After 23 long years, we finally see the return of a televisual masterpiece! For those unaware, Gamesmaster was the first and still one of the only British TV programmes to be dedicated to videogames. Originally running from 1992 to 1998, the show was a ratings hit; featuring game reviews and gameplay challenges, and famously featured the head of Sir Patrick Moore as the futuristic Ed-Dillinger-esque GamesMaster!
For any 90’s videogame fan, this show had everything you could have ever hoped for! Elaborate sets, classic games from every console, and contestants battling it out to win the coveted Golden Joystick!
After its completely unwarranted cancellation in 1998, the show is finally back and looking better than ever with a new home on E4! Check out the first trailer below!
This time around, the show is being hosted by Rob Florence, Ty Logan and Frankie Ward, with the legendary Sir Trevor McDonald starring as the titular GamesMaster, taking over from the late Sir Patrick Moore who sadly passed away in 2012. The new hosts are replacing veteran host Dominik Diamond, who is currently producing a book that covers the history of the original show!
From what we can see from the trailer, the show seems to be following the same format of the original run very closely, with contestants battling it out in iconic games, all in the hopes of winning the Golden Joystick. But while the show format may be classic, the game selection is much more modern; with shots of Super Mario 3D World and Cuphead being amongst the games showcased.
In an interview with Nintendo Life, Rob Florence summed up the new show:
The focus of GamesMaster, I think, should always be on the challenges. I think there’s already this perception out there that this new show is going to be all about focusing on celebrities. That is not what this show is going to be, I’m not sure why that has come about; this is going to be about people who love games and love playing games. The celebrity element is not something that anybody should worry about, this is not going to be a thing where celebs come on and promote themselves. There’s going to be people who are into games and love games, just normal punters off the street coming on, playing a game of FIFA in front of me with me shouting some abuse at them and the GamesMaster’s big head hovering over the top of everything.
Rob Florence (Nintendo Life Interview)
The series is being filmed at the Crossness Pumping Station in London, and will be airing on E4’s YouTube channel on November 21st, with a TV run following at a later date!
Are you excited for new GamesMaster? Did you watch the original run? Let us know in the comments!
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