View Full Version : Heard about the GameSpot ed. director fired over review?
At this point this is a rumour, until there's more official confirmation from the parties involved, it should be taken as what it is; a rumour.
As some of you probably heard by now, it seems GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com)'s editorial director, Jeff Gerstmann, might have been fired over his review of Kane & Lynch (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/kanelynchdeadmen/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;reviews) (IO Interactive-developed, and Eidos-published). Relevant links at the bottom of this post.
Most of us have heard of publisher PR pressure, and even threats, been exerted onto publications with unfavourable reviews. With so much revenue coming in from advertisment I'm not surprised that CNET (owner of GameSpot) folded if Eidos gave them a call and said they would pull their ads.
Gerstmann was harsh in his review, but after having played the game, I can completely agree with what he said. This is a game that I wish I hadn't bought, and I wouldn't recommend anyone I know, or don't know, go out and buy it. I'm sure people worked hard on this project, but the pieces just didn't fall into place.
Either way, no one should risk getting fired for reviewing games. I've cancelled my subscription with GameSpot which I've had ever since they started to offer that as an option years ago. (I just hope it goes through, because last time I tried to cancel (I was in a financial bind at the time and needed the money) it didn't go through, and repeated emails to their customer service were ignored, which resulted in the money being pulled from my account anyway.)
Joystiq 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)
Gerstmann's video review (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FuJ81sDR2o) (on YouTube since GameSpot pulled it from their site)[EDIT] Added link to video review.
Saker
11-30-2007, 07:27 AM
money money ><.. sad news to be heard about gamespot
I read the article and all his points seem valid enough. Sure, it was harsh in its own way, but truth//reality from certain things can be, and he didn't write it in-apropriate way, hence its very stupid to give crap to him for it :(
Somewhat off topic, but the blogs are also rather idiotic reason to fire people (ie the metro announcer in UK got fired because she (he, don't remember, been only once to london) said in her blog that she dislikes metros) and there has been alot of different cases ending same way just because someone expresses their feelings, and not even in hostile fashion :P
As for the gameSpot guy.. Well, I hope he can get a better job and some better place, he seems like a quite good writer
Yeah, I'll be looking forward to see if the review is actually the reason behind Jeff being fired, or if it's just a coincidence. I mean, we don't really know for sure at this point. There could be other underlying reasons and conflicts in the CNET/GameSpot offices that are truly behind this.
The review was posted some time ago, and it's not until now that Jeff was fired. It's possible that during this time CNET has been under pressure to change the score, and perhaps Jeff refused to do so, and in doing so management had a reason to give him the boot.
All we have at this point is speculation, and a confirmation (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rumor-gamespots-editorial-director-fired-over-kane-and-lynch-rev/) from Jeff to Joystiq that he was indeed fired, but it will all be unveiled in time.
cookepuss
11-30-2007, 09:18 AM
I can tell you, from personal experience, that you occasionally DO get pressure and unreasonable expectations from PR departments. I've written a ton of product reviews. A couple of time, I've actually had PR people writing nasty notes to me and getting quite angry regarding my less than positive opinions of their products. I even had one developer demand that I change or "re-balance" my review. When I didn't, the devs promptly revoked my complimentary, not-for-resale license.
Do I think that the Gamespot firing and review match up? Possibly. A site as big as that has a responsibility to its readers, but it has an even larger responsibility to itself. Self-preservation can get pretty ugly. You depend on your advertisers and product developers as much as you do your readers, sometimes more so. I'm not saying that its right or that is what happened here. However, I do think that it's a distinct possibility, especially given the sharp decline in journalistic integrity across the globe, as I see it.
cookepuss
11-30-2007, 09:24 AM
Somewhat off topic, but the blogs are also rather idiotic reason to fire people
Free speech and expression are only free when you've got no strings attached. When you're doing it under somebody else's roof, on their dime, or by their rules, freedom of expression or speech is only as free as they allow you to believe it is. Unless you're outside of the system, freedom comes with limitations.
On another note related to the firing... How do we know that this guy wasn't just an @$$hole behind the scenes? People get fired for that all of the time. It could be entirely coincidental, yet not. Maybe his harsh review or firm reluctance to alter it was the last straw for his editors and for management. Equally possible.
Marcus Dublin
11-30-2007, 03:18 PM
Here’s the video review that got him axed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FuJ81sDR2o to harsh, you be the judge!
Gavin
11-30-2007, 03:35 PM
Actually seems pretty fair to me.
TryForce
11-30-2007, 03:56 PM
Asshole, the game doesnt look "ugly" at all. Just because he didnt get the candy he wanted it doesnt mean its bad at all! Some poorer childs would be happy enough with it.
On the otherhand he doesnt have to give comments wich meets his personal opinion. He has to handover the whole game feeling inside. He should have choosen his words wisly. Fair enough, wouldnt do different i guess.
If it would be a game i was working at too, i would get him punked for sure.
Are you really serious, TF? I doubt when you start to actually make games at a point you're going to want to put someone out of a job. I'm not in the industry myself, but the few friends I have that have shipped a game -- a few of which have gotten similar reviews -- don't live in some kind of glass bubble with a reality distortion lens. They've known for months what their game is like, and can guesstimate the score it will receive. I've never heard one of them say they'd like to get people fired over it.
This was a fair review. Gerstmann played the game, and as someone who's played the game his words are pretty much how I'd describe the game. It's nothing new, it has characters that I couldn't care less about. It feels generally unpolished and uninteresting. Losing a job is mostly something big for people, and if you've ever been through it, you know what a bad situation that can be.
TryForce
11-30-2007, 05:48 PM
Are you really serious, TF? I doubt when you start to actually make games at a point you're going to want to put someone out of a job. I'm not in the industry myself, but the few friends I have that have shipped a game -- a few of which have gotten similar reviews -- don't live in some kind of glass bubble with a reality distortion lens. They've known for months what their game is like, and can guesstimate the score it will receive. I've never heard one of them say they'd like to get people fired over it.
This was a fair review. Gerstmann played the game, and as someone who's played the game his words are pretty much how I'd describe the game. It's nothing new, it has characters that I couldn't care less about. It feels generally unpolished and uninteresting. Losing a job is mostly something big for people, and if you've ever been through it, you know what a bad situation that can be.
:think: well i actually ment that the reviews should say "dont buy it" softly.
Comming to this, Old games are still awesome, but noone says "its all ugly".
I know the quality for nowdays is everythign fancy and uberdetailed. But just because the game doesnt has it you can call it "ugly" infront of all. Even if its not "nice" for nowdays.
He could have been saving if he wouldnt be that careless probably. I bet im talking alot of bullshit here for several guys who have allready worked and lost their job probably. But i see it that way. Won't mind changing my mind though.:thumb:
Ramseus
11-30-2007, 07:33 PM
You sound like you missed the point of his "ugly" remark. He wasn't talking about graphics, he was talking about the whole game (which just happens to include graphics), and about the characters being ugly in that they're poorly developed and unloveable.
If da truf hurts, I say suck it up and climb down from your ivory tower. It's crap if he did get fired over that review, because without people willing to say it like it is we're just going to keep getting more awful games.
typhus22
11-30-2007, 08:19 PM
so is this rumor confirmed? personally reviewers like that do more damage to the industry then good. really bad reviews without giving the game a chance ends up hurting the sales and so end up hurting the developers.
and by the way, even awful games means jobs for artists so have some sympathy. sheesh.
BuroKun
11-30-2007, 10:35 PM
thats crap, I agree with his review. He should not have lost his job.
Marcus Dublin
12-04-2007, 12:59 PM
Kane & Lynch Official website Lying about its review:mad:scores, check out the story on Kataku: http://kotaku.com/gaming/kane-%26-lynch/kane--lynch-site-fibbing-about-reviews-scores-329529.php
BuroKun
12-04-2007, 01:59 PM
Thats just pathetic.
hahaha
soo sad
why are they trying so hard to market this game as a good game???
Cut loses...learn for this,fire the idiots who thought they were making a good game(sorry dudes) , and call it a day!!
now I'm left with the sour impression to avoid ANY and ALL Eidos games!!!
Sordid23
12-05-2007, 09:09 AM
I think his opinion is WAAY! to subjective, i mean, i know you can say a game is crap but don't just dis it. Im glad he's fired becouse he is an ass...
I'm not saying it's a good game just that he thakes it over the top...
He didn't "just dis it". If you read the review (which has since been altered (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/comparison-shows-significant-edits-to-gerstmanns-kane-and-lynch-r/)) or watch the video review, you'll see he gives reasons for dissing it. As for being subjective, you can't really not be subjective when reviewing a game. This is why some reviewers can give a game a low score, whilst others give it a higher score. Same game, different people, different opinions.
Maybe he's an ass, but chances are that you're an ass, too, and if so would you appreciate being fired over it? :P
I don't really think he should have sweared in the review, I was thinking is he really complaining about how fuck was used too much. I mean really that's the only really really bad word English has or some combination. Now Spanish has some nice bad words ,several, and more combinations.
East does the AI perform as poorly in the hardest setting? Just curious. I noticed in some games the AI is really nice in the hardest settings but very bad at the easier settings, but it sounds like there are more issues in this game than that. I sounds to me they were looking for a reason to can him and the f word was the nail in his coffin.
Oh I don't think he should have been fired for the review either but he should have considered who might see the review.
Alex
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