Gerstmann sacked for being truthful

Word has it from various sources (RPS, Shacknews and Kotaku) that Jeff Gerstmann has been sacked from his position as Editorial Director for GameSpot

This has stemmed from a honestly written review of Kane and Lynch that Jeff did over on GameSpot, and it also seems that his video review of the game (below) have played a big part in this situation having arisen.



Now normally someone doing an honest review is what we expect from games journalists (and is something I always strive to do myself) but to sacked for it is worrying. It seems apparent that Eidos have had a large role in this situation arising, before today GameSpot was adorned with Kane and Lynch adverts with big main page background adverts and the ability for GameSpot users to create their Kane and Lynch advert

While Jeff's written review is still live his video review seems to have been taken down. This all reeks of Eidos using their advertising influence to force GameSpot and their parent network CNet's hand. This is a grave situation where GameSpot have wilted in the face of the money men at Eidos and sacked Jeff for being honest!

This is possibly setting a very dangerous precedent for the games journalism industry whereby reviewers will write 'false' reviews for fear of a similar situation occurring if they slate a game in a similar situation.

Many people have viewed GameSpot in a poor light for many a year for giving to big review scores for games that have been similarly hyped and advertised like Kane and Lynch and are undeserving of the scores. For once Jeff did an honest review and paid the price.

Where this goes from here only time will tell, but I just hope games journalists and magazines and sites like GameSpot don't continue to wilt under publisher pressure like this.

Best of luck to Jeff for the future, I sincerely hope will get a job like he deserves quickly.