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

What is fact and what is fiction?

If the ratings rumors are true - than the system is broken - and the giant corporations have won -1984...

This is unfortunate. After the Mario Galaxy mega thread that went on for weeks, this placed was becoming fun again. It's always had such a strong sense of community. The mods have been doing a great job in this matter, my hat is off to you, it's a tough place to be.

Thank you to all the posters I've enjoyed reading over the years, I hope to read your ideas on another site someday. I think even though the choice may be tough, it is time to move on. Our love for gaming will not change, so starting over in a fresh new environment can be a positive thing. I'll pop in from time to time to see who's still around, but it won't be an everyday thing anymore, like I said, these discussions make my afternoons! Just because some of us don't post all the time doesn't mean we aren't reading!

So where is a good forum with this sense of community? I'm looking for a new home.

[QUOTE="rimnet00"][QUOTE="mmmd"][QUOTE="rimnet00"]

However, he was not a good journalist.

anime-2k3

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.

Oh please would you just STFU.

Fanboy heaven? Do you have any arguments to back this? Or are you just speculating about a 'real world' you made up in your head?

I'm not leaving... c'mon, if you leave, you are just worsening the situation...jjr10

If there was a better site to go to I would leave. I feel bad about what happened to Jeff but for what I use it for this site is still the best and I have never been one for boycotts.

I'm not leaving... c'mon, if you leave, you are just worsening the situation...jjr10

how do you figure that ?

I'm not leaving... c'mon, if you leave, you are just worsening the situation...jjr10

Yes sir. Worsening the situation is complaning about Gamespot. You should all complain about CNET. Corporate suits.

This is a rediculously awesome video tribute I found of our man Jeff Gerstmann. Please show some respect and watch it. Its funny and kinda heart wrenching. Miss you brotha. You were the only reason I still came back to this place!!! Here is the link. Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-grkFSvs9Og&feature=related

[QUOTE="jjr10"]I'm not leaving... c'mon, if you leave, you are just worsening the situation...Shakti_020

Yes sir. Worsening the situation is complaning about Gamespot. You should all complain about CNET. Corporate suits.

That's what i mean.

Fire Josh Larson. He's the new executive editor who's blurring the line between advertisments and game review scores. Frankly, what people are going to see on this site in terms of reviews is that game developers and publishers with lots of advertising cash will be able to dictate the score they get.

It's already starting to happen. Just look at the time at when a review comes out and how it relates to the score. If the score is pretty high, then the review will come out before the game is released. If the score is low, notice how it seems to take quite a bit of time to get the review out, even though the game is on store shelves. The reason it takes so long is that the advertising team is getting in the way, trying to prolong the time they could possibly squeeze some ad revenue from the publisher who released a subpar game.

If you need a concrete example of this, just take a look at Soul Calibur Legends for the wii. Over at metacritic, it seems to be getting a preponderence of 6.0 scores. Best Buy lists the game as already available on its store shelves. 1up, ign, and even Nintendo Power have released their scores of the game already. So it seems that the ad people at GS are preventing the review of this game from going up, even though their competitors already have it up.

If you want this to stop then I implore everyone to put in their signature the three words:

"Fire Josh Larson"

"Fire Josh Larson"

"Fire Josh Larson"

As true now as it was 31 years ago. Swap around the names, insert Gamespot in place of Television it's all the same. Nothing changes.

Network

Gamespot is now officially the man. I've been reading this site since 1997 as well, and let me tell you it has alwaysbeen like this, they just now got sloppy about covering their tracks. It hasn't been this flagrant in the past, but it was there just under the surface.

Getting Josh Larsen fired, though rightfully earned, will ultimately change nothing.They'll just be more careful about hiding their loyalties to royalties.

Josh Larsen is a symptom folks, not the problem.

I have been reading this site since like 1997 and been a paying member for a good while. I would consider myself a hardcore gamer. I have to say this whole situation has me really disappointed. I am appalled that whoever up high made the call to fire a goodemployee because they lost advertising dollars... when the employee was being honest. It really does not get any lower than that. Talk about loss of integrity and totally betraying all of our trusts. I mean the very nature of the "review" is to get an honest, thoughtful idea of what you can expect when you go shell out $60 for a game. Too taint, too defile the sanctity of the review is to destroy the core of the entire being of the site. As others have said, the only thing left worth salvaging is the community.

I don't post near the level I would like too, I just don't have the time. I do however feel very connected and a part of this community and gamers in general. I love games and I love the community. I feel personally injured by the actions of whoever made this call.

For me to stay at gamespot, I want to see a few things happen:

(1) I want the topdogs over at cnet or wherever to come clean with everything and I wantto know who specifically was responsible for making such a bone-headed decision.

(2) I want that person(s) fired publicly and replaced with someone with integrity

(3) I want the guys in charge to declare they see the error in their ways, are sorry and vow never to let something like this ever happen again at gamespot or cnet. I want to see publicly so that we all know that the reviewers are protected and will not be fired for speaking(writing) the truth.

I really hope they can own up to this all or I will regretfully bail and find a new site to read.

This probobaly won't bring Jeff back but please sign anyway for the sake of free speech in the video game industry.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Gerstmann

I have been reading this site since like 1997 and been a paying member for a good while. I would consider myself a hardcore gamer. I have to say this whole situation has me really disappointed. I am appalled that whoever up high made the call to fire a goodemployee because they lost advertising dollars... when the employee was being honest. It really does not get any lower than that. Talk about loss of integrity and totally betraying all of our trusts. I mean the very nature of the "review" is to get an honest, thoughtful idea of what you can expect when you go shell out $60 for a game. Too taint, too defile the sanctity of the review is to destroy the core of the entire being of the site. As others have said, the only thing left worth salvaging is the community.

I don't post near the level I would like too, I just don't have the time. I do however feel very connected and a part of this community and gamers in general. I love games and I love the community. I feel personally injured by the actions of whoever made this call.

For me to stay at gamespot, I want to see a few things happen:

(1) I want the topdogs over at cnet or wherever to come clean with everything and I wantto know who specifically was responsible for making such a bone-headed decision.

(2) I want that person(s) fired publicly and replaced with someone with integrity

(3) I want the guys in charge to declare they see the error in their ways, are sorry and vow never to let something like this ever happen again at gamespot or cnet. I want to see publicly so that we all know that the reviewers are protected and will not be fired for speaking(writing) the truth.

I really hope they can own up to this all or I will regretfully bail and find a new site to read.

limbofrog

If I may..

(3.1) I want to have transparancy in the organizational changes made to ensure that the stake in advertisement does not interfere with the independance the writers have.

1Up Shows Support For GameSpot Reviewers (Kotaku article)

"A bunch of Ziff Davis staffers (including 1Up) made a banner to show their support for fellow game reviewers and marched it the two blocks to the GameSpot building on Friday. The banner, and impromptu march, shows that despite being competition, what may have happened at GameSpot could have wide-spread implications in the game publication industry."

Good for them! :)

I've been coming to Gamespot for many years now, and have trusted their reviews a great deal in the past. But I remember being a bit shocked the first time I came to Gamespot and saw some game's graphics plastered all along the sidebars and top of the page. It looked like more than just an "ad" at that point. The ad took up almost as much space as the website content. It looked like Gamespot had become a fansite for that particular game. I remember thinking, how can they possibly provide a non-biased review for that game? And that continued from game to another game to another. Each one, I wondered how they could possibly provide a negative review for a game that was plastered all over the front page of their website. Now I guess we know the answer to that question.

There is a good reason why Consumer Reports doesn't take ads. A review site needs to maintain a non-biased appearance, or else it becomes a fansite instead of a review site.

Gamespot has been one of my favourite sites for a long time, and i have a deep amount of respect for gamespot employees such as Brad, Alex, Ryan, Ricardo, Matt and so on, and I want to continue reading previews/reviews from these people in the future.

The site has lost all credibility. If it wants to try regain any of it, it needs to explain this whole mess out. Untill there is some more explanation, **** this site.

1Up Shows Support For GameSpot Reviewers (Kotaku article)

Good for them!

Ravenprose

wow this is getting bigger than gs

[QUOTE="Ravenprose"]

1Up Shows Support For GameSpot Reviewers (Kotaku article)

Good for them!

solidgamer

wow this is getting bigger than gs

The article

In the growing wake of the controversy surrounding GameSpot's alleged firing of editorial director Jeff Gerstmann comes a little bit of surprising solidarity.

A bunch of Ziff Davis staffers (including 1Up) made a banner to show their support for fellow game reviewers and marched it the two blocks to the GameSpot building on Friday. The banner, and impromptu march, shows that despite being competition, what may have happened at GameSpot could have wide-spread implications in the game publication industry.

We're also told that the Kane & Lynch user reviews on Gamespot have been, at least temporarily, disabled and there are rumors that people are canceling their Gamespot accounts "en masse."

I'm not sure how Gamespot is going to deal with all of this since I'm pretty sure they're not legally able to talk about why Gerstmann is no longer there. I'd assume that at some point Gerstmann might talk, but I'd guess right now he's trying to figure out what to do in the way of a job.

What about you? Do you work as a game reviewer? Have you been forced to rewrite a review due to advertising pressure? Feel free to email us at tips if you have or to editor. Remember, you can remain anonymous.

This is horrible. I can't even look at my newborn baby anymore. I feel like I've poisoned him with gamespot infested eyes.

*cries naked in shower*

I have been a paid Gamespot member for years now and had relied on their reviews more than any other when considering buying a videogame. I see now that this may have been an error on my part.

In light of Jeff's firing, I have cancelled my Gamespot subscription.

I think this is my first post on these forums, and I expect it is my last. Sayonara.

I'm happy that Ziff Davis employees are also up in arms about this. I wish I were in southern California myself so I could express my displeasure, but being here in Utah with a college payment and stuff prevents that. I hope the offices see a little more, and while the staffers there may end up being the ones that see this, I hope they realize that we're supporting the honest hardworking editorial and community staff.

Im not coming back to gamespot, gamefaqs, or CNET ever again. goodbye.

This site lost 3/4 of their talent, and ALL of their credibility in one fell swoop. My subscription ran out about two weeks ago, and I am no longer planning on renewing. What a shame, Gamespot (and videogames.com / videogamespot) used to be great.

I think the saddest part is that it's pretty clear Eidos didn't ask for this, but the GS management did it preemptively out of fear. Way to run a decade's worth of good will and great content into the ground in one day Josh.

If you are still a paying member, please consider standing up for integrity in reviews, and cancelling your membership. Gerstmann is fantastic, I hope 1UP offers him a job immediately, or he starts his own site/podcast. A safe place for all of the current GS employees to defect to that have had their job security terrorized.

I have always been an arduous Gamespot supporter in the face of 8.8 review scores and whatever. I really feel for those that are left in Jeff's wake here. I appreciate all the hard work that the various members of the GS staff have put towards making this site fantastic, but I cannot come back here with a clear concious. This is it. So long GS.

1Up Shows Support For GameSpot Reviewers (Kotaku article)

"A bunch of Ziff Davis staffers (including 1Up) made a banner to show their support for fellow game reviewers and marched it the two blocks to the GameSpot building on Friday. The banner, and impromptu march, shows that despite being competition, what may have happened at GameSpot could have wide-spread implications in the game publication industry."

Good for them! :)

Ravenprose

It's good to see that people (rival reviewers) are supporting the GameSpot staff beacuse if anything, they probably need that the most.

I think it really sucks... He was definately my favourite reviewer. Reviews are one of those things that are by default subjective. If Gamespot wanted a good rating system they'd have a panel review games and find an average... Otherwise, it's just the opinion of one man. And after reading heaps of his reviews, I don't think Jeff was in any way wrong at any time. I have played a lot of the games he's given 'controversial' scores and I have to say, I usually agree. The funny thing about all this, is that it comes in the wake of the quarrel between Penny Arcade and game reviewers, and Gamespot has just shown everyone exactly how right Krahulik was.

It's a sad day for Gamespot and for the world of game reviews... the one truly honest reviewer has been fired. I don't know if I really care for anyone else on the site, really.

It's a reviewer's job to REVIEW things. Anyway, the point is it's disgraceful. Gamespot says they didn't fire him in relation to the Kane and Lynch review, but they did because he didn't give the reviews they wanted him to give. Well, guys, that's still pretty poor form.

Just to start, a message for Mr. Larson: I am the "casual" gamer you seem so desperate to appeal to.

I've been visiting gamespot faithfully for over a decade, mainly for their reviews, but also for previews, screenshots, videos etc. for games I am anticipating. I became initially attracted to gamespot for their honesty and integrity in reviewing; I wanted to know when a game was good and when it wasn't, and through the years I came to trust gamespot more than other websites in this regard.

In the past few years that trust has wavered a bit. More than once I've purchased a game and found it buggy or screwed up (recent Maddens, anyone?) despite a relatively high gamespot review. I was wondering whether the advertising was having an effect on these reviews.

Jeff Gerstmann's firing has removed any and all doubt that remained. It's a pity that this site has become subject to and consumed by advertiser's interests, since it was such a beacon for gamers before. What worth does a website have if everything it puts out there needs to be vetted by game companies? If that's what we wanted, we would just read press releases to decide whether to purchase a game. What made this website so valuable to me was the detail and honesty of the reviewers. If they said a game was good, I knew it was good. If they said it was bad, I knew it was bad. And I knew these things without shelling out my hard-earned money and wasting time playing the game myself.

Larson (and others), THIS is why this website has had such high traffic. If you remove THIS, the traffic will go down. And that traffic is what produces advertising interest in the first place, and what determines how much money you make on that advertising.

You may win the battle for control over the company's message, but in so doing you will kill it. Gamespot won't be worth anything by the time you are done running things. Enjoy putting that on your resume Larson. 2007-whenever: ran Gamespot into the ground.

I'll head elsewhere for my game information. Maybe wherever Gerstmann ends up, assuming he stays on the media side of things. Otherwise I'll have to do some digging, but rest assured that it won't be Gamespot any longer.

Jeff was my favorite Reviewer even thought some reviews were kinda off but i agreed on the most part and will be sorely missed here he was the life at Gamespot now hes gone i have no reasion to come here anymore now that GS is a Ad payed Review

Halo 3 should of gotten a 9.0 and COD 4 a 10

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've been trying to look at this whole thing with an open mind, but I still can't find any truly legitimate reasons for the way in which Jeff was let go. It's quite possible they may have wanted him to "tone" things down, but I think they missed the point.Why were companies willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to advertise on Gamespot in the first place? Not because of the marketing department, but rather because of the name that GS had made for itself. Over the years, GS had earned the reputation as a great site for game reviews, news, forums, and other gaming related info. People come to the site to check out all those areas. And it's those people that the advertisers are targetting. Period.

The marketing people can pat themselves on the back and take all the credit, but without the editors, reviews, news, etc. they are nothing. No one will pay to advertise at a site that no one visits. That's a shame that Eidos was upset about a scathing review of one of their games, but shouldn't they have spent more time in making a better game? Looking at most of the revies out there, Jeff's review hardly strays from the norm.

I remember Segasages dot com which eventually became IGN which back during the genesis era was my favorite site. I used to be part of that community but never liked their forum format and soon found Gamespot which quickly became my home for reviews, previews and general game news. Mainly it was the video coverage that they provided and in depth reviews. I used to come here for reviews before my game purchases. I soon discovered other blogs and comic sites that I felt were more to my liking but I still was part of this community, but this Jeff fiasco just slaps and spits in the face of gamers everywhere, specially those part of the community. Thank you for all your past coverage but from now on Gamespot is no longer to be considered a reliable games news site, and should be considered a propaganda and advertising game site.

Dumbest firing ever! Gamespot is so DUMB and GUTLESS on this one! PersonalitieslikeJeff G'sare why we come here!!!

And for Gamespot to bow to the pressure from some mediocre to bad game company like Eidos who put out nothing but overhyped garbage games 90% of the time...is the biggest joke here. Maybe do a good F'ing game Eidos and you won't have to see bad reviews all the time! I've got news for ya... EVERYONE said Kane and Lynch sucked! Sorry.

I'd rather go out of business before bowing to some sorry company like Eidos. Show some F'ing GUTS Gamespot!

Gamespot = Dead to Me. Nice job A-holes! I'm cancelling my subscription anddeleting you from my Favorites Gamestop.

You don't deserve our $$$ being so F'ing GUTLESS! I hope Jeff starts a site and takes Alex and Brian.

It is what it is, dude knew what he was doing when he decided to stand on his own, and give a HONEST opinion about a game. It's a shame that it happened and it sucks that when it all comes down to it MONEY rules over EVERYTHING. Business is business. I'm not going to cancel my account though, I like the forums here and the website.....I don't pay any attention to the ads, and I don't read the reviews....I'm here for the forums and the updates, and will continue to stay faithful. I logon everyday, that's not going to stop!!

Its the first time I write something for this forum, just to say: gamespot, RIP

ernesto

I don't see why people try to make Jeff this big hero. He obviously was influenced by Gamespot prior to this incident. Wasn't he the joker that gave Zelda a low score? OmegaTau

Stop whining about Twilight Princess. It deserved an 8.8. I can't believe people are still making a big fuss about it a year after it's been out. The 8.8 shouldn't matter for you. If you enjoyed it, then the review shouldn't matter.

[QUOTE="OmegaTau"]I don't see why people try to make Jeff this big hero. He obviously was influenced by Gamespot prior to this incident. Wasn't he the joker that gave Zelda a low score? Xiile

Stop whining about Twilight Princess. It deserved an 8.8. I can't believe people are still making a big fuss about it a year after it's been out. The 8.8 shouldn't matter for you. If you enjoyed it, then the review shouldn't matter.

If anyone thinks this is about reviewscores, they are missing the whole point. This is about the independance of writers on sites like GS. And its about corporate suits like CNET who decide which 'tone' should be chosen to satisfy advertisers.

Go to the CNET site and see for yourself:

1. We got access to the community

2. So would you like to advertise?

A nice business model. But not so nice when people start to see through it all.