Popular Gamespot Reviewer Fired over Kane and Lynch Review
Jeff Gerstmann, one of the better known editors at Gamespot has been fired according to rumor around the campfire. Seems that Jeff did not like the game Kane and Lynch and gave it a 6.0 score. Eidos, which had a huge Kane and Lynch marketing campaign going on leading up to the launch was none too pleased with this review and demanded the score to be changed. Apparently, it looks like Cnet may have promised a certain score and that score apparently did not come through.
via Kotaku, and a recent forum thread on Gamespot
Jeff seems to have stuck to his guns and would not change the review, so he was fired. As some people have pointed out at the forums over at Gamespot, he was not in the last “Hotspot” podcast and he was not on the last “On the Spot” broadcast. No official word has been made at Gamespot, and no word from Jeff Gerstmann. More news on this as we can get official word.
If I had my say in it all, Jeff gave the game far to high a score at this point. The PC version is a catastrophe the size of Chernobyl at this point and Eidos seems to blame everybody’s computer specs for the problems. Good one Eidos, stick it to the consumer and the reviewers that blast your game. Way to earn gamer good will.
Tags: cnet, eidos, gamespot, jeff gerstmann, kane and lynch, review
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Penny-Arcade wrote today’s comic about it.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/29
I would care more about this if I didn’t firmly believe game review scores are bought and sold every single day. So one guy wouldn’t do it. Good for him? The industry is corrupt. The paid gaming media is mostly a joke, and this is exactly why.
Thanks for posting a picture of the guy. He’s recognizable enough that he won’t have trouble getting another job.
You really believe it’s corrupt? I have a hard time thinking in these terms when it comes to game reviews because really, they’re game reviews!
And given that Gamespot’s been reserved lately when others heap praise on games like Mass Effect on 360 and Legend of Zelda for the Wii, giving them both 8.5 or so scores, this surprises me even more.
then why else fire him …he was giving hi opinion as a reviewer this is pretty much like corruption out in the open
Gamespot hasn’t been the same since Kasavin left for EA.