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Idea: Maybe GameSpot Needs A Writers Strike

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:55:17 -0600

If you've been following entertainment news lately you're probably aware that the Writers Guild of America (the people who write our TV shows and movies) are on strike because studio executives refuse to increase the percentages of online and DVD sales distributed to the writers.

Writers fear they are being treated unfairly, so they strike. They stop working, showing management how important they are.

If you've been following video game journalism news lately, you're probably aware that Jeff Gerstmann, an editor from GameSpot was apparently fired because Eidos put financial pressure on them of CNet, their owners, over a negative review Gerstmann gave to Kane & Lynch.

If I were a writer at GameSpot now, I would be terrified to submit any writing in fear that my job could be at stake for simply crafting an opinion: what their job requires. I couldn't do my job if it became apparent that credibility was for sale.

I'd go on strike. I'd stop submitting reviews or news. I'd stop working.

That's what I'd do, maybe it's what GameSpot writers should do.

Interesting to note, there haven't been any reviews posted at GameSpot today or yesterday. Maybe they're already refusing to submit reviews.

Gerstmann Firing Not GameSpot's Fault, Says Mod

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:34:04 -0600

According to a post by a moderator at the linked page of the GameSpot forums, if anybody at the GameSpot (not Eidos) side of this issue is to be blamed, it's CNET, not GameSpot itself. CNET handles advertising for GameSpot and all other property sites, and they handle hiring/firing.

From the thread:

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.

This makes sense to me. CNet, as owners of GameSpot and damn near a thousand other websites, would be the ones handling HR and marketing rather than having each individual property doing it themselves; that would be redundant.

So who should we blame here? Eidos for pressuring CNet into firing Gerstmann over a bad review of a game they've been paying CNet to promote, or CNet for caving to pressure and firing a journalist for doing his job?

UPDATE: However, there would of course be people within GameSpot's management that can fire people. Complete control wouldn't be handed over to CNet.

Long-Time GameSpot Editor Fired. Negative Review To Blame?

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:04:26 -0600

We have it on good authority from a source close to GameSpot that Jeff Gerstmann, a GameSpot employee for over 10 years and more recently titled as an editorial director was abruptly fired yesterday.

While there is no official reason for this, many people (our source included) and convinced that he was fired because of a somewhat negative review of EIDOS's Kane & Lynch: Dead men. EIDOS had been advertising pretty heavily on GameSpot recently, and apparently the 6.0 didn't please them.

We received the following statement from the Human Relations department of C|NET after inquiry.

"... it is CNET Networks company policy to never comment on individual employees current or former regarding their job status. This policy is in place out of respect for the individuals privacy."

Interestingly, the online gaming-themed comic Penny Arcade has just published this strip, featuring the firing of Gerstmann. How they knew about it is anybody's guess at this point, as no news story has been posted for it yet. Keep in mind that there is no official confirmation from any parties about the firing.

Today there was no episode of On The Spot, a video segment that Gerstmann typically hosts.

GameSpot's 6/10 review of the game, while low, isn't unique. GamePro and GameSpy also gave the game 60% scores, with no high-profile outlets giving any scores above a 90%.