Remembering old streamers: 4PlayerPodcast

[trickybus]

I don't do much stream watching today but back in the early 2000s, I was introduced to quite a few games (including the Fatal Frame series) through a small streaming channel on JustinTV called 4PlayerPodcast. Technically, they still exist today under '4PlayerNetwork' but the original 4-man group of founders is no more.

It was a small channel founded by four longtime-friends who did little more than live-record their game nights for an audience. It was a cozy and casual way for kids like myself to experience inaccessible games in an environment that felt akin to a friend's house. While they played games of various genres, 4PP's popularity was a result of their horror content. As this was before scripted reactions became ubiquitous, the fearful responses were as genuine as they were entertaining. Each member possessed their own tolerance for spooks, ranging from a delighted laugh at a sudden jumpscare to running out of the room in fear at the sudden appearance of a hostile ghost.

The most easily spooked member, Brad, was well-liked among fans for his over-the-top reactions and silly antics. I didn't think this little streaming channel reached very far until I was blindsided by an unexpected reference to Brad in Grand Theft Auto 5.

I haven't looked much into the history of game streaming; however, this has changed recently as I've read more than once that 4PP was a "pioneer" the helped popularize modern-day streaming. I don't know of any other early streamers beyond 4PP but I assume they must have existed and likely also contributed to today's streaming culture. As such, I'd like to know about your experience with early streaming. Who did you watch and how do you think they shaped the way games are streamed today?

 

[Sunnyside]

Oh hey I still vaguely remember a handful of clips from that channel. Had to look them up for old times sake:

 

[Leo-Dash]

I remember seeing clips of them back in the day and was amused, but never watched their full steams

 

[solidbatman]

i remember watching a lot of youtube people who slowly migrated over to justintv before twitch got spun off. specifically, callmekevin and girlonduty playing san andreas multiplayer rp stuff.

 

[kifeb]

I don't do much stream watching today but back in the early 2000s, I was introduced to quite a few games (including the Fatal Frame series) through a small streaming channel on JustinTV called 4PlayerPodcast. Technically, they still exist today under '4PlayerNetwork' but the original 4-man group of founders is no more.

It was a small channel founded by four longtime-friends who did little more than live-record their game nights for an audience. It was a cozy and casual way for kids like myself to experience inaccessible games in an environment that felt akin to a friend's house. While they played games of various genres, 4PP's popularity was a result of their horror content. As this was before scripted reactions became ubiquitous, the fearful responses were as genuine as they were entertaining. Each member possessed their own tolerance for spooks, ranging from a delighted laugh at a sudden jumpscare to running out of the room in fear at the sudden appearance of a hostile ghost.

The most easily spooked member, Brad, was well-liked among fans for his over-the-top reactions and silly antics. I didn't think this little streaming channel reached very far until I was blindsided by an unexpected reference to Brad in Grand Theft Auto 5.

I haven't looked much into the history of game streaming; however, this has changed recently as I've read more than once that 4PP was a "pioneer" the helped popularize modern-day promote live streaming. I don't know of any other early streamers beyond 4PP but I assume they must have existed and likely also contributed to today's streaming culture. As such, I'd like to know about your experience with early streaming. Who did you watch and how do you think they shaped the way games are streamed today?

I love hearing about 4PlayerPodcast! My early streaming experience was similar—watching small streamers on JustinTV and early Twitch who had that cozy, unscripted vibe. Streams back then were more about genuine reactions and community than flashy production. I think early streamers like 4PP helped shape modern streaming by showing the value of personality-driven content and building community around shared interests. Today’s streams owe a lot to that focus on authenticity and interaction, rather than just gameplay. It really set the stage for the mix of entertainment and gaming we see in streams now.