Penny Arcade 11/30/2007 Jeff Gerstmann fired from Gamespot, allegedly for K&L review

[ShutEye]

Looks like I won't be visiting Gamespot again. Always felt his reviews brought a fair perspective with them.

[_dementia]

This is an outrage if true. Especially since his score seems largely "correct" (mid-60s on metacritic)

I know it's farfetched, but perhaps this is the straw that broke the camel's back after Twilight Princess and Ratchet & Clack Future?

[Zerodoppler]

Kasavin, Gallup and now Gerstmann? R.I.P Gamespot.

[pilonv1]

Editor's Note: This review has been updated to include differences between the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions and a clarification on the game's multiplayer mode.

This is on the K&L review now. Interesting.

[methane47]

Didn't he give Super StarDust HD a 7.0? .. looks like karma caught up to him

[polyh3dron]

So at Gamespot you are only allowed to write bad reviews for good games I guess. Or maybe you can only write bad reviews for PS3 games. Who knows.

I am still laughing if this is true because it's one of the few times when he got it right on the money. He maybe even went a little too easy on the game with that rating.

[The Friendly Monster]

Just for ole' times sake...

I finally finished this game about 10 minutes ago, this score is spot on.

[DKnight]

I only have second-hand information, so I don't feel comfortable relating any of it.

Spit it out! THE GAF DEMANDS TO KNOW!

[tanod]

If he did get fired, I doubt it was because of the review. PA is just joking about the coincidence, maybe?

He's been working at Gamespot for around 10 years. This is like Dan Rather from CBS getting fired except if Dan Rather's sources were right.

I know it's farfetched, but perhaps this is the straw that broke the camel's back after Twilight Princess and Ratchet & Clack Future?

Gerstman didn't review Ratchet and Clank.

[Danne-Danger]

They should fire some of the guys who worked on kane and lynch, that would be justice

Pff, it's a good/great game.

And if this is true then there's only one man left on Gamespot who's not completely obnoxious (Ryan Davis), which would be a damn shame.

[typhonsentra]

I wouldn't take this as real confirmation.

[NichM]

Straw that broke the camel's back after TP and RCF?

TP and RCF were good games, but they didn't have the kind of massive advertising campaign on GameSpot that Eidos was clearly springing for. That's the kind of thing that can, sadly, make the difference. (Although any EiC worth a damn would have refused to bow to the pressure.)

[methane47]

So at Gamespot you are only allowed to write bad reviews for good games I guess. Or maybe you can only write bad reviews for PS3 games. Who knows. I am still laughing if this is true because it's one of the few times when he got it right on the money. He maybe even went a little too easy on the game with that rating.

Hopefully we are proven wrong and the douchebag who wrote the R&C review will be fired as well...

[tissot]

this is horrible. absolutely horrible.

the comic or Jeff being fired?

It would be so awesome if he made an appearance on 1up yours

[BrandNew]

I finally finished this game about 10 minutes ago, this score is spot on.

meh, must we talk about this again?

[DKnight]

meh, must we talk about this again?

I hope not.

[HugBasket]

I don't like his reviews but not like this, not because of moneyhats.

[Salmonax]

meh, must we talk about this again?

Let's don't.

[pilonv1]

LOUL LETS LAUGH AT SOMEONE WHO LOST HIS JOB. THAT WILL TEACH HIM GIVE A GAME I LIKE A BAD SCORE

[Ganondorfo]

Gamespot were recently a lot wrong with games

Ratchet and clank future
Fire emblem wii
Silent hill origins

[Kittonwy]

But kane and lynch is a 6.0/10 game, he is right. So everyone who gave kane and lynch a bad review must be fired?????

I agree, it's a fucking unplayable, broken mess. It's not even a good looking game, the controls is pure shit.

[BrandNew]

LOUL LETS LAUGH AT SOMEONE WHO LOST HIS JOB. THAT WILL TEACH HIM GIVE A GAME I LIKE A BAD SCORE

I'm pretty sure no one in this thread is laughing. We aren't that that hostile.

[Vark]

Gamespot were recently a lot wrong with games Ratchet and clank future Fire emblem wii Silent hill origins

You mean you disagree with them on those games. You can't really be 'wrong' with an opinion. Thats the whole point.

[zenbot]

8-10 scale, bitches. Enthusiasts ask for it more than the publishers.

8? Why so low? Games can receive only a 9 on the enthusiast review scale. No 10s! No game is perfect.

If this is true, and PA are not just fucking around: Gamespot is dooooomed.

LOUL LETS LAUGH AT SOMEONE WHO LOST HIS JOB. THAT WILL TEACH HIM GIVE A GAME I LIKE A BAD SCORE

These threads bring out the worst in people, no doubt. There was a heap of really repugnant gloating in the "Ziff is doomed!" thread from a couple of months back.

[Gary Whitta]

I agree, it's a fucking unplayable, broken mess. It's not even a good looking game, the controls is pure shit.

Typical Eidos though, when was the last time they made a decent game? All they care about is flashy marketing and whether they can spin the characters into a movie down the line.

[Salmonax]

LOUL LETS LAUGH AT SOMEONE WHO LOST HIS JOB. THAT WILL TEACH HIM GIVE A GAME I LIKE A BAD SCORE

Everyone had been acting relatively maturely before you decided to post.

[disappeared]

I'm reserving commentary until some confirmation and/or clarification on the matter is made.

[cjelly]

Didn't he give Super StarDust HD a 7.0? .. looks like karma caught up to him

Hopefully we are proven wrong and the douchebag who wrote the R&C review will be fired as well...

Jesus, man. That is pathetic. Someone just lost their job and all you can think about is that he rated your favourite games lower than you expected.

[Bildi]

On the home page of Gamespot, there's an ad for Kane & Lynch, with "click a character to skin the site". With this, gamespot visitors can skin the site with either Kane, Lynch, or both.

I see. Thanks :)

I had slowly started to put two and two together and when I realised the guy on the left works for Gamespot rather than the developer it started to make more sense.

I wonder if the assumption by PA that most of their readership visits Gamespot is a safe one?

[Y2Kev]

Typical Eidos though, when was the last time they made a decent game? All they care about is flashy marketing and whether they can spin the characters into a movie down the line.

Tomb Raider Anniversary was their last good game I think. So...June.

But I don't think he was fired. I'd be terribly upset to hear otherwise.

[Pai Pai Master]

I think they are just teasing the whole fact that the sites smothered in Kane & Lynch ads etc, yet it got a meh review from the site itself.

Give this man a cookie.

[etiolate]

Well he did go against Gamespot policy by writing an accurate review.

[medze]

I agree, it's a fucking unplayable, broken mess. It's not even a good looking game, the controls is pure shit.

Still in the shrink wrap

Glad I kept that receipt!

[Jonnyboy117]

Can anyone really confirm that Jeff was or was not fired this week? Scandal aside, I will stop listening to the Hot Spot and stop going to GameSpot if he really was fired, for any reason. If he left voluntarily to pursue some other interest, then okay.

[DKnight]

I wonder if the assumption by PA that most of their readership visits Gamespot is a safe one?

Well, I don't think you need to visit Gamespot to understand the comic. I do not visit it anymore and got it at first glance.

[Pachael]

I think it's coincidental. If it were really based on that, then GS is in BIG trouble as a review outfit.

[Gowans007]

If thats true then wow thats horrendous,

Gerstman & a few others I actually liked on Gamespot, if true, site, show & podcasts will be dropped by me.

Also check his personal Gamertag "Gamespotting", if its switched might be a sign

[Kittonwy]

Typical Eidos though, when was the last time they made a decent game? All they care about is flashy marketing and whether they can spin the characters into a movie down the line.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2?

[Spirit of Jazz]

Who's shocked to see people happy about this? They cried when he gave an 8.8 game 8.8, it's not that huge of a step to be happy that he lost his job when he gave a 6.0 game 6.0.

See what I did there?

[The Friendly Monster]

meh, must we talk about this again?

Nop, not at all.

Video game reviews seem to be in some sort of crisis at the moment though, they hold far too much weight I think. We need cheaper, shorter games with demos for everything in my opinion, more digital distribution would be nice.

[skip]

Can anyone really confirm that Jeff was or was not fired this week? Scandal aside, I will stop listening to the Hot Spot and stop going to GameSpot if he really was fired, for any reason. If he left voluntarily to pursue some other interest, then okay.

mosaic (OP) is a long time GS writer.

[Gary Whitta]

Tomb Raider Anniversary was their last good game I think. So...June. But I don't think he was fired. I'd be terribly upset to hear otherwise.

Heh, somehow I knew the answer would be Tomb Raider-related. That's half the problem, Eidos is a company essentially founded off the mega-success of one franchise, but they had no idea how to build on it. They killed their own golden goose while also failing to branch out with other successful non-TR games. That company has always, always been more about marketing and image than just making quality games. Kane & Lynch is really an archetypical Eidos product - gritty, press-baiting story line, state-of-the-art marketing, mediocre game.

Not saying any of this Gamestop stuff is true, but it certainly has the whiff of verisimilitude when you consider that Eidos is a company that relies more heavily on marketing/PR spin than most and so is more likely to throw their weight around when a major marketing partner doesn't play ball.

[mosaic]

But I don't think he was fired. I'd be terribly upset to hear otherwise.

Fact: Jeff Gerstmann was let go yesterday. Now, whether the Kane & Lynch thing was the sole reason, that I don't have all the facts on. And I doubt Josh Larson or anyone in power at CNet would ever admit to it anyway.

[The Friendly Monster]

Fact: Jeff Gerstmann was let go yesterday. Now, whether the Kane & Lynch thing was the sole reason, that I don't have all the facts on. And I doubt Josh Larson or anyone in power at CNet would ever admit to it anyway.

If the Kane & Lynch thing is any factor at all, this is a fucking disgrace.

[typhonsentra]

Why is this the first we're hearing of this?

[minus_273]

Gertsmaaaaaaan!! He's been there for forever, hasn't he? He fits in very well with their whole group of people if the podcast is anything to go by.

I beleive he has been at gamespot since the beginning.. ziff days and beyond. Is this fucking true?

If the OP is joking mods need to do something...

[Pachael]

Fact: Jeff Gerstmann was let go yesterday. Now, whether the Kane & Lynch thing was the sole reason, that I don't have all the facts on. And I doubt Josh Larson or anyone in power at CNet would ever admit to it anyway.

There should be a separate thread for this, especially if the reason is K&L.

[Danne-Danger]

Heh, somehow I knew the answer would be Tomb Raider-related. That's half the problem, Eidos is a company essentially founded off the mega-success of one franchise, but they had no idea how to build on it. They killed their own golden goose while also failing to branch out with other successful non-TR games. That company has always, always been more about marketing and image than just making quality games. Kane & Lynch is really an archetypical Eidos product - gritty, press-baiting story line, state-of-the-art marketing, mediocre game. Not saying any of this Gamestop stuff is true, but it certainly has the whiff of verisimilitude when you consider that Eidos is a company that relies more heavily on marketing/PR spin than most and so is more likely to throw their weight around when a major marketing partner doesn't play ball.

They still have Hitman, Hitman is good.

[Y2Kev]

Fact: Jeff Gerstmann was let go yesterday. Now, whether the Kane & Lynch thing was the sole reason, that I don't have all the facts on. And I doubt Josh Larson or anyone in power at CNet would ever admit to it anyway.

Then this is abominable if he was fired for what it looks like he was fired for.

Heh, somehow I knew the answer would be Tomb Raider-related. That's half the problem, Eidos is a company essentially founded off the mega-success of one franchise, but they had no idea how to build on it. They killed their own golden goose while also failing to branch out with other successful non-TR games. That company has always, always been more about marketing and image than just making quality games. Kane & Lynch is really an archetypical Eidos product - gritty, press-baiting story line, state-of-the-art marketing, mediocre game.

Okay, yeah, that's true. But it's not right to say they don't make any good games. Crystal Dynamics is an excellent developer, and generally io is too.

[duckroll]

Fact: Jeff Gerstmann was let go yesterday. Now, whether the Kane & Lynch thing was the sole reason, that I don't have all the facts on. And I doubt Josh Larson or anyone in power at CNet would ever admit to it anyway.

So their editorial director was let go, not of his own desire to part ways, for no concrete reason? Or is there more that you cannot say? --;