Rotten Games Journalism

Money-men stay busy pulling the strings. It is those rotten to the core, the corrupt suits who entangle a games journalist’s credibility with greed, eschewing credence, trespassing and making it so the non-corporate influence in what was supposed to be a genuine review is incinerated. What remains is a review skewered and influenced by the bottom-line, molded to appease reoccurring sponsors. This business like most, is well, cutthroat.

Jeff Gertsmann felled victim to the ugly machinations of such money-men for being a credible games journalist. Even if you didn’t agree with a score, at least you knew he wasn’t a sell out. He was known to buck the trend of the ludicrous 7-10 rating scale. A decade long employee, Gertsmann rose to be executive editor of CNET-owned Gamespot, more or less a Gamespot life-long employee. In such a position Gertsmann had a bit more freedom than his junior peers, and subsequently paid a hidden price for it.

The cause and effect from percolating web rumors suggest Gertsmann’s dismissal stems from Eidos backing out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in future advertising deals and yanked a huge Kane & Lynch spread with CNET owned Gamespot after his review wasn’t in their favor – a pummeling six (better than other scores the game received) that also included Gertsmann’s lambasting thoughts in the video review to end with him not recommending the game for purchase. The video review itself was valid, qualified, and in fact, I would point out all the same faults in the game Gertsmann did if I came across them. Gertsmann does praise its multiplayer functionality, so it isn’t a complete smear campaign. I believe Gertsmann’s written or video review overly harsh or unwarranted at all. I could understand why he was fired if the review was unjust, but it’s not. The video was pulled from Gamespot but has surfaced on youtube. (video embedded at the bottom)

Was Eidos promised a “paid slanted review?” I don’t think so. I understand why they’re frustrated and pulled the deal , but if Eidos believe advertisement dollars that expose eyeballs to their game should ALSO net them slanted reviews. If that is the case then I say, fuck em‘. The backlash is already mounting, and as a result many gamers have promised to boycott Eidos games and are driving Kane & Lynch user reviews to a new low – if you piss off a large crowd they will shit on you since they have a collective power. Various commentators who played Kane & Lynch felt that Gertsmann’s review was fair and just, which is even more baffling and only proves how out of touch the corporate side really is when it comes to games journalism. The result from Eidos tactical decision to pull advertisement and the result of CNET’s decision to fire Gertsmann will most likely hurt both parties more than those advertising dollars pulled from the table.

Who’s in charge anyway? CNET networks picked up Stephen Colvin former President and CEO of Dennis Publishing, the publisher of Maxim, Blender, Stuff, and The Week magazine. I’m not pointing fingers, but under new leadership things change. I don’t know much about Colvin, he may not even be involved, but it’s worth noting that some new “policy changes” may have been implemented. Over on Tycho’s brain dump, one with many more industry connections than most, he states through the grapevine that Gerstmann has been warned and given several infractions in the past over his “tone” in reviews. It is now without a fact that any review at Gamespot is no longer credible as the corporate structure at CNET has played their hand showing no scruples by removing Gerstmann. The good news in all this is that traditionally written game reviews are still powerful and appreciated. For awhile there I thought we were all going to have to learn how to make silly flash movies and actually become hilariously entertaining writers.

Further reading:

Gertsmann’s written review of Kane & Lynch
Joystiq’s Coverage
Gamespot Threadnaught (forums taken down)
Comic that sums up professional games journalism
Games Journalism Controversy: Part 1 | Part 2