Buzz Out Loud Lounge: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat?
CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat?
by linkbeat - 11/29/07 8:31 PMhttp://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/gamespot-editor-fired-over-kane--lynch-review-328244.php
"We've heard an unsettling rumor today from an anonymous tipster that longtime game reviewer Jeff Gerstmann from Gamespot has been let go. That wouldn't necessarily be newsworthy, but the conditions under which he was allegedly dismissed were. According to the source, Gerstmann was fired "on the spot" due to advertiser pressure for his review of Eidos' Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. A visit to Gamespot shows that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game has taken over the site very prominently, with backgrounds and multiple banner ads all pitching Kane & Lynch. Allegedly, publisher Eidos "took issue with the review and threatened to pull its ad campaign.""
Isn't that kind of... well, evil? I know that this issue has come up in the podcasts before, where Tom and Molly were very adamant that CNet is very serious about integrity of product reviews. Is this a false rumor, or is this something to be concerned about?
This have been confirm
by kbsmoker - 11/29/07 9:09 PM In reply to: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat? by linkbeatI have been following this over at the gaming-age forums. This have been confirmed by several gaming editors as true. Pretty sad that CNET marketing let this happen. This will be a PR nightmare!
It wasn't the written review that got Eidos upset it was the video review. The video review was pulled on the 19th after Eidos said it was pulling its ad campaign. Here is the video review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FuJ81sDR2o
Wow
by SPIRIdk - 11/30/07 12:36 AM In reply to: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat? by linkbeatJust wow!
That's pathetic. Both CNET and Eidos were jerks here!
Eidos, if you don't want crappy reviews, stop putting out crappy games (disclaimer: I haven't actually played the game)
CNET, you suck! Is advertising money more important that a long employee? Come on, Eidos' ad money aren't worth that much!
CNet not Gamespot management
by Akyan - 11/30/07 3:54 AM In reply to: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat? by linkbeat"People, don't direct your anger at Gamespot. This is CNet's meddling. Gamespot consists just of the editorial, news, community, and development teams. It's CNet's marketing that puts the ads up. CNet's marketing that complained. CNet is who can fire their EIC."
Posted by a moderator on the Gamespot forums.
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=26072117&page=10
This sucks
by acedtect
- 11/30/07 7:49 AM
In reply to: CNet not Gamespot management by Akyan
I don't know any more than y'all at this point, and I'mvery certain I'm not supposed to comment.
However, CNET Networks *is* different than CNET.com. So you're partly right when you say Gamespot is just editors, but it's a different division from us, including different marketing and sales people.
Makes Sense
by Akyan - 11/30/07 7:59 AM In reply to: This sucks by acedtect
Yeah, figured that. It would be a bit much to ask you to comment as well, so perfectly understandable.
Isn't that two in six-eight months
by Dango517 - 11/30/07 6:25 PM In reply to: This sucks by acedtect
That's rough. Sounds like a shack down, a little corporate reshuffling going on maybe? Isn't Cnet on the up tick business wise? Makes you wonder about Cnets corporate culture? Pack-o-wolves? Shark tank? Wonder how loyal the rest staff is feeling right now? Another writer bites the dust. Ouch! Better lay low......
I'll throw in a little more
by Dango517 - 12/4/07 1:03 AM In reply to: Isn't that two in six-eight months by Dango517Lets see. You graduate college, to become a writer, at say 23-25. You work 10 years for a place, that would make you 34-35. The audience for video gamers is between 6 and 24+. Would you appeal to that audience at 35? Do they want to see your Dad on Cnet or someone close to there own age? Maybe a rare few do make a career of it. Mr Rogers did,
It's all about the clicks. If you like someone on Cnet click on there videos/articles (maybe even a few extra times and while your there and an ad once in awhile). This is all about numbers. Cold, hard numbers, the number of clicks, the number of people that visit Cnet. The advertisers want numbers to see there ads and make sales. Cnet gets paid for advertising and some indirect sales from download.com. So how do you get numbers here? Content. Content is something the visitor wants. Maybe information, social interaction, usually something you enjoy in some way. What entertains you is content, it's what keeps you coming back. When you come back the numbers add up and they get payed and your favorite writer/editor/actor get payed too.
Got it? That's how it works. Your buddy fell behind in the numbers or his audience began to slip away. Sucks doesn't it? So guess who's responsible.......You are!
Now tomorrow they'll announce some grim circumstance has befell him and I'll look like an ass.
It puts both C|net and gamespot in a bad postion.
by Renegade Knight - 11/30/07 11:54 AM In reply to: CNet not Gamespot management by AkyanGamespot may not be to blame but it's their site that hosted the issue and their sute that pulled the review.
I rely on reviews for purchases. If the reviews are not honest they are worthless. If a review says a game is great but it's as much fun as Pong with a broken controller....sorry but I need another source for reviews.
Good reviews and a good site means good traffic, that means ad revenue. It's not vice versa. Ad revenue does not lead to good reviews and a good site. It's just money. Perhaps why they built the site, but if a crappy game maker goes away a good game maker can advertise.
Yeah
by MrEastman - 11/30/07 4:48 AM In reply to: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat? by linkbeatIt's a shame, because I can't with clear conscience trust CNET with reviews anymore, if they are so easily influenced by their advertisers. I also can't with a good conscience keep listening to BoL as this means I'm supporting CNET. Having been a listener since day one, this is not an easy move without pain on my part.
It's not that I don't trust Tom, Molly, and the rest of the cast, but they are part of CNET, and they have advertisers just as CNET GameSpot has. While I haven't been part of the community, I don't think I have missed a single episode. But fortunately there are alternatives, such as the TWiT network where Tom and Molly do guest appearances from time to time.
You might think I'm overreacting, but take a moment and consider how this move on CNET's part effects their credibility. They let a trusted and respected reviewer that's been doing a great job for over 10 years, get the boot for doing his job.
--David, Who Saved Buzz Out Loud (yes, I have a t-shirt to prove it :P)
Some related links
Gerstmann's video review (on YouTube, because it was pulled from GameSpot.com):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FuJ81sDR2o
GameSpot forum thread about the subject:
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=26072117&page=0
Kotaku coverage:
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rumor-gamespots-editorial-director-fired-over-kane-and-lynch-rev
Shacknews article:
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50134
Penny Arcade strip:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/29
Agreed
by SPIRIdk - 11/30/07 8:29 AM In reply to: Yeah by MrEastmanYou are completely right. I will try to boycott as many CNET Networks services as possible. However I just can't live without BOL. But GameSpot has been replaced by 1UP in my Google Reader.
And I wonder how this will affect the reviewers. Not cool knowing that you risk your job if you give a negative review.
Should have been fired for giving...
by kwahhn - 11/30/07 6:14 AM In reply to: CNet Gamespot fires editor over Eidos threat? by linkbeatTony Hawk's Pro Skater a ridiculous 10 score.
No!
by kbsmoker - 11/30/07 6:29 AM In reply to: Should have been fired for giving... by kwahhnFired because his opinion is different than yours? Tony hawk was a great game that started one of highest selling video game series.
Anyways some more coverage of this horrible story....
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/30/1317259&from=rss
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rumor-gamespots-editorial-director-fired-over-kane-and-lynch-rev/
Looks like Eidos follow through with its threat. They pulled the ad campaign last night around midnight eastern.
This better make it into a Molly rant
by rsmith4321 - 11/30/07 7:05 AM In reply to: No! by kbsmokerYes this is crazy, he has been working at gamespot for many many years, one of the first. Of course he's going to have a couple of controversial reviews. But I find his reviews to usually be spot on, and his review of this game was in line with others. How can we even listen to cnet podcasts anymore now that we know how the company works, I hope Jeff start his own website. Did Cnet not realize the backlash that would come from the internet for something like this, this sure better make it into a Molly rant. If it doesn't then we know something is fishy.
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