Faceless Opinions: The Blog of The Raging Gamer

• 4Dec 07

  I am gone! Farewell GameSpot!

  I am typing these words on the brink of a revelation: I do not need to keep browsing GameSpot. The main reason I still come here has been moved (mostly) offshore to thevirtualunderground.net .

  I wont post a long tearful goodbye, but a sincere goodbye to the many fantastic people I met on this site. My reasons should be obvious to anyone who is paying attention. This place simply isnt what it used to be.

  I do not intend to return to even read reviews anymore. I am abstaining completely.

  It pains me, but I need to go on out of here.

  See you on the flip side.

  -TRG

  • Posted Dec 4, 2007 6:59 pm GMT
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• 30Nov 07

  Ebay Auction: GameSpot's Credibility for sale!

  Or thats how it would seem. I've been coming here for over seven years, and I was a moderator for close to five of those years. I actually was the first mastermod. As such, I have built a daily routine around reading GameSpot, and frequently talk about them to friends and collegues of mine. GameSpot meant something to me: the sole beacon of sanity and reason standing tall amongst a swamp of imitators. Yeah, theres other sites that as popular as GameSpot like IGN or 1UP, but none of them offer the "complete package" to me like GameSpot does, er, well, did.

  GameSpot's former site director, Greg Kasavin, had written an outline of GameSpot's review practices. Of course he is no longer with GameSpot, but his message was right on.

  "If you're wondering about GameSpot's reviews, you've come to the right place. We take reviews of games very seriously, because it's serious business. Your time and your money are on the line when you're deciding whether or not you should purchase (or rent) a game to play. As such, we do our best to equip you with all the information you could possibly use to decide whether a given game is right for you.

  Sincerely,
  Greg Kasavin
  Executive Editor, GameSpot "

  And more interestingly this can be found in the FAQ:

  ""I've seen a lot of advertisements on your site from specific game companies. Do they pay you guys off for good reviews or what?"

  Absolutely, positively not. Never in GameSpot's history has money changed hands with regard to a review, nor have we ever altered our verdict about any game due to advertiser pressure. We accept advertising from game publishers so that we can continue to provide you with free, high-quality services. However, GameSpot's business model is founded on the notion that if we provide our users with consistently trustworthy content, then they will visit us often and in great numbers. It is this large, dedicated audience that advertisers wish to speak to. We have operated on these principles for years and will continue to do so.

  ...

  "I've seen exclusive first reviews in some other publications. How come I never see these on GameSpot?"

  You never see exclusive reviews on GameSpot because we never ask for them, nor would we accept them. We believe that to barter with reviews is to invite a potential conflict of interest and to invite a potential breach of editorial ethics into the professional game-reviewing arena. Our relationship with our audience is far too important to be squandered on these sorts of red-herring "opportunities." In fact, we actively discourage game publishers from doling out exclusive reviews to anybody. "

  These values are the GameSpot that I know. So what happened?

  Why do people visit GameSpot? Because they are known to be honest and ethical. So I imagine that such a loyal following makes for a strong advertising portfolio to present to potential advertisers. So, the more money advertising on their site becomes worth, the more pressure there is on the editorial team to not conflict with their main source of revenue. I mean, I doubt Eidos paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to CNET for the advertising on GameSpot without somewhat expecting a more favorable review. And thats giving CNET some CREDIT. Its possible the deal from the beginning was "we'll pay you for a good review".

  Well, you know what? I sure hope it was worth it, CNET. I really do. Lets see how much your advertising space is worth now. Nobody in their right mind will want to put ads on your site for at least a couple of weeks, and I see your audience significantly shrinking over the next few months. I hope it was worth it. You have shattered GameSpot's rock-solid image.

  You have to say something about this. The silence is deafening.

  
  
  Jeff Gerstmann was wrongly fired. If you feel the way I do, please use this link to cancel your Total Access subscription. I am also installing the FireFox plug-in AdBlock to block all advertising images while browsing GameSpot.
  • Posted Nov 30, 2007 10:29 am GMT
  • Category: Rant
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• 4Mar 06

  Don't make me do it....

  
  Microsoft? Ubisoft? Let's talk.
  
  Ubi, we all know you have a completed demo of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. We've seen it at industry events, and we've seen Xbox insiders comment about it. We know the game is done.
  
  Microsoft, you have this awesome XBL Marketplace that makes distributing demos really easy and conveinent. Its one of those features that distinguishes the Xbox 360 as a console.
  
  Now, you guys not getting together and making a Marketplace demo is the equivalent of if Adam and Eve decided to just "be friends". The well-being of humankind is relying on you, here.
  
  I have a copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and so help me God, if you dont put a GRAW demo on the marketplace, I will so kill like every last person I can find in that city. I'm telling you, I'll do it.
  
  And you know the crazy thing? The police would come after me. o_O
  
  Or I'll just sit here and pout.
  
  
  • Posted Mar 4, 2006 1:45 pm GMT
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