Integrity in the World of Video Game Journalism

Anyone who takes even a passing interest in gamer culture and news must have caught wind, by now, of the recent fiasco involving Gamespot.com and the firing of one of their long time editors and game reviewers, Jeff Gerstmann.

It all started last Thursday, November 29, when the rumor was leaked. Gerstmann was fired from the video game website Gamespot.com. What got forum browser's panties in such a bunch was the allegation that he was fired due to pressure from publisher Eidos Interactive, over Gerstmann's less than stellar review of their latest game, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. Shortly after the incident, all of the Kane & Lynch advertisements--which were quite prominent--were pulled from the website.

What followed was a frenzy of internet reaction. Forums flooded with angry commenters voicing their opinions. Gaming website Destructoid.com changed their logo to better represent their feelings on the matter. Even a "Boycott Gamespot" movement stirred up in its wake.

As a journalist myself, I truly believe that one of the most important aspects of the profession is integrity, both personally and professionally. A journalist's job is to disseminate information; true information, to the best of his knowledge. If Mr. Gerstmann's firing was truly a result of pressure from advertisers, both Gamespot and Eidos should be ashamed, and deserve all of the bad press associated with it.

A reviewer of any specificity, be it books, movies, or video games, should be allowed to engage in their craft with total impartiality. If not, then there is no reason for reviewers to exist. After all, anyone with a good copy editor could write a review if they are told what to say and how to say it. Stripping a journalist of their ability to remain unbiased robs them of their creativity; to most writers, a fate worst than death.

Now, whether or not the cause of Gerstmann's firing is because of pressure from Eidos has not been proven yet. Gamespot released a statement a few days after the news broke that his departure had nothing to do with the review. However, it seems to me like nothing more than regulation damage-control.

Gerstmann has not been capable of giving the exact reason why due to the legalities surrounding the situation, however, he has spoken with Joystiq.com discussing what he can about the matter.

Unfortunately for Eidos, this debacle is not the only hot issue surrounding their new game. Apparently, the official website for Kane & Lynch has also sported some out of context review quotes, as well as doctored review scores. This recent discovery does nothing to help Eidos' image. If they could put up fake scores on their official website, would it be such a stretch for them to strong-arm good reviews from websites that host their advertisements?

Things may not look good for Eidos, but I think the true victim here is the gaming community. It has been an uphill battle for video games and the culture surrounding it to be taken seriously in the professional world, and all this does is detract from that hard work. Let us hope that these events do no more damage than may have already been done.