The stylist, whom she impersonated with a swishy, faux-frenchy accent, kept suggesting she try outfits that were plenty evocative of the oops-I-forgot-my-panties style of glamour photography. Then he reached into his costume trunk and pulled out the deal-breaker, a black fishnet number that was a swimsuit in name only. It left zilch to anyone's imagination, least of all what was in his.

She wasn't going there. "My vagina would have looked like a Honeybaked Ham," Munn said, sitting in a makeup chair and talking to Kotaku before Thursday's taping of G4's Attack of the Show, which she co-hosts. Despite the browbeating to Take! It! All! Off!! Munn's decision not to reveal her charms remained as final at the end of her shoot as it was when she rebuffed Playboy's original request.

Munn thinks she knows now why Playboy came back to say, no prob, a clothes-on pictorial was OK. "I'm convinced the photographer and the stylist were in cahoots to get me naked," Munn said. Hey, never let it be said Playboy doesn't have its readers' number one interest foremost in mind.

"They were showing me all these things to put on and saying, ‘And you can just see everything! And it's just gorge,' and I'm thinking, 'You guys are out of your mind," Munn said. "It ended with my publicist and the stylist screaming at each other."

Becoming one of the few women ever to do a Playboy cover and pictorial without nudity has certainly bolstered Munn's profile as the hottie with Geek Goddess approachability - the gamers' Athena, if you will, thanks largely to her three years with G4. But it's led to plenty of speculation that her choice of a fully functional wardrobe was only a business decision. That now isn't the right time for her to get naked, but one day that right time will come, and we'll both know it, and when it happens it will be tender and magical.

Yeah, forget it.

"It'll never happen," Munn said. "It would never happen. I think there's nothing wrong with Playboy - there's nothing wrong with women who want to be in the magazine, if they're comfortable being naked and showing everything. But I'm looking through it like, ‘Holy shit, that's a lot of vadge.' I mean, it's filled with that stuff. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not something I'd do."

Not only did Munn turn away trained professionals with graduate degrees in coaxing hot women out of their clothes, she showed them less than she did to Complex back in April. "My underboob's in that shoot," she said. "You can't see anything like that in what I did for Playboy. I did the same amount of nudity, for them, that I did in a bathing suit for Surf magazine."

You can get a look at what she did show for Playboy in this online pictorial. "It's not like I'm the pizza guy in some porno," Munn said. But even though she'd never go half as far as that, Playboy or what it represents isn't intimidating to her. "It's just naked pictures, and they're all of hot girls," she said, "except there's one in there with big bush, that's not really good."

Munn's knows that part of why Playboy came calling, and was cool with her not doing nudity, is she has a fan base that's highly coveted by advertisers. Gamers are easily separated from their dough, after all. But the positive response she's gotten for not taking it off tells her that her fans do care. "They're not going to say, 'Oh, titty! Oh, that's Olivia's vagina, let's go buy it!'" she said. "They're supportive, not just because it gets them off."

But she doesn't worry about being typecast for the geek demographic. To the contrary, it gets her plenty of work. She's just finished up a role in Iron Man II, and got an offer for another from producers who said they wanted someone who isn't the kind of pedestalized-hot that Megan Fox represents.

"I love this world I am in," Munn said. "If I could stay in this world forever, the nerd world, I'd be happy. I've been here for three years, and I can confidently say this is a world I feel comfortable and welcomed in."

Unpublished picture courtesy Playboy.

The program, which should run about 30 minutes, will be doubly broadcast tonight, with one airing at 6:30 PM EST/PST and an encore presentation at 8 PM EST/PST. Yes, east coasters, you've already missed the first showing, but it's not too late to check the second.

Sure, you already know the awards show's winners and losers. But you don't yet know all the jokes, nor do you realize what foul mouths LittleBigPlanet developers Media Molecule have.

Game Developers Choice Awards To Air On G4 Tonight [Gamasutra] [Image Credit]

That's because cable network G4 will be airing the awards on Friday, April 10 at 6:30 PM PST. Yes, the awards ceremony is next Wednesday, so you'll likely have the winners and losers committed to memory by the time it airs. However, our liveblogging likely won't be able to capture the expert delivery and nuance of Double Fine funnyman Tim Schafer, sure to bring the house down with a cutting remark or two.

Of course, we'll be covering the awards show next Wednesday night, so if you want to see which nominee walks away with trophy in hand, stay tuned to your internet.

The 9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards may be your only chance to see dozens of telegenic video game developers being handed awards then giving awesome acceptance speeches. How could you possibly miss it?

G4 To Broadcast 2009 Game Developers Choice Awards [Gamasutra]

Speaking with G4's All Access, Vin talks about his gaming history for a bit before discussing his lastest run as Riddick in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Apparently the game was being developed without online, but Diesel pleaded with developer Starbreeze, which resulting in them adding some compelling multiplayer modes to an already compelling game.

Check out the full segment below, while I try to imagine Vin Diesel begging. I bet it involved knives.

We've heard that us much as half of the staff of the X-Play show have been laid off. We've emailed and spoken with G4 officials, but they were not yet able to answer our questions.

If true, the network must be struggling. X-Play was one of the highest-rated shows on G4 and was just expanded to five days a week in January, 2008.

What began in 1998 as GameSpot TV and then become Extended Play and finally X-Play, was reworked and expanded on Jan. 14, 2008.

The show is hosted by Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb. In December, 2008 Sessler was promoted to G4's Editor-in-Chief of Games content.

As always take this with a grain of salt until we hear more directly from the company.

UPDATE - G4 has provided us with the following statement, confirming the scheduling change, as well as staff cuts:

G4 is returning AOTS and X-Play to their former production schedules and, starting March 2nd, AOTS will air 4 originals per week and X-Play 3 originals per week. While the company does not comment on personnel matters, we can confirm that producing fewer episodes has resulted in a decrease in staff. Savings resulting from this move will go directly towards producing more original programming in 2009. This is not a budget cut. G4 remains dedicated to these core franchises.

This week, I got to go on X-Play's Head-to-Head segment for a repeat performance with considerably less bearing* and more boob. Enjoy!

Head-to-Head: Videogames in the Mainstream Media

*When you tape these things, all you can see is a little red light on a camera - not a real person. Hence me talking over the other guy - sorry, Professor!

G4 just named X-Play co-host Adam Sessler as their Editor-in-Chief of Games Content. That means on top of overseeing editorial content for X-Play, Sessler will be charged with overseeing all game content for the entire network. He will also remain on TV with Morgan Webb.

“Adam is an incredible resource and has helped position G4 and “X-Play” as the center of the gaming universe,” said Neal Tiles, President G4 TV. “We are lucky to have an industry expert with his experience, wisdom and passion, as well as his strong relationships throughout the gaming community, leading our team.”

Let me be the first to say congrats Adam, you've certainly got the brow for editor in chief. I'm still working on mine.

G4 has several photos of the giant Prinny in the wild, ordering drinks, bothering marketing executives, and just generally doing the sort of things Prinnies are apt to do when lacking the proper, scantily clad demoness authority figure. Eventually they got the rogue creature under control using the time-tested method of tearing apart its body and stuffing it in a giant garbage bag.

Speaking as Kotaku's biggest Disgaea fan, the only thing I crave more than my own giant Prinny costume is the Prinny-branded Toyota Scion parked outside the event.

Hit up the link below for 16 more photos of the misbehaving undead bird creature.

Prinny Attacks San Francisco, Gets Drunk, And Tries To Escape In Toyota Scion [G4 X-Play]

Now that Fable II has shipped and made a killing at retail, it's time to move on. The show is still a few hours away for those of us on the West Coast, but G4's The Feed writes that Pete will talk up one "familiar" game, hinting that a beloved Bullfrog or Lionhead franchise may be revisited. Ooh! What could it be?! The Moves II?

The other? It's touted to be "something completely different," specifically "different from anything any development studio has done before." Perhaps it's a hyperbole game? Whatever it is, we've now learned that a teaser for a teaser is almost as unbearable as an announcement about an announcement.

Exclusive: Molyneux Teases TWO New Projects on Tonight's X-Play [G4]

Why there aren't more video game themed cereals escapes me. After seeing G4's spoof on Gears of War's game-to-breakfast port—"Grains of War"—with an appearance by Lester "Augustus Cole" Speight, surely someone will step up.

Oh, the delicious shapes!

The sequel was infamously confirmed at E3 2005 with a pre-rendered teaser trailer, making the wait almost four years long for Guerrilla Games' futuristic first-person shooter. The game has not yet been dated for other territories, but has been privately beta testing over the past quarter.

SCEA managing producer Kyle Shubel revealed the date along with two new weapons during a Killzone 2 preview on G4 earlier today. A clip from that episode can be seen after the break.

'Killzone 2' Release Date: February 27, 2009!! [G4]

"We currently do not have anything planned in conjunction with Microsoft for September 25," the rep added. "I can’t speak for Microsoft but can say we do not have anything planned."

Nothing planned, they say. Perhaps G4 is blissfully unaware of Microsoft's plans to hijack its broadcast, as Weird Al Yankovic was notorious for doing to MTV in the mid 1980s. Damn you, Weird Al! If you do this one more time even with the aid of Microsoft, there will be hell to pay, free games or not!

You can head over to the G-Phoria website to cast your vote, or they've got an option to vote via text message in case you don't have access to the internet or just really enjoy typing with your thumb. Hit the jump for the full list of award categories.

“X-PLAY” PRESENTS “G-PHORIA 2008,” WHERE VIEWERS TAKE CONTROL OF G4’S ANNUAL VIDEOGAME AWARDS SHOW

“G-Phoria,” the only videogame award show that puts the voting controllers in the hands of real gamers, returns to G4 with interactive features that make it the most engaging awards show on TV. Once again, G4’s experts put their personal opinions aside and allow the game-playing public to decide the winners in a wide variety of categories ranging from Best Party Game to Best New Character, with the ultimate victor being named Game of the Year.

“G-Phoria” gives gamers interactive voting options which include G4tv.com and Verizon Wireless phones. It’s television’s only awards show where real gamers choose the games they like best. The public’s choices for the year’s best games will be announced during the special “X-Play” presentation of “G-Phoria 2008” which premieres TONIGHT at 8 p.m. ET/PT, only on G4.

Winners in each “G-Phoria 2008” category, including Game of the Year, are determined by votes submitted online and via text message. “X-Play” hosts Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb are your hosts for this annual gaming celebration.

“G-Phoria 2008” award categories include:

Best Party Game

Best New Character

Best Shooter

Best Strategy Game

Best Sports Game

Best Action Game

Best Racing Game

Best Role-Playing Game

Best Handheld Game

Most Original Game

Best Multiplayer Game

Best Downloadable Content

Best Voiceover

Best Graphics

Best Soundtrack

Longest Lasting Game

Game Most Deserving of an Uwe Boll Movie Adaptation

Game of the Year

A complete listing of the 90 nominees in 18 categories, along with additional “X-Play” information, is available online at http://www.g4tv.com/xplay. Visitors can learn more about “G-Phoria 2008” and how to cast their votes, and can also find reviews of the latest games, participate in the show’s online forums and engage in some of the interactive features that make every episode of “X-Play” completely unique.

Sure it's a bit stupid, childish, hokey, and inane. Most of the time it isn't even particularly funny. What strikes me is how terrifying the thought of being chased around by Billy Mitchell with futuristic weapons actually is. I would be terrified, but practical, cutting off my own hands so the record could never come to pass. When a maniacal gaming hot sauce maker is ready to gun you down you have to think on your toes, people.

G4 said it's the first outing for its programming on a gaming console. Incidentally, G4 also said it's the "multi-media destination that feeds young guy’s addiction for the latest technology, web culture, animation and video games." So, young guys, are you addicted?

...Full release follows the jump.

Los Angeles, CA, May 27, 2008 – G4, the multi-media destination that feeds young guy’s addiction for the latest technology, web culture, animation and video games, announced today that the network has teamed up with Microsoft to offer a selection of its popular series on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Shows available for download immediately are animated comedy series “Code Monkeys,” including a free sneak preview of season two, snowboarder reality series “The Block” and a special weekly episode of “Attack of the Show.” The agreement marks the first time that G4’s content has been made available for download on a gaming console.

“G4 is a natural fit to be part of the Xbox LIVE community. Our young male audience spends more time interfacing with technology than any other network,” said Neal Tiles, President, G4. “This partnership underscores G4’s commitment to bringing relevant and authentic content to young guys in more ways than ever before.”

“G4 is one of the industry leaders for gaming and entertainment content and we are thrilled to offer its shows on the Xbox LIVE Video Store,” said Ross Honey, senior director of the media and entertainment group, Microsoft. “We’re sure the Xbox LIVE community is going to jump at the chance to download G4 shows, especially the never before seen free episode of Code Monkeys.”

Episodes from the following G4 series are available for download now at the Xbox LIVE Video Store:

“Code Monkeys” – G4’s hit animated comedy of 8-bit proportions centers around GameAvision, a 1980’s videogame company, and the misadventures of its staff whose crazy antics ascend any of their own video creations. Creator Adam de la Peña (“The Man Show,” “Crank Yankers”) sends the rowdy staff on side-splitting adventures that parody the golden age of videogames, including cameos of industry icons who help them along the way. Season two of “Code Monkey” debuts June 1 on G4 but a new episode is available for download now at the Xbox LIVE Video Store.

“The Block” – This reality series, currently in its second season, gives viewers a free lift ticket inside the world of hard-core snowboarders. The series is filmed at the world’s only hotels run by and for snowboarders and offers a candid look at the insanity of “The Block,” where the action behind the front desk is only topped by what happens on the slopes. It’s up to the hotel’s owners, pro-snowboarding icon Marc Frank Montoya and hotel entrepreneur Liko Smith, to balance the company and the craziness to make sure guests live in true rock-star style. Season one of the series takes place in Lake Tahoe and season two goes to the hotel’s branch in Big Bear, CA.

“Attack of the Show” – G4 brings viewers an irreverent interactive daily live trip to the digital water cooler with reports on the latest hot topics and breaking news, including non-mainstream guests and in-depth coverage of events such as CES, E3, GDC, SXSW and Comic-Con. Hosted by Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn, “Attack of the Show” takes viewers inside, underneath, around and behind tech, games, Internet culture, comic books, sports, gadgets and more. A special weekly episode, created exclusively for Xbox users, will be made available for download each week.

Ah the Wiimote. An elegant weapon, not as clumsy or as random like a blaster. Paired with the Nunchuk, it's pretty awesome too, according to this video from G4, which got an exclusive hands-on with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for the Wii's duel mode. (Man that was a mouthful).

G4's reporter went as Luke Skywalker, duking it out in a TIE Fighter bay with Asajj Ventress There's saber-slashing and Force-choking galore, all arising from a pretty shrewd use of combinations and reverse moves in both controllers. It's not all lightning bolts and throws, either. Check out that old-school kick to the grill Luke delivers at the end.

The video says you'll get 9 different arenas and 27 characters to choose from, classics to the expanded universe. I know that LucasArts is promising exclusive gameplay for all consoles. But I had the two Jedi Knight games on Xbox, where lightsaber combat was a lot of button mashing and getting lucky. Honestly, if the purpose of this is to at last swing a lightsaber in 1:1 combat, then this is your baseline version.

It's probably going to make me buy a Wii. The question, will it make others do the same?

X-Play Exclusive: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for Wii [G4]

He regurgitated the standard anti-Take-Two spiel—albeit a bit more alliteratively, saying the company is "mentally molesting minors for money"—and threatening that he was working with unspecified law enforcement agencies to bring criminal charges against the publisher and Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick. That would be for claims of "graphic sex", not for the purported vandalizing of his Miami-area home.

Conan asks if Jack has actually played the game. The answer won't surprise you. The segment is worth a listen, as is NPR's previous coverage of GTA IV. And do stick around for Jack's sign off!

Grand Theft Auto Steals The Spotlight [NPR]

Was Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopoulos spot on when he said that Rock Band would be "training an army of a million drummers"? Maybe. It, at the very least, helped train one, Attack of the Show's Kevin Periera. He recently applied his 89% expert-level skills on Coheed and Cambria's "Welcome Home" to some real life Coheed and Cambria. How's he do? Well, I won't spoil it.

Okay, I will. He nails it. I have no idea how much real life drum experience Mr. Pereira's had, but if it's strictly limited to Rock Band, I'm impressed. If not, at least Kev got to rub elbows with the C&C music factory. Next time some internet d-bag asks why you don't just play a real instrument, fire back that maybe, just maybe, you will. Clip via FakePlasticRock.

Not only is this the first developer-powered award show to make it to mainstream television, but everyone who attended was entertained by some extremely funny acceptance speeches. Tune in and enjoy.

G4 To Show Game Developers Choice Awards Tonight [Gamasutra]