View source for Adam Sessler

{{Short description|American television personality}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Adam Sessler
| image              = Adam Sessler X-Play at Halo 3 launch (cropped).jpg
| image_size         = 
| caption            = Adam Sessler during the ''[[Halo 3]]'' launch in New York City on September 24, 2007
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1973|08|29}}
| birth_place        = [[El Cerrito, California]], U.S.
| spouse             = {{marriage |Sue Kalgeris|2004}}<ref name=interviewKotaku>{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320175525/https://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |title=Internet Killed The Video Star: The Extraordinary Journey Of Adam Sessler |last=Schreier |first=Jason |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Gawker Media]] |date=March 20, 2013 |archive-date=March 20, 2013 |access-date=September 23, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| nationality        = 
| known_for          = Co-host/[[managing editor]] of ''[[Xplay]]'', former editor-in-chief and host for [[Rev3Games]]
| education          = 
| occupation         = Video game journalist
}}
'''Adam Donovan Sessler''' (born August 29, 1973)<ref name=interviewKotaku/> is an American video game journalist, television personality and consultant. He is best known as the host for the video game review series ''[[Xplay]]'' and the editor-in-chief for [[G4 (U.S. TV channel)|G4]]'s video game section.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5112391/ |title=Adam Sessler Gets the Boot... Up to Editor-In Chief |author=Brian Crecente |date=December 17, 2008}}</ref> Upon his departure from G4 in April 2012, Sessler was its longest-tenured television personality, having originally been hired by its predecessor [[TechTV|ZDTV]] in 1998.<ref name=Sess/>

After his departure from G4, Sessler became the editor-in-chief and content producer for [[Rev3Games]]. He left [[video game journalism]] in 2014 to become the president of TheoryHead, a consultancy firm for entertainment and media.<ref>{{cite web |first=Erik |last=Kain |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2014/04/02/adam-sessler-leaving-rev3-games-to-pursue-new-avenues-in-video-games/ |title=Adam Sessler Leaving Rev3 Games To Pursue 'New Avenues' In Video Games |work=[[Forbes]] |date=April 2, 2014 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> In 2021, Adam Sessler was announced as a returning On-Air Talent and staff of the relaunched G4 television network.<ref>{{cite web |first=Dave |last=Welch |url=https://g4tv.com/press/g4-sessler-pereira-frosk-ovilee/ |title=G4 Announces Latest Wave Of On-Air Talent |work=[[G4TV]] |date=February 2, 2021 |access-date=November 25, 2021 |archive-date=November 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125180721/https://g4tv.com/press/g4-sessler-pereira-frosk-ovilee |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Background ==
Sessler was born in [[El Cerrito, California]],<ref name=interviewKotaku /> and graduated from [[El Cerrito High School]] in 1991. He graduated from [[UCLA]] with a [[bachelor's degree]] in [[English literature]]. He was previously a credit analyst for [[ABN-AMRO]] in [[San Francisco]],<ref>{{cite web |title=THE INDOOR KIDS: GAMING SCHOOL WITH ADAM SESSLER |url=http://www.nerdist.com/2012/07/the-indoor-kids-53-gaming-school-with-adam-sessler/ |publisher=Nerdist.com |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715041943/http://www.nerdist.com/2012/07/the-indoor-kids-53-gaming-school-with-adam-sessler/ |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and an actor on the San Francisco [[Public-access television]] show ''Chip Weigh Magnet Down'', which he also helped to make. Sessler admitted that he was grateful to no longer work for Fortune 500 companies, saying in ''The X-Play Insider's Guide to Gaming'' that he was "very sad" about the job. Sessler currently{{when|date=May 2024}} lives in San Francisco, California, with his wife<ref>{{cite web |first=Patrick |last=Roche-Sowa |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/690345/Sesslers_Soapbox_Gateway_Gaming.html |title=Sessler's Soapbox - Gateway Gaming |publisher=G4tv.com |date=October 22, 2008 |access-date=October 3, 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Amber.<ref name=amberTwitter>{{cite web |author=Jack |title=Adam Sessler: Is There Really Any Meaning to Life If I Can't Do Video Game Journalism? |url=http://www.p4rgaming.com/adam-sessler-is-there-really-any-meaning-to-life-if-i-cant-do-video-game-journalism/ |access-date=23 September 2014 |date=October 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717024533/http://www.p4rgaming.com/adam-sessler-is-there-really-any-meaning-to-life-if-i-cant-do-video-game-journalism/ |archive-date=July 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=interviewKotaku/>

Some of Sessler's favorite game series are the ''[[Halo (video game series)|Halo]]'' series for its [[first-person shooter]] qualities;<ref>{{cite web |author=Yodapollo |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/679947/sesslers-soapbox-dear-halo-haters/ |title=Sessler's Soapbox: Dear Halo Haters... |publisher=G4tv.com |date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2014 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203141342/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/679947/sesslers-soapbox-dear-halo-haters/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> the Japanese version of ''[[Rez (video game)|Rez]]'' for its [[Trance Vibrator]] peripheral;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2007/09/25/undersold-but-not-underloved-rez/ |title=Undersold, but not underloved: Rez |publisher=Siliconera |date=September 25, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223124341/http://www.siliconera.com/2007/09/25/undersold-but-not-underloved-rez/ |archive-date=February 23, 2014 }}</ref> the ''[[Banjo-Kazooie (video game)|Banjo-Kazooie]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KboXEbGcENU |title=The French-Canadian Connection: Ubisoft's Watch Dogs, Far Cry, and AC3&nbsp;– SESSLER'S SOMETHING |publisher=YouTube |date=May 13, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Rayman]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g4tv.com/videos/56519/sesslers-soapbox-rayman-origins-and-the-classic-platformer/ |title=Sessler's Soapbox: Rayman Origins and the Classic Platformer |publisher=G4tv.com |date=December 6, 2011 |access-date=June 16, 2014 |archive-date=July 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728162052/http://www.g4tv.com/videos/56519/sesslers-soapbox-rayman-origins-and-the-classic-platformer/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Ratchet & Clank]]'',<ref name=usatoday>{{cite web |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/02/games-of-the-decade-g4s-adam-sessler/1 |title=Games of the decade: G4's Adam Sessler |work=USA Today |date=February 1, 2010 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> and ''[[Sly Cooper]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IXp8TBrf38 |title=Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time REVIEW! Adam Sessler Reviews |publisher=YouTube |date=February 5, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> series for their unique [[Platform games|platform]] qualities. In 2010, Sessler stated his top five games of the decade were, in order of release: ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'', ''[[Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal]]'', ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]'', ''[[Fable II]]'', and ''[[Uncharted 2]]''.<ref name=usatoday /> He also stated that ''Uncharted 2'' was his favorite single-player experience of all time.<ref>{{cite web |first=Mike |last=D'Alonzo |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/699609/adam-sesslers-uncharted-2-review/ |title=Adam Sessler's Uncharted 2 Review |publisher=G4tv.com |date=September 29, 2009 |access-date=June 16, 2014 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203142850/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/699609/adam-sesslers-uncharted-2-review/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In his review of ''[[BioShock Infinite]]'', he stated that it is in the "rarefied company of titles like ''Half-Life 2'' and ''Uncharted 2''", intimating it to be a new personal favorite.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jchIi-vR_js |title=BioShock Infinite REVIEW! Adam Sessler Reviews |publisher=YouTube |date=March 25, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> Likewise, he has recently expressed affinity towards titles such as ''[[Gone Home]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmoNJISBPdY |title=Adam Sessler's Games of the Year for 2013 |publisher=YouTube |date=December 19, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> ''[[The Last of Us (video game)|The Last of Us]]'' (calling it one of the finest games he's ever played),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEs33aWkX2Q |title=The Last of Us REVIEW! Adam Sessler Reviews |publisher=YouTube |date=June 5, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref> and ''[[L.A. Noire]]'' (referring to it as a "watershed moment in gaming").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52956/sesslers-soapbox-la-noire/ |title=Sessler's Soapbox: LA Noire |publisher=G4tv.com |date=May 16, 2011 |access-date=June 16, 2014 |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407065947/http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52956/sesslers-soapbox-la-noire/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Sessler's favorite cabinet video game is ''[[Ghosts 'n Goblins]]'', which he has stated on several occasions on older episodes of ''Extended Play'' and ''X-Play''. He stated: "When I was 9 years old I used to scam quarters from my parents and sneak out to this local bowling alley that was so seedy [[Hubert Selby Jr.]] would get the creeps there. It smelled like personal abandonment. That's what I think of when I play my favorite game".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://g4tv.com//xplay//hosts//adam.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218155800/http://g4tv.com//xplay//hosts//adam.aspx |title=Adam Sessler&nbsp;– G4tv.com |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref>

Sessler has a younger brother, Jonathan, who appeared as Adam 2.0 in ''X-Play''{{'}}s 2005 April Fool's Day Episode, a "clone" of Adam who claims he's much better-looking than the original Adam with a "special USB port" (a reference to the [[Game Boy Advance SP]] succeeding the original [[Game Boy Advance]]).{{cn|date=October 2022}}

== Career ==
[[File:Adam Sessler at QuakeCon 2000.jpg|thumb|upright|Sessler at [[QuakeCon]] 2000]]
Sessler was the last remaining personality from the [[ZDTV]] network, surviving the network's progression from ZDTV (1998–2000) to TechTV (2000–2004), and subsequent transition to G4. Sessler was one of seven TechTV personalities, with [[Morgan Webb]], Sarah Lane, [[Kevin Rose]], [[Chi-Lan Lieu]], [[Blair Butler]] and Brendan Moran, to survive the massive [[layoffs]] resulting from the May 2004 [[Mergers and acquisitions|merger]] of G4 and TechTV.

In addition to co-hosting ''X-Play'', Sessler also appeared semi-regularly on ''[[Attack of the Show!]]'' as a video game correspondent.

In early 2005, Sessler started prematurely balding which led to a video tribute for his hair during an X-Play video showcase.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Tribute to Adam Sessler's Hair |url=https://archive.org/details/g4tv.com-video56959 |publisher=G4TV.com |access-date=15 November 2022}}</ref> Sessler confused many by announcing he was leaving ''X-Play'' to host a late-night talk show on G4 entitled ''Meet the Sess''. A trailer of the new show aired on ''X-Play'', showing Sessler verbally and physically abusing his guests until they released information about upcoming video games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://g4tv.com/xplay/videos/26476/XPlay_Classics_Meet_The_Sess.html |title=X-Play Classics: Meet the Sess |publisher=G4tv.com |date=June 18, 2008 |access-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref> Despite being extremely over-the-top and obviously fake, many viewers began flooding the G4 [[Internet forum|forums]] asking when the show would air, and if Sessler was really leaving ''X-Play''. On several occasions, Sessler has since publicly announced that the show was in fact an [[April Fool's Day]] joke. However, he had a podcast called ''Sessler's Soapbox''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/tag/301/Sesslers_Soapbox.html |title=Sessler's Soapbox |publisher=G4tv.com |access-date=October 3, 2013 |archive-date=February 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218193013/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/tag/301/Sesslers_Soapbox.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as ''Feedback'', where he discussed various gaming topics with other G4 correspondents and guests until late 2011, when he was replaced by [[Blair Herter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/tag/5635/Feedback.html |title=Feedback Blog |publisher=G4tv.com |access-date=October 3, 2013 |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102023210/http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/tag/5635/Feedback.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On April 25, 2012, Sessler's employment contract was terminated by G4TV.<ref name=Sess>{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5905119/adam-sessler-out-at-g4 |title=Adam Sessler Out at G4 |date=April 25, 2012 |access-date=April 25, 2012}}</ref><ref name=g4/> No reason was given for his termination.<ref name=g4>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/AdamSessler/status/300820633888104448 |title=Adam Sessler: "Now that G4 has officially become a Men's channel..." |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref> As of October 2012, he is listed as a judge on [[Syfy]]'s reality competition ''Viral Video Showdown.''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.syfy.com/viralvideoshowdown/about |title=Viral Video Showdown |access-date=October 27, 2012}}</ref>

On November 12, 2012, Sessler announced that he was joining [[Revision3]]. He remained with the network as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Producer of games content at [[Rev3Games]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.destructoid.com/adam-sessler-joins-revision3-as-editor-in-chief-238425.phtml#RghWCHeYqKA6hJD8.99 |title=Adam Sessler joins Revision3 as editor-in-chief |date=November 12, 2012 |publisher=Destructoid |access-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref> until April 2014, when he announced his departure to "explore new opportunities" within "gaming that help further the medium".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sessactual.tumblr.com/post/81519573404/in-tangier-the-parade-bar-is-closed |title=In Tangier the Parade Bar is closed.... |publisher=Adam Sessler |access-date=April 2, 2014}}</ref>

On April 2, 2014, Adam Sessler announced he was leaving Revision3 and would pursue a career outside video game journalism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gamesided.com/2014/04/02/noted-games-critic-adam-sessler-leaves-rev3games/ |title=Noted Games Critic Adam Sessler Leaves Rev3Games |first=Daniel |last=George |work=GameSided |date=April 2014 |access-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref>

On June 9, 2014, Sessler appeared as a panelist on [[Spike TV]]'s coverage of [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014|E3 2014]].

On June 19, 2015, he was featured as pre-show and post-show host of the [[Bethesda Game Studios]] E3 event alongside his past co-worker [[Morgan Webb]].

In 2016, Sessler co-founded Spiketrap, an AI-based social media intelligence platform, with Kieran Fitzpatrick, who serves as its CEO. Spiketrap’s first customers have been video game publishers such as Ubisoft, Bethesda, and 2K. Sessler left the company in March 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/07/01/spiketrap-raises-3-million-for-ai-based-social-media-intelligence-platform/|title = Spiketrap raises $3 million for AI-based social media intelligence platform|date = July 2020}}</ref>

On February 12, 2021, [[G4 (U.S. TV channel)|G4]] announced that Sessler would return to host ''[[Xplay]]'' on the relaunched television network,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://g4tv.com/g4-announces-latest-wave-of-on-air-talent |title=G4 ANNOUNCES LATEST WAVE OF ON-AIR TALENT |work=G4TV |date=February 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428042924/https://g4tv.com/g4-announces-latest-wave-of-on-air-talent |url-status=dead }}</ref> though the network ceased operations on October 16, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/g4-tv-reboot-shuts-down-less-than-a-year-after-its-initial-launch-1959945/ |title=G4 ANNOUNCES THEY ARE NO MORE |work=Dexerto|date=October 16, 2022 |access-date=October 16, 2022}}</ref>

== References ==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/gamings-top-50-journalists |title=Gaming's Top 50 Journalists |last=Orland |first=Kyle |work=[[Next Generation Magazine|Next Generation]] |date=October 17, 2006 |access-date=January 2, 2007}}

{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140117134504/http://revision3.com/host/adam-sessler Revision3 Hosts: Adam Sessler]
*[http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/blog/post/629272/Jack_Thompson_vs_Adam_Sessler.html AOTS Blog: Jack Thompson vs Adam Sessler] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523102218/http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/blog/post/629272/Jack_Thompson_vs_Adam_Sessler.html |date=May 23, 2007 }}
*{{IMDb name|0785944}}
*{{Triangulation|130|Adam Sessler}}

{{Revision3}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sessler, Adam}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American critics]]
[[Category:American television personalities]]
[[Category:Video game critics]]
[[Category:TechTV people]]
[[Category:X-Play]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:El Cerrito High School alumni]]