At this point, when we think of the halls of Gamespot, we can't help but envision one lonely janitor who, taking a break from his full day of sweeping, occasionally tries to put a video game into a console and, on the rare times when he's successful, writes 800 words about it. We know that's not the case, but our grim image of the place has only been further cemented by the news during this week's Hotspot (the site's official podcast) that PC gaming specialist Jason Ocampo was leaving the site for another opportunity.
Ocampo said that he hadn't been considering a move three weeks ago, which would seem to rule any
Gerstmann-gate connections out. That said, we'd be willing to bet that having
so many of his co-workers jump ship didn't make the decision any harder.
{ Feb 27th 2008 at 9:30AM } 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
j20 @ Feb 27th 2008 9:47AM
wow, this is really starting to get quite sad, time to take this old bony mare down to the glue factory methinks?
Captain Obvious @ Feb 27th 2008 3:02PM
@j20
At this point, I don't really think it's sad anymore. I think they are all leaving to form their own site, right? So that should be a happy occasion when they finally announce.
Kadotsu @ Feb 27th 2008 9:51AM
The last months really killed off one of my favourite Podcasts on the net. Ironicly the Hotspot had its peaks when it made fun of ridiculous marketing campaigns like Ubisoft's Haze Korn songapaluza.
It'll be missed. I hope the arrowpointingdown Podcast will continue the Hotspots legacy.
Jerk Face @ Feb 27th 2008 9:52AM
That's a great picture! : )
Dustin @ Feb 27th 2008 10:00AM
Yep, a great post with an accompanying hilarious picture always starts my morning off right.
Thanks Justin!
Justin McElroy @ Feb 27th 2008 11:13AM
You're welcome boys.
ThornedVenom (Patapornographer) @ Feb 27th 2008 12:33PM
I see whose side of the Defense Force you're on...
DP @ Feb 27th 2008 1:29PM
How fitting and funny is that pic?! Great stuff indeed.
Dauragon88 @ Feb 27th 2008 9:59AM
Ahh... Later Jason.
I'll still listen to the Hotspot as long as Vinnie is there :)
Oh and I'm sure this is old news to some but Ryan, Jeff, and Alex are doing a podcast of their own: http://www.arrowpointingdown.com
Imagine the hotspot, only with more food, and f-bombs
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 27th 2008 10:14AM
Fucking nice!!!
Nigeria @ Feb 27th 2008 10:00AM
6.0: Never forget.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 27th 2008 10:13AM
Wow. I cannot believe you are implying that Jeff is Moses.
"LET MY PEOPLE GO!!"
chenry @ Feb 27th 2008 12:14PM
Well, both Gerstmann and Moses led an exodus...
Chris @ Feb 27th 2008 10:21AM
Ah I don't think it's that big a deal.
1UP has some senior editor leave every day and no one says anything.
I wish they would though because I think they are all jumping a sinking ship.
Einhanderkiller @ Feb 27th 2008 10:50AM
I guess that's because nobody cares about 1UP.
mr nimblewick @ Feb 27th 2008 10:24AM
Where is gamespot located? Maybe I should apply for a job...
Chase @ Feb 27th 2008 10:37AM
1313 Webfoot Walk, Duckburg, Calisota
Good luck!
Synergistic @ Feb 27th 2008 10:24AM
Its kind of sad, Gamespot and 1UP is who I looked to for reviews, now only one is left.
I'm not even sure if I feel comfortable going to GameFAQs anymore.
Also Gamespot's feature where you added in the games you owned, we're playing and anticipating is top-notch, anyone know of anything similar?
t_m @ Feb 27th 2008 10:30AM
ign?
Synergistic @ Feb 27th 2008 10:37AM
What about them? I haven't touched IGN in over 5 years except for an occasional article in their comics section.
Chase @ Feb 27th 2008 10:46AM
t_m, perish the thought. I stopped reading IGN after they canned Miss Galatea and her pro-wrestling section. A section they brought back later on, but not her, so I continue my streak of not reading their website. It's been many years, and 1Up is a lot better, even now.
Steve @ Feb 27th 2008 10:47AM
I agree, IGN sucks the ass. It got even worse when they consumed Daily Radar. Now THAT was a great site.
Synergistic @ Feb 27th 2008 10:53AM
Really what it is going to come down to is if the guys from Penny Arcade aren't championing it, I might not bother buying it.
vulgardaclown @ Feb 27th 2008 9:46PM
i stopped reading "ign" when it went from gamesages.com TO ign.com. i looked to gamespot and gamefaqs for my info, and then they were one... and now it seems none.
Synergistic @ Feb 28th 2008 7:36AM
Oh and Yahtzee. If he likes it, then its gold.
CharleyTony @ Feb 27th 2008 10:51AM
Awesome picture (might need a little side note for people who arent too sharp though)
make sure you bring it back,, this will be a classic that could last 10 years !!!
Mr.ESC @ Feb 27th 2008 10:56AM
I don't know who is in charge of the latest reviews but they suck.
N+ 7.5 Now that's BS.
TripleTags @ Feb 27th 2008 11:08AM
I hate to say this Justin but this post seems a little vulture-esq. What does this REALLY have to do with anything BUT a guy leaving a beleagured competitor of yours. People leave companies and get fired every day .. your day will come ;).
Korova @ Feb 27th 2008 2:23PM
True, but Gamespot is the Britney Spears of the video game press, so we need a play by play.
ClarkyCat @ Feb 27th 2008 11:07AM
That fat, lisping idiot leaving the site will probably increase traffic! "Well this is awful, stale gameplay, laughable graphics and broken sound. It's a PC game?! 9.5!"
Demaar @ Feb 27th 2008 11:11AM
Dear Gamespot,
I would like to seek employment with your organisation. Though my job history in game journalism is lacking, my ability to give great ratings to mediocre games is top notch. Wage negotiable.
Regards, Demaar
Chase @ Feb 27th 2008 11:32AM
Hahaha...
343 Guilty Fart @ Feb 27th 2008 12:31PM
You're hired! Here's your first assignment: Review this Doritos based adventure!
Korova @ Feb 27th 2008 2:25PM
Review this Doritos-based adventure with no less than a 7.1.
Making oneself like a game enough to give it a "genuinely" good review is hard work, but with a little application, you'll be doing it like a champ in no time.
jdeuel @ Feb 27th 2008 11:14AM
good, the internet needs less jaded "pro game reviewers"
everyone seems to think their opinon on a game is the basis on which you should buy them, with lots of "this game should have X feature" or "buggy programming" when blaming the collision box on modellers model.
Demaar @ Feb 27th 2008 8:12PM
True there are a few reviewers like that, but I don't think they're in the majority, and I'm not sure if that's the case here.
I think the tell-tale sign here is that it's not happening to all of the major gaming news sites, just Gamespot, and coincidentally after the whole "Gerstmann-gate" thing.
Sam @ Feb 27th 2008 11:17AM
To Gamespot:
Pay me better than my current employer and I'll write a glowing review of Superman N64 if that's what you want.
Greg @ Feb 27th 2008 11:20AM
HAHA this is Sad but I only go to GS for the fourms, I've learned game reviews are worthless years ago
Shiba @ Feb 27th 2008 11:35AM
Yeah, I don't know why anyone is acting like Gamestop was a good place to get game reviews. If you really believe that you probably have an intimidatingly fat stack of craptastic games lying around.
Every site/magazine/etc. falls under one of these three categories:
Always sucked
Used to be great but now sucks
Used to be okay but now sucks
Name ONE that doesn't fall under one of those three, if you can, your probably wrong.
You can sort of rely on user reviews, but with all the stupid fanboys posting things to try and change scores its hard to even do that. I would suggest just getting a gamefly subscription or something similar so you can tell for yourself.
SID SPACE @ Feb 27th 2008 1:46PM
@ Shiba
Gametrailers is pretty good, but you're right for the most part. I can't trust individual sites anymore, so I look more towards metacritic. They can't bribe / buyout all the reviewers - can they?
Demaar @ Feb 27th 2008 8:14PM
Just a little FYI, but the Gamespot forums are the exact same ones as GameFAQS. Users, posts, etc. The only difference is that I *think* the Gamespot boards might have more posting options. Also GameFAQs is very blue.
CharleyTony @ Feb 27th 2008 11:22AM
In the not too distant future, there wont even be a press release guy left at gamestop. How will this last guy write about him quitting ? Cant wait to see that one. Or logging in to Gamespot and getting a smple message that they dont have enough man-power to shot us their site, and then obviously, we'll be redirected to a big game ad !!!
chenry @ Feb 27th 2008 12:14PM
I thought Kane & Lynch was a 9.0! GameSpot, give me a Job! I obviously have no dignity.
hur hur hur
I'm kidding. K&L sucked arse. 6.0 was generous.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 27th 2008 12:52PM
I agree. It's funny how people were saying How jeff was so mean with his review when in fact he was being very generous. Kane & Lynch is practically unplayable.
LiK @ Feb 27th 2008 12:19PM
he was a damn fine PC reviewer. i bet he'll be joining Jeff Gerstmann's posse when the new site debuts.
...oops, did i say something?
Odog4ever @ Feb 27th 2008 1:57PM
Why does joystiq do a post every time someone leaves gamespot?
It's obvious all these guys are leaving to go work at the new Gerstmann review site that has yet to debut. (Jeff said thanks for the free PR by the way)
You guys don't report on any of the hirings or firings at any other game sites/blogs? Matter of fact, all these guys quit of their own free will. If they got laid-off or fired then you might have something.
Fact is there are so many people that want to get paid to write about video games that Gamespot won't miss a beat filling the vacancies.
My question is, is the whole Gerstmann-gate thing still top-of-mind to anybody who doesn't read gaming blog everyday?
Acewings @ Feb 27th 2008 2:12PM
gametrailers is the best place to get reviews.
Acewings @ Feb 27th 2008 2:14PM
Gamespot is paid and subsidized by Microsoft to rate MS games high and rate Sony games low.
That's why MGS3 only got 8.7 on Gamespot but everywhere else it was AAA.
I'm so glad Gamespot is going down, they were totally biased towards Microsoft.
rasgueado @ Feb 27th 2008 3:17PM
Are you serious? Not even game news... game PR biz news. First you spend who knows how long analyzing and converting 1up review scores, and now you're covering the fact that somebody found a better job? Can the desire to find some way to remain relevant be so strong as to cover nothing at all?
Dan CiTi @ Feb 27th 2008 4:00PM
Wow. This is an epic fail. I listened to a HotSpot from last summer just for nostalgia.
ArrowPointingDown rules. All it needs is a little Rich Gallup and maybe Jason now.