So, all this business about Jeff getiting let go over the Kane and Lynch review... yeah, that couldn't have happened. No, I take that back. It could... but that would be the worst decision CNet ever made. It would destroy gamespot. Not to mention the fact that Jeff would have a very excllent case against CNet in a wrongful dismissal suit.
So, I'm going with a big fat "bogus" on this story. Even if it were temporarily true, the fact that the news got outof the real reason for his dismissalwould most definitely factor into CNet's decisions. Do you really think they can fire the editroial director of one of their most popular sites over an editorial decision that upset one of their freaking advertisers and get away with it? Yeah right. The community wouldn't allow it. Their entire editorial staff would have a decision. Either stay, and be afraid to lose their job over a controversial review (Kevin, quake in your boots, lol), or do the honorable thing and quit in protest.
So, in the highly doubtful event that this story is true and Jeff is gone (seems insane just to write that), then the entire editorial staff should leave tomorrow.
*Update: Gabe from PA posted in a thread claiming that the news is true. Either some serious miscommunication has gone down or the world has just been turned on it's ear. If it turns out to be true, I will never visit Gamespot again. Here's hoping I wake up and find out this is all a big april fool's joke a few months early...
*Up-freaking-date: Jeff's picture was removed from the Xbox Newsletter. This is absolutely insane... This is so wrong... And to think I ever wanted to work for this site after college. Please... let this be a joke. Cnet is getting a really nasty letter next week. The **** is about to hit the fan...
*Up- HOLY F***ING ****-date: A post by one "mosaic" confirms the fact that Jeff has been let go. For those not in the know, "mosaic" is, in fact, Frank Provo, a freelance reviewer for gamespot. He does a lot of the mobile game reviews and about half of the Wii VC reviews. So, against all logic, Jeff Gerstmann no longer works at gamespot. WHAT. THE. ****?
**** YOU CNET!
*Final update: I got confirmation from the man himself. I wrote him on myspace a couple of hours ago, and he actually took the time to write me back tonight. He said he couldn't talk about his time with gamespot other than it's over. His exact words were "**** happens, my man". Classic Jeff. I'd say he'll be missed, but that would make it sound like I'm still going to come here for any sort of editorial coverage. I love keeping up with community blogs, but who knows what the fallout from this debacle is gonna be. It will seem strange to my friends that I'm going to be depressed all day tomorrow, but they just can't understand. This sucks. I don't think any of us on here are ashamed to say that gamespot is an important part of our lives, so for this to happen... Wow.
Here's a screen cap(Warning: Mild Language):
