| GameBump | http://www.gamebump.com Video gaming news blog. en-us Copyright 2006-2008 Gaming Horizon GameSpot (Finally) Issues a Statement Regarding Gerstmann Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamespot_finally_issues_a_statement_regarding_gerstmann http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamespot_finally_issues_a_statement_regarding_gerstmann http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamespot_finally_issues_a_statement_regarding_gerstmann#

Though rumors and questions have been spiraling out of control for 4 days now, including proposed boycotts of GameSpot, all of their advertisers, and Eidos, GameSpot has only now issued a statement regarding Jeff Gerstmann's departure from the company.

The article is carefully worded and includes no mention of why Jeff left, or even whether he was fired or not. Although, it does include this:

Due to legal constraints and the company policy of GameSpot parent CNET Networks, details of Gerstmann's departure cannot be disclosed publicly. However, contrary to widespread and unproven reports, his exit was not a result of pressure from an advertiser.

(Emphasis added.)

Greg Brannan, CNET Networks Entertainment's vice president of programming, is quoted as saying, "The accusations in the media that it has done so are unsubstantiated and untrue. Jeff's departure stemmed from internal reasons unrelated to any buyer of advertising on GameSpot."

Comments posted to the article seem to be largely of the opinion that GameSpot's statement is too little, too late. There is still the question of why Gerstmann's video review of Kane & Lynch (a game I wasn't too impressed with) was taken offline along with all Kane & Lynch advertisements immediately after Gerstmann's departure.

According to GameSpot, several staff members will be posting tributes and farewells in the coming week.



]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:28:49 -0600 ZiffDavis Shows Their Support For Gerstmann Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/ziffdavis_shows_their_support_for_gerstmann http://www.gamebump.com/go/ziffdavis_shows_their_support_for_gerstmann http://www.gamebump.com/go/ziffdavis_shows_their_support_for_gerstmann#

Several staff members from Ziff Davis Media (owners of, among other things, 1UP and EGM) put together banners and marched down the street from their San Francisco offices to CNet's office where GameSpot is based and held an impromptu support rally from the street.

This whole fiasco has really brought everybody in the gaming media together in communal outrage. I'm sure that these folks, CNet and GameSpot's largest competators, are genuinely showing support here, but the whole thing was recorded and could very well be a bit for the 1UP Show. Either way, I applaud the notion.
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