CRichard2005's Journal
This is a documentary I shot following me and my two friends during Black Friday. Warning, some mild language.
As of time I am writing this (1:22 AM EST) a new video I have been working on for the past week is processing. It is my second documentary I posted here. Also, this may or may not be my last video I post here on Gamespot. As most of you might have read on the inteweb Gamespot own Jeff Gerstmann has been released by GS and CNET apparently due to pressure by publisher Eidos for his less than positive review of Kane and Lynch. While this is still a rumor and has not been confirmed yet, fellow GS user capin131 did give in my opinion very good tell tell signs of him being let go (he wasn't on The Hotspot and there was no On the Spot). If this rumor does come out to be true (though I am hoping in my heart of hearts it is not) I can not support a site that puts its review integrity in question for the benefit of a publisher and I can see myself (as well as other GS users) totally packing up shop and leaving GS.
Gamespot has been primary site for reviews since '02. I started paying for site benefits in '05 because I really liked the site coverage of game shows (E3 and TGS). Besides former GS editors Bob C and Greg K, Gerstmann is the only editor I trusted when it came to reviews here on the site. What really makes him stand above other editors is his online presence with his video reviews and him being in both the Hotspot and On the Spot. Like I said, this is just a rumor but if true, this could have series ripple effects not just here on GS but the industry. First off, this bad for GS (I'm not counting the rest of CNET) on account it shows they have no respect for the review process. Second, it is bad for publisher Eidos. How can we support their games when they are putting pressure on reviewers to give them favorable scores. Lastly this is bad us readers. How can we trust reviews here on GS or may be other sites. How do we know if a review on said X game was given a good score because of pressure by publisher.
Though Jeff will be miss here on GS, I know he will land no his feet. Everyone knows who he is in the game journalism community so he can write his own ticket I think to any site, mag, etc. Also, he did mention that if he was not reviewing games for a living he wanted to pursue a music carrier full time. Maybe this gives him time finally to finish his fourth album with his group Midnight Brown. Who knows, they could be the next Jonathan Coulton of the interweb or maybe even bigger. Either way, I look forward to whatever he does and I wish him all the best.
The video should be up shorty and as far as me continuing here on GS, I have to question that. Like I said, I am not counting the rest of CNET. I will continue to keep listening to their techs shows and podcasts like Buzz out Loud and CNET live (hope Molly Wood or Tom Merritt are not selling out), the gaming side, well................
