Ostensibly gamer-oriented cable network G4 TV plans to lampoon gamer and game development culture with a new series animated in the style of 8-bit video games. Next month, G4 will launch Code Monkeys, which chronicles the lives of employees at fictional 1980s game company GameAvision, a formerly independent studio that has been acquired by an oil magnate.

Code Monkeys was conceived by Adam de la Pena, creator of Adult Swim cartoon Minoriteam and Comedy Central pseudo-documentary I'm With Busey, and a writer on Comedy Central's Crank Yankers. De la Pena's Monkey Wrangler Productions will head up development. Confirmed guest voice actors from the video game and tech industries include Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, God of War director David Jaffe, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

"'Code Monkeys' shows my parents that I did not waste my life playing video games. I wasted my life in over ways, like drinking and going to college," said de la Pena. "Every episode will include video game references, as well as guest stars from the past and future of gaming."

Apparently, such references include a status bar that displays some sort of information on the screen as episodes progress; the nature of this information was not divulged in today's announcement. Shacknews has contacted G4 for further clarification on this point.

With Code Monkeys, G4 plans to target hip, happening members of today's generation--primarily males. "'Code Monkeys' is the first animated comedy made specifically for today's Xbox/iPod/YouTube generation and could only have come from a network that truly appreciates videogames and technology," said G4 president Neal Tiles. "Whether they're a gamer or not, the videogame and technology references in 'Code Monkeys' are something every guy will enjoy." It is likely that Tiles hopes members of the PS2/Zune/MySpace generation will relate to the show as well.

Online video side Break.com plans to show the debut episode of Code Monkeys starting tomorrow. The show will begin its G4 run on Wednesday, July 11 at 9:00pm.

Update: In response to Shacknews' inquiries, G4 TV sent along three screen captures of the upcoming program, and addressed the issue of the status bar. "The status bar is always there and tracks much of what is going on in the show at any given time," a company representative explained enigmatically.