Jeff's Termination Discussion Thread - Please Keep ALL Related Discussion Here

Dear Jeff

You will be missed, even in Israel...

Keep being real and take care.

I'm kind of worried about the future of gamespot now. After Rich left I wondered whether they would be able to cope, but they crawled they way back and made themselves great again.

Through all these people quitting Jeff was always there to pick up the pieces and hold gamespot together. It's kind of ironic that he got fired by the company to he constantly strived to keep going.

Gamespot still has some great guys and I mean no disrespect to them, but in my opinion the two most important people at the site have gone in less than half a year, and it'll be difficult for them to continue, at least in the light-hearted way that they always did.

This is indeed extremely sad. For both your loyal readers/viewers and the fine people that make up what gamespot used to stand for. The ones that are left anyway.

If you work for gamespot what do you do now? Do you continue on now with the fear that being completely honest could very well cost you the job that you love (or used to anyway)? How do we as your readers and viewers trust gamespot ever again knowing that you have to attempt to do your job with that fear in the back of your mind the entire time? Is it even possible for you to maintain your integrity and work under conditions like this? Is it possible for us to really trust those reviews ever again?

This is what upsets me the most besides the sick greed of it all. The position that these extremely poor excuses of human beings have put all of us in. Shame on you all. Shame on you for firing a man from a job that he loved for the bottom dollar, and if the rumors are true, in such a disrespectful way.

This site used to be one of the most respected gaming sites on the internet, and look how swiftly your greed has changed all of that. On behalf of anyone who may not be able to speak their mind because they're near powerless to do so, screw you. You should be ashamed.

Just woke up.

I take it that there is no new developments on this story. Oh well, I guess we won't hear anything new until Monday, or at all.

Any staff members make any new comments?

I have to question the validity of this. The only facts are:

1) He gave an Eidos game a bad review 2) He was fired 3) The Kane and Lynch ads aren't currently running on the site. That in itself is not 100% evidence

Jeff is not the only person to review Eidos games. This is not the first Eidos game to get a bad review, nor will it be the last. Nor is it the worst score for an Eidos game. How long was the Kane and Lych ad running? How long do ads usually run on this site? Did the Kane and Lynch ad run for signicantly less time that the average game? Also, Gamespot cannot comment on his being fired to the general public. The only people they can talk to it about is a prospective employer who calls them as a reference. Thats the legal aspects of it. Them not giving a solid answer outside of "All we can sayis that he doesn't work here anymore" is more them following business law than it is a red flag.

Also, why have they fired him, but not removed or adjusted the score of the game? Why is the review still up? If Eidos truly pressured them into this, wouldn't they want to save face? Maybe reword his review so that its not as scathing? Or have it re-reviewed under claims that Jeff had a history of "slanted" reviews and they weeded out a bad seed. They didn't change anything about the score and didn't remove the review. They lost major ad money. Thats signs of them standing up to Eidos, so why would they fire him? They already lost everything? Thats one thing thats not adding up.

There are so many variables in this that most people don't seem to be willing to pay attention to. Its like theres been a hatred of GS in their mind and now they've finally found something to rally around, whether its true or not. I'm not suggesting that its impossible for him to have been fired over this, but we need more facts. Currently we only have pure speculation from allegedly "major" sources... the same "major" and "reliable" sources that often have these blog writers posting some of the most bogus and baseless rumors ever.

I caught this on another site and thougth it was very interesting. If it's already been linked, sorry

http: //www.petitiononline.com/removegs/petition.html

If you agree, let them know. Remember, if you don't vote, you don't matter!

How very unfortunate. No matter what happens now Jeff, a very good reviewer, is gone from this site and the damage has most certainly been done. If these accussations turn out to be true then I really feel for the other reviewers in that how can you give an honest review if that's exactly what can get you fired. Even if the reasons for Jeff getting fired are different then what is believed right now then it will still linger on for quite some time especially depending on who says what. It's really a lose-lose situation with the only distinction being of how much you lose.

I must say that looking over some threads and posts around here I've seen too much from what looks to be very credible sources to think that all this is just some very coincidental set of unfortunate circumstances. Whoever is in charge or responsible for the actions that were taken are clearly out of touch if they think something like this wouldn't have have caused the mess it has so rightly caused now. I think the people responsible need to be replaced pronto with those that have some measure of understanding that crediblity and good public relations are things that money can't buy.

And to think all this over a game that recieved the same reviews pretty much everywhere else. If you're going to put money behind a mediocre game and link advertisements to reviews that aren't even written then you need to be prepared to take your lumps.

Also, why have they fired him, but not removed or adjusted the score of the game? Why is the review still up? MrSickVisionz

His video review was taken down and it was meant to be what offended Edios. It does seem insane he would get fired for this but if you read the information we have and the general mood of those who know what happened it's safe to say he was fired for some crazy reason.

Jeff was fired cause he was a bad journalist. Jeff was the editor in chief. It is the end of the year. All the major titles are released and reviewed. This is the time someone of his position would be fired - and he was. Correlation is not causality - Kane and Lynch had some reason for his firing, but not the sole reason.

Stop crying. His "character" was great, he was a fun guy. However, he was not a good journalist.

I have to question the validity of this. The only facts are:

1) He gave an Eidos game a bad review 2) He was fired 3) The Kane and Lynch ads aren't currently running on the site. That in itself is not 100% evidence

Jeff is not the only person to review Eidos games. This is not the first Eidos game to get a bad review, nor will it be the last. Nor is it the worst score for an Eidos game. How long was the Kane and Lych ad running? How long do ads usually run on this site? Did the Kane and Lynch ad run for signicantly less time that the average game? Also, Gamespot cannot comment on his being fired to the general public. The only people they can talk to it about is a prospective employer who calls them as a reference. Thats the legal aspects of it. Them not giving a solid answer outside of "All we can sayis that he doesn't work here anymore" is more them following business law than it is a red flag.

Also, why have they fired him, but not removed or adjusted the score of the game? Why is the review still up? If Eidos truly pressured them into this, wouldn't they want to save face? Maybe reword his review so that its not as scathing? Or have it re-reviewed under claims that Jeff had a history of "slanted" reviews and they weeded out a bad seed. They didn't change anything about the score and didn't remove the review. They lost major ad money. Thats signs of them standing up to Eidos, so why would they fire him? They already lost everything? Thats one thing thats not adding up.

There are so many variables in this that most people don't seem to be willing to pay attention to. Its like theres been a hatred of GS in their mind and now they've finally found something to rally around, whether its true or not. I'm not suggesting that its impossible for him to have been fired over this, but we need more facts. Currently we only have pure speculation from allegedly "major" sources... the same "major" and "reliable" sources that often have these blog writers posting some of the most bogus and baseless rumors ever.

MrSickVisionz

Whatever...

People get fired everyday...

I don't think his reviews were that great...Tony Hawk 10/10 !??

From his reviews it feels likehe just skims over the game ..and then inflates his ego while writing about it..

Bah..people get canned everyday..!!

If you got fired I'm sure he could care less...

Boo hoo...

Let Cnet know how you feel: 415 344 2000
They aren't taking calls now, but you can leave a message :)

JEFF 4 EVAH

So long.

loominator

Boo hoo...

OgreB

However, he was not a good journalist.

rimnet00

Then what kept him around for 10 years?

after posting your two cents, i might remind everyone that the more hits the site gets, the more valuable advertising space becomes... use of the site, even to protest, is a little hypocritical. pleeenty of other places with forums filled up with this debate.

i'm a long time gamespot user, and i came to trust the reviews here. whether or not jeff's firing was a result of his Kane and Lynch review, pressure from eidos has been confirmed to be a factor.

here is a quote from gamespot's rating mission statement. look for a link below any verdict on the site.

"I've seen a lot of advertisements on your site from specific game companies. Does advertising affect your editorial mission in any way, shape, or form?"
Absolutely, positively not. Never in GameSpot's history has money changed hands with regard to a review, nor have we ever altered our verdict about any game due to advertiser pressure. We accept advertising from game publishers so that we can continue to provide you with free, high-quality services. However, GameSpot's business model is founded on the concept that if we provide our users with consistently trustworthy content, then they will visit us often and in great numbers. It is this large, dedicated audience that advertisers wish to speak to. We have operated on these principles for years and will continue to do so.

i had read this two weeks back, and i am now utterly dissapointed with gamespot. such a hole in their integrity has pretty much made me lose faith in them. i used gamespot almost daily, for everything i wanted to know about a game. pressure from advertisers? maybe. firing a trusted reviewer working here for 11 years because his review made advertisers mad? that's just wrong.

[QUOTE="loominator"]rimnet00

Your attempts at trolling has failed. Nice try

[QUOTE="rimnet00"][QUOTE="loominator"]dandy4

Your attempts at trolling has failed. Nice try

Attempt? I see no reason to be a paying customer at gamespot.. If I know the money I've invested is the primary reason why he is fired.. money..

I'm not giving my money to a company (not directed at gamespots editors).. that fire the reason I'm paying... That wasn't an attempt that was a action I did.

have you guys read frank provo take on this??

if not you can here

http://frankprovo.livejournal.com/320933.html

[QUOTE="loominator"]rimnet00

And you're qualified to judge journalistic prowess? You're not even literate. It's riddance.. riddance.

Well according to Frank Provo, it seems Jeff's terimination was because of his "tone" of his reviews. Thats terrible to hear. Now every reviewer has to fear getting canned because the sales team and editorial team can't get along.

Rumors are flying up everywhere - from Kotaku to NeoGaf - the details reguarding his termination and Gamespots practices are sounding shady -- almost like how news stations lost thier integrity (MSNBC, CNN, etc). Although I'm not a fan of Jeff's written material, if these reason are true then it seems like Gamespot has lost its integrity.

I always read media with postulation and skepticism in mind. These events just made me more wary.

Obviously Jeff was doing something correct for there to be such outrage all over the internet for this problem. Personally I am not going to take any action in canceling accounts or boycotting anyone until I hear what is eventually said by either side of the termination. As for my introductory comment... Let's see... Jeff was the charecter that I have grown to love on gamespot's site. He offered reviews that I almost always agreed with. This was very helpful in finding games I would like. Not to say that I don't like the other writers at the site, but Jeff was just the one I trusted. Maybe he was doing his behind the scenes work in a way that upset the suits. Being a business student I can understand how this is upsetting to them, but don't let those un-creative donkeys determine what you do. He obviously has a strong following and a readership who trusts him. He may not have been the "ideal" journalist cnet was wanting... but obviously he had assets that really benefited the site. I find this deeply saddening and I most likely will never lose the sour taste that gamespot has now placed in my mouth.

Keep doing your thing Jeff!

1up.com

^

A much better, less corperate, more opinionated site.

-

Jeff will be missed, but this whole thing is really just gamespot finally giving in to a trend that has been enveloping the site for the last year.

1up.com

^

A much better, less corperate, more opinionated site.

-

Jeff will be missed, but this whole thing is really just gamespot finally giving in to a trend that has been enveloping the site for the last year.

Nadan10

I was actually thinking the same thing. The only source of videogame information I have been a member of longer than gamespot is my EGM subscription. 1up is great, and although I still like Brad S. and a few more personalities at gamespot I just feel something is tainted about the site now.

This is honestly just plain wrong what they have done to Jeff. I may not have agreed with every one of his reviews, but I really respect and loved him. Nothing was better then seeing Jeff crack a joke in the middle of a game preview :D.

Now for the fun part, unless Jeff's contract with CNet stated something along the lines of waiving his freedom of speech or "can be terminated at any time without cause or reason" terminating Jeff on the grounds of what he said in a review is illegal. The only thing that could happen would be if someone were to sue for libel, which is like slander although in written form. However, everything that went into that particular review was true and therefore nullifies any attempt of any corporation or body to demand some form of reparation *Jeff's firing* on those grounds. Pulling ads, big whoop! CNet firing Jeff on the grounds of pulling ads can be debatable in a court of law, however the burden would be on CNet to prove their corporate losses and how much ad pulling from one company would greatly affect their profit and stability. In the USA, people have far more rights than corporations do, especially in the realm of speech. Jeff basically created a review of a product by another corporation, all this information was true, therefore no legal or demanding action could be taken by the corporation of it would be violating several amendments of the US Constitution :D.

*I'm not just saying this, I personally know someone fired from a local newspaper for the same grounds, the district court ruled in his favor and the paper was forced to give him his job back*

GS Staff/Former Staff Comments:

I obviously don't know the name of every GS employee, so I have to just go with their usernames on some of these.

Brian Ekberg

Bob C

Matt Rorie

Carrie

Adam B

Greg Kasavin

Ryan Davis

Tim Tracy(Not Necessarily About Jeff)

Rich Gallup

Aaron Thomas

Alex Navarro

Lark Anderson

Stanley L

mindcavity

Chris Watters

Kevin VanOrd

Bethany

These voices need to be heard above all. This list is incomplete and I will be reposting it every so often so that those just entering the thread will be able to read this. Viva la Jeff.

I have no doubt in my mind that the rumors are true. I have no doubt that what has made this site great is now gone. The integrity that has kept me coming back for years has been traded for higher revenue. The saddest part of it all is that this will be nothing more than a few hundred forum posts and a few dozen news stories that will soon be relegated to the great bit-bin in the sky. Gamespot will probably attract the casual gamers they are looking for, and be profitable for years to come.

I am conflicted about what I should do. The reviews here have now lost all credibility to me. There will always be doubt about whether or not the opinions expressed are legitimate. However, I enjoy the forums and also the videos and pics. I think that if I stay here, it will be for the community and the media content, but certainly not for the reviews.

I have been visiting here ever since it was videogames.com. I have been enjoying Jeff's reviews for 10 years, and this site for what has probably been at least 12 or 13 years. It is my opinion that what the gaming industry has wanted for so many years has now reached fruition. They have officially become mainstream media, and have acquired all of the ills that come with that position. Gamespot's reviews now rank right up there with the infomercial, breaking news about Britney Spears, and hidden ads in the 11 o'clock news.

I have no doubt in my mind that the rumors are true. I have no doubt that what has made this site great is now gone. The integrity that has kept me coming back for years has been traded for higher revenue. The saddest part of it all is that this will be nothing more than a few hundred forum posts and a few dozen news stories that will soon be relegated to the great bit-bin in the sky. Gamespot will probably attract the casual gamers they are looking for, and be profitable for years to come.

I am conflicted about what I should do. The reviews here have now lost all credibility to me. There will always be doubt about whether or not the opinions expressed are legitimate. However, I enjoy the forums and also the videos and pics. I think that if I stay here, it will be for the community and the media content, but certainly not for the reviews.

I have been visiting here ever since it was videogames.com. I have been enjoying Jeff's reviews for 10 years, and this site for what has probably been at least 12 or 13 years. It is my opinion that what the gaming industry has wanted for so many years has now reached fruition. They have officially become mainstream media, and have acquired all of the ills that come with that position. Gamespot's reviews now rank right up there with the infomercial, breaking news about Britney Spears, and hidden ads in the 11 o'clock news.

zaphod_b

Sad but true.

10 years ago I was looking forward to the day when games were more "mainstream". Now its a case of be carefull what you ask for.

[QUOTE="rimnet00"]

However, he was not a good journalist.

mmmd

Then what kept him around for 10 years?

I should have said a bad editor in chief. The guy turned this site into a fanboy haven. Single handedly destroying everything GregK did well. Now, of course you may feel that he could not have done so alone, and that he is only as good as the people who work under him - and I agree. However, in the real world, it's always the leader who holds the responsibility.

[QUOTE="Skylock00"]

[QUOTE="Lorindol"]Can you tell us how much of the stuff we are hearing is true...or are they going to make a newsline about it soon.Lanezy

So I can't really say much more about the matter, other than yes, Jeff is no longer with Gamespot, and I don't know when they'll make any sort of official announcement on the matter.

You Mods must be having a rough 24 hours. I know JustPlainLucas lost his cool in the off-topic board, but apologized afterwards.

*Goes to bug JPL about it* :P

Well, I guess we can finally say that CNET is corrupt. On a side note, I'm sick of their stupid ads under my profile link and apparently, they're still there even when you subscribe. Not that I'll ever subscribe.

Hi all.

I'm a long time Gamespot member who's been visiting this website regularly for reviews for over five years.

I understand that the recent news may only be a "foggy" version of the truth, but I've heard enough to make up my mind. To me, the situation is very simple.

If a game review website can be swayed by advertising revenue, if profit from advertising contracts impacts in any way, shape, or form the ability of that site's reviewers to make honest, unbiased, and impartial reviews, then that site has forgone its integrity as worthy of my attention and consideration.

Review impartiality should take precedent over profit and funding, even if a website is struggling to maintain its own existence, which this website is clearly not.

Rather than defend Jeff and his honest review at any cost, it appears as though Gamespot chose profit over impartiality.

Having been plastered in obnoxious and obtrusive advertisements for the last few years, having added paid accounts and exclusive content, I find it utterly impossible to accept that advertising revenue from Eidos was drastically, absolutely, and utterly necessary that it should take precedence over journalistic integrity.

Therefore, Gamespot is no longer worthy of my time and I will be choosing other websites for game reviews.

If you have a problem with a close friend or family member...if you see them doing something stupid, you don't keep your mouth shut and smile and nod, you let them know.

I'm letting you know.

Hi all.

I'm a long time Gamespot member who's been visiting this website regularly for reviews for over five years.

I understand that the recent news may only be a "foggy" version of the truth, but I've heard enough to make up my mind. To me, the situation is very simple.

If a game review website can be swayed by advertising revenue, if profit from advertising contracts impacts in any way, shape, or form the ability of that site's reviewers to make honest, unbiased, and impartial reviews, then that site has forgone its integrity as worthy of my attention and consideration.

Review impartiality should take precedent over profit and funding, even if a website is struggling to maintain its own existence, which this website is clearly not.

Rather than defend Jeff and his honest review at any cost, it appears as though Gamespot chose profit over impartiality.

Having been plastered in obnoxious and obtrusive advertisements for the last few years, having added paid accounts and exclusive content, I find it utterly impossible to accept that advertising revenue from Eidos was drastically, absolutely, and utterly necessary that it should take precedence over journalistic integrity.

Therefore, Gamespot is no longer worthy of my time and I will be choosing other websites for game reviews.

If you have a problem with a close friend or family member...if you see them doing something stupid, you don't keep your mouth shut and smile and nod, you let them know.

I'm letting you know.

xanthus

Im pretty confident that you are talking about CNET here, and not about Gamespot.

Second, reviews dont make money. Factual information. CNET has failed to keep the worlds of advertising and reviewwriting apart. And politics is probably the cause why nobody can make any sense of what is going on.

I just wanted to add:

I will be telling as many people as I can not to buy Kane & Lynch for any platform.

NOT necessarily as some kind of act of protest, but because I sincerely believe in the quality and honesty of Jeff's original review and in the spirit of of the freedom and impartiality of that review, I will inform as many people as I can that this game is absolutely not worth their time or hard-earned money.

I used to come here for game reviews. Guess I will have to go elsewhere. Maybe some place where you can get an honest game review.

I think GameSpot and Cnet management should be ashamed of themselves. With the firing of Jeff, they've demonstrated a reprehensible lack of integrity. Knowing that GameSpot is now in the backpocket of gaming companies... specially companies who make games of a less than good quality, makes me trust GameSpot reviews less. Something needs to change. I would like to say that I would cancel my Total Access account, but I cancelled it many months ago for lack of affordability. This whole mess will not make me resubscribe.

And, oh, I will never play Kane And Lynch after this. Great job, GameSpot management! (/sarcasm)