GameSpot Editor Fired Over Low Game Review Score! - PSP3D.com - Sony PlayStation Portable News, Homebrew, Hacks, Reviews, Videos, Mods, Forums

omegaradium · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:08 AM

Jeff Gurstmann, the Editor In Chief at GameSpot.com has been there for 11-years!

News recently broke out Thursday afternoon, that Gurstmann was locked out of his office and escorted off the CNet premises.
CNet is GameSpot's parent company.

Rumors quickly started flowing around the net that Gurstmann had been fired due to the low review score he gave Kane & Lynch: Dead Men.

Eidos Interactive recently purchased ALOT of advertising from CNet to be displayed on GameSpot.com throughout the month. Users could make their own Kane & Lynch trailers, they could pick a K&L skin for the site.

So natrually, when GameSpot score K&L a 6.0 out of 10, Eidos wasn't happy. A few days later, Gurstmann's video review of Kane & Lynch went up on the site with even more negative things to say about the game. Specifically Gurstmann is quoted to say "Kane & Lynch is an ugly, ugly game." He also goes on to say that the script is "lazy" with its constant and tasteless swearing. Gurstmann also claims some of the game mechanics are broken, and the AI is "dumb". At the very end of the video review, Gurstmann does recommend viewers try the multiplayer aspect to the game, but ONLY if you don't pay full price for the game, since the game isn't a very good purchase. Eidos was even more infuriated. They pressured GameSpot management to do something about by threatening to pull their current advertising campaign, and refuse to do any more business with CNet.

CNet promptly responded and locked Gurstmann's office Thursday morning. He was fired and escorted off the premises later that morning. All because of his OPINION on a particular video game!

Since then, Eidos forums, the Kane & Lynch forums, GameSpot forums, and some of the larger video game forums are being invaded by gamers retaliating for this action.

CNet's decision to fire Gurstmann over a games review score goes to show the kind of credibility that is to be found among internet game review sites. This is why the entire gaming community should be aware of whats going on. Gurstmann refused to sell out and wanted the consumers to know just how Kane & Lynch stacked up.

hemiola1 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:11 AM

He should take CNet to court. This is a dumb reason to fire some one. Freedom of speech and freedom of press used to be something we had in this country, but I guess it's gone now.

Gurstmann should be a hero for refusing to sell out and stand up for what he thought of something that he felt wasn't "up to par."

omegaradium · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:16 AM

Its unknown at this time what Gurstmann is planning to do about it, but many "insiders" claim that CNet management have been waiting for an excuse to fire Gustamann due to his "reviewers tone". Kane & Lynch was just the final straw.
GameSpots new policy is for all gamer reviews to have a "Neutral" tone when reviewing a video game, and they want to emphasize on the positives rather than the negatives. What a load of crap!

An anonymous Gamespot employee also came forward and claims that game publishers have been demanding game review sites to let the publisher know the game's review score before its published. If the score it good, then the publishers can give the go ahead for publication, but if the score is bad, the publishers have to right to demand the score be with held until the game's is officially launched.

hemiola1 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:22 AM

Quote:

An anonymous Gamespot employee also came forward and claims that game publishers have been demanding game review sites to let the publisher know the game's review score before its published. If the score it good, then the publishers can give the go ahead for publication, but if the score is bad, the publishers have to right to demand the score be with held until the game's is officially launched.

If that isn't removing freedom of speech / freedom of press, then I don't know what is.

Quote:

GameSpots new policy is for all gamer reviews to have a "Neutral" tone when reviewing a video game, and they want to emphasize on the positives rather than the negatives.

While GameSpot shouldn't be using this as an excuse, it is always a good thing to take a neutral tone when reviewing something. You have to remember that some one who is reading your review might be considering to buy the product and they have to know the positives and negatives. It's ok to say both. While a biased review isn't a bad review, a neutral review is better.

omegaradium · #5 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:25 AM

I completely agree dq9, however a PAID FOR review is the worst!

I give Kane & Lynch an 11 out 10!!
Eidos Interactive, just mail me the check please!

hemiola1 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 02:36 AM

Yeah paid for is pretty lame.