Ryan Davis talks Gerstmann, Gamespot departure

by Kyle Orland { Feb 5th 2008 at 11:00AM }

It's fair to say that the controversial firing of Jeff Gerstmann was a contributing factor to Ryan Davis' recent decision to leave Gamespot. But it was far from the only factor.

"Jeff's firing just destroyed me, and I think it shed a light on the other stuff that I had been kind of rolling along with," Davis told Joystiq in an exclusive interview.

For Davis, who had worked for the popular site since 2000, the daily grind of working at such a large site was beginning to take its toll. "It's just that I had been at the job for a long time, and a lot of the stuff that made the job fun for me has dissipated," he said. "Sometimes you don't love the job, but you make your way through it by focusing on the good stuff. Gamespot is also a huge site, and an organization of that magnitude comes with a fair amount of bureaucracy, and everyone ultimately ends up spending a fair amount of time doing stuff other than producing the content."

While Gerstmann's dismissal clarified the untenable situation for Davis, the popular reviewer doesn't seem to bear much ill will against the management team responsible for the firing. "I realize that the big story is the nasty management team and their dirty dealings, but honestly before Jeff's firing, I had very little contact with upper management, and I had no reason to believe that they didn't know what they were doing," he said. "I think the Kane & Lynch thing gets way more weight in this story than it deserves. Any disagreements about that game strike me as a symptom, not a cause."

In leaving, he echoed fellow departing staffer Alex Navarro in his support for the staff that's staying behind. "I want people to have some faith in the editors that are still there," he said. "These are honest people doing honest work that honestly isn't being mangled by marketers and salespeople. ... I just don't think I have it in me to try and repair the damage that's been done in the process."

But Davis has confidence that those who are staying will be able to guide Gamespot through these troubled times, as they have before. "People have always regarded Gamespot as this juggernaut, but right after the bubble burst, our whole staff got chopped in half. We had one sales person, and we were operating on an ad-driven business model that had suddenly ceased working, but we kept trucking with the few people that remained, and Gamespot endured. I think Gamespot will endure, and I think it'll be because of the editors and the producers that are there now."
Davis' last day at Gamespot is planned for Feb. 14.

Tags: CNet, controversy, davis, gamespot, gerstmann, jeff-gerstmann, journalism, ryan davis, RyanDavis

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ignatius @ Feb 5th 2008 11:06AM

Here's hoping GameSpot learns its lesson... and dies.

Cyro @ Feb 5th 2008 11:11AM

Is there anyone left in there to make it worth your while?

Kendall B @ Feb 5th 2008 11:14AM

Regardless of the reasons given for all of these long-term Gamespot employees resigning, I think it pretty much confirms that there was a lot more to this Gerstmann thing than was reported. I mean that fact is pretty obvious, considering Gamespot's vague explanation to begin with, but this is just sort of the icing on the cake. This isn't coincidence.

I would say it's a good possibility that these guys are going to team up with Gerstmann and create a new site. I could be way off base though. I'd love to see that happen, though.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 5th 2008 11:20AM

Tis a shame. I really liked ryan Davis on the podcasts.

umm....hello??? @ Feb 5th 2008 11:32AM

well, I used to visit Gamespot regularly but then they started being bitches about comments, so now the only time I use it is for their ReleaseCalendar for games and as part of the reviews for games that I might want (as they appear on metacritic)....

Geo @ Feb 5th 2008 11:40AM

he is one of the best video games journalinst i listen soo far.....

shame on you GAMESPOT shame on you.....

Roto13 @ Feb 5th 2008 11:50AM

And yet all of this crap hasn't made me like Gamespot any less.

Probably because I hated Gamespot to begin with.

Kizzle @ Feb 5th 2008 11:52AM

Did he make exaggerated hand gestures while telling the higher-ups that he quit?

WhoMe @ Feb 5th 2008 4:48PM

That's a different Ryan, you fool.

Pro-Truth League @ Feb 5th 2008 11:57AM

The worst thing about this, is that Jeff has sort of become a hero.
I still think what gamespot did was wrong, but it doesn't change the fact that Jeff was a biased shooter-maniac who hated most everything not multiplayer/shooter in recent times, and downed anything for being "More of the same", whenever he could, unless it was a shooter. A multiplayer shooter.

Hopefully, that was GameSpot's fault.. but it still wouldnt explain some... things.

Cal @ Feb 5th 2008 12:26PM

You can't ask someone to like every kind of game. I, personally, enjoyed his reviews and often shared his viewpoint. To a lot of people this generation is all about online multiplayer, and the best way to get that at the moment is in a 'shooter' game.

(And no I'm not a 'shooter' only fanboy, also like good RPGs (Mass Effect, Oblivion, DMMM), sports (FIFA, Fight Night, Skate, etc) and anything comprising mostly of fun or good multiplayer)

whymog @ Feb 5th 2008 1:46PM

A reviewer is entitled to bring his or her own views to a review. That's what makes a review distinct. While Gerstmann's reviews have sometimes shocked me, I've found over time that I tended to agree with his views. (Those 8.8s were well-deserved.)

And from what I've heard, he's one of the more honest-to-goodness journalists in the field of games journalism. And in any budding industry, journalistic integrity is essential to its healthy development. Here's hoping we see something new and genuine result of the mass exodus at Gamespot.

Pro-Truth League @ Feb 5th 2008 8:40PM

Personally, I think objectiveness is necessary.. and it's annoying and wrong for him to bash a game for being "More of the same" when it's something he doesn't prefer (i.e. not something involving shooting) vs him being ecstatic at more of the same when it's something he DOES like (i.e. shooters).

That's just flat out unprofessional.

Deck @ Feb 5th 2008 12:26PM

Maybe they'll all start up a smaller site!!

Jared @ Feb 5th 2008 2:03PM

Yeah, the Hotspot is pretty much completely dead now. As far as personality that GS has remaining, its not looking good. I'm pretty much done with GS. Ever since Gerstmann was fired, I've been coming over here and really like it. Honestly, GS is good for previews and thats about it. And Gametrailers probably does it better at that. Here is to hoping that the editors that left will join together and comeback with a podcast of some sort.

thewill @ Feb 5th 2008 4:11PM

Everyone doesn't realize there is more to this story than they want to believe. The fact is that Jeff was an A$$hole to alot of people and to work with. Everyone knew it at the company. Wise up people.

WhoMe @ Feb 5th 2008 4:57PM

Proof or STFU.

I'm not saying he was the nicest guy alive, but an asshole?

Cal @ Feb 5th 2008 5:09PM

So why have people been following this 'A$$hole' out the door then?

CJ @ Feb 19th 2008 8:47PM

And how would "thewill" happen to know this, unless he is employed at GS himself?

thewill @ Feb 5th 2008 5:54PM

i dont have to give you proof. You know the joke about assholes and how everyone has one? Well you think gamespot can't have its own a$$hole? I know plenty of a$$holes, i deal with them everyday. A$$holes get fired all the time. Stop drinking the gamer koolaid dude.