deal with "Sue" who isn't a prude, but thinks the things that were said Sunday night were...my word!

@Krakn3Dfx said:

I would totally watch a weekly show where people just sat around drinking and playing Cards Against Humanity.

Also, I haven't seen Leo since The Screensavers. I called in one time and talked to him, and I used to pirate episodes of the show when they only showed it in Canada because I couldn't watch it in the U.S. (that's right, come get me, I downloaded episodes of a tech TV show that only aired in Canada).

It's cool that he's still doing his thing.

They still air reruns of Call of Help on G4TV Canada lol

I think TWIT should stick to tech, not really surprised by this decision. I don't need yet another gaming podcast to tell me everything I already know from all my other ones. That said, if anyone doesn't already know, check out Twit.tv's other great shows. ESP their This Week in Tech, Mac, PC and Google shows.

@Turambar said:

@Drebin_893 said:

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

I'd say the material Cards Against Humanity revels in is not really acceptable according to any societal norms in the real world. Hell, there was stuff in there that even offended the GB staff and they're pretty damn vulgar in the grand spectrum of things.

Fucking societal norms.

Thats pretty fucking dumb, if you don't like a show just watch something else, its not like you are being forced to watch them if you find them offensive.

Shouldn't they go after the creators of the game instead of the show they played the game on? I don't know. Sounds pretty stupid all around.

Never watched the show, but it's rather revolting that a few uptight idiots can ruin something like that for everyone else.

As others have said, I wouldn't be surprised if Leo was looking for a reason to shut the thing down anyway. It never seemed like he was too keen on the idea and as far as game shows/podcast stuff goes, the market is pretty saturated. I can't imagine it was making too much for them.

Anyone watching a LAN party over the internet late on Sunday night who is offended by a silly card game is a fucking idiot looking to stir up shit.

They played this game on a Happy hour episode here and it wasn't that bad.

Leo's video talking about it was even stupider, the show isn't about tech so it doesn't belong here. What about NSFW?

If anyone wants to hear something funny, the latest episode of the ToR show had Brushwood as a guest and they spent a lot of time at the start talking about how great and successful Game On has been.

http://theinstance.net/tor/?p=126

You know what they say: Cards Against Humanity doesn't cancel shows, people cancel shows.

@Branthog said:

@ShaggE said:

I agree that playing CAH was a mistake, but I'm still surprised that anybody could be truly offended by that game. It's one of those "cross the line twice" type deals, where it's SO over-the-top that it just boomerangs back into harmless nonsense. Definitely not something to air on a show that likes to maintain any shadow of decency whatsoever, but spend any given hour on the internet and you'll probably see worse.

I actually wasn't very familiar with the "game" before that night, other than knowing it was a Kickstarter project. I found it pretty vile, but putting together phrases on a card strike me as vastly different than if someone spontaneously actually said those things of their own volition. I guess that doesn't make it significantly better, but the way the complaining emailer made it sound, they were just sitting around making snide remarks about rape and abortion and hitler. But . . . yeah, I think a sober mind would have said "this . . . is going to end badly". :)

I'm assuming from this that you haven't watched this

and you probably should.

Edit: and since that doesn't want to work, http://www.giantbomb.com/thursday-night-throwdown-011912/17-5568/

@Turambar said:

@Drebin_893 said:

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

I'd say the material Cards Against Humanity revels in is not really acceptable according to any societal norms in the real world. Hell, there was stuff in there that even offended the GB staff and they're pretty damn vulgar in the grand spectrum of things.

But it's the fact that it's a card game. I don't understand how people get genuinely offended or disgusted by a card game. Better yet, a card game on a T.V show.

I'm pissed man. I was starting to really love Game On. I heard the announcement of this when Justin Robert Young came on Frogpants Networks Morning Stream to announce the cancellation of the show. Sucks. =(

So did the guys get fired, or is the show just canceled and they have other positions within the network?

sounds to me like they wanted to get cancelled.

No "Sue", you actually are a prude.

mm, I think it's perfectly fine to be offended by rape jokes and the like.

@damnable_fiend said:

mm, I think it's perfectly fine to be offended by rape jokes and the like.

Then you click the little red x on your screen, it's not hard.

I wouldn't really blame Cards Against Humanity as much as them just being twats about it. They're adults broadcasting themselves for the world to see and it takes responsible adults to play something like Cards Against Humanity and not make it just come off as a bunch of awful people saying awful things. If they'd been responsible about it, then maybe they'd be on the air, eh?

@Turambar said:

@Drebin_893 said:

Fuck me, it's always weird that people actually get offended by games and T.V. shows. Blows my mind, how do these people survive in the real world?

I'd say the material Cards Against Humanity revels in is not really acceptable according to any societal norms in the real world. Hell, there was stuff in there that even offended the GB staff and they're pretty damn vulgar in the grand spectrum of things.

But it's the fact that it's a card game. I don't understand how people get genuinely offended or disgusted by a card game. Better yet, a card game on a T.V show.