Honest game review gets Gamespot editor fired?

Gamespot is such a huge name in gaming news and reviewing that anyone interested in the slightest about videogames must have heard about its magnificence. Unfortunately, even in such established houses treachery may find root and editor doing their job with honesty can get hit when they least expect it. Editorial director Jeff Gerstmann has been with Gamespot for 11 years now and matured into a sharp game reviewer which always spoke his mind freely. His news and review archive is the size of a dictionary, the likes humble servants of the digital word like me can only hope to accomplish. A man of such professional stature is undoubtedly an asset, yet his career at Gamespot suddenly ended not one week ago. The reason seems to be the low score given to Kane & Lynch, a new Xbox and PS3 console release from developer IO Interactive and publisher Eidos. Gerstmann thoroughly supported his 6 points out of 10 score, but this time, financial considerations might have had higher standing with Gamespot as Eidos an important advertiser.

Legal constraints and the company policy of CNET Networks (Gamespot owner), Gerstmann incident details can’t be publicly disclosed. Gamespot insists that Gerstmann’s departure is unrelated to his review and has nothing to do with what they call pressure from an unnamed advertiser. "Neither CNET Networks nor GameSpot has ever allowed its advertising business to affect its editorial content," said Greg Brannan, CNET Networks Entertainment's vice president of programming.

There is still a matter of recent editing done to his Kane & Lynch text review, along with the flat out removal of the video review. Of course, post contractual legal implications forbid Gerstmann (and any other Gamespot employee for that matter) to launch any comments. Maybe some anonymous source will rise to the occasion and spill the beans on the whole affair. Although faced with not so subtle editorialistic demise, Gerstmann seems to be keeping his options open. Future plans range somewhere between game developing and continuing his career as a game journalist with another company. And who wouldn’t want him?

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