WORLD EXCLUSIVE!
February 5, 2008 9:36 amI had a nice little chat over IM with Joystiq’s Kyle Orland last night, which he whipped up into this nice little story this morning. I generally feel good about it, though I was probably more guarded than I needed to be. The major points that I really felt were worth making around all of this nonsense are that:
A) This is not the editors’ fault. Those guys are more pissed off than any of you could possibly be about how this all went down, and the installation of Ricardo Torres as Editor in Chief was done specifically to patch the wall between editorial and sales that was ever-so-briefly breached. He, more than anyone else in this world, wants to see GameSpot’s integrity restored and see its editorial direction put back on track.
#2. Kane & Lynch didn’t fire Jeff. I believe it was a factor in his termination, but I think it was more emblematic of the relationship between the upper management and the senior editorial teams. I’m not privy to the specifics of that relationship, but I believe they felt our reviews were unfairly critical, and that was impeding on ad dollars, which should give you a good sense of where their priorities lie. Personally, I played Kane & Lynch this past weekend, and though I went in thinking that maybe Jeff had been a little harsh, by the time I got to the nightclub level I thought Jeff’s review couldn’t have been more honest and completely on-target.
Anyway, at this point I’ve said just about all I can/need to say about this topic. Moving on!
February 5th, 2008 at 10:49 am
[...] Davis updated his blog earlier today linking to an exclusive interview at Joytstiq, which includes further details as to [...]
February 5th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Good stuff, Ryan. You’re a good man, and I can’t wait to see what comes for you in the future. Also, I would like to know the origin of the word “boosh” for you. If it is from Human Giant, then you are an even greater man than I or anyone could have imagined. Thank you for all of the good times.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:04 am
I hear that. Lets get with the future! So is this a two-thousand GREAT, or a two-thousand HATE?
February 5th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Amen! Chapter closed. Look forward to reading / hearing you in the future. Your presence on the standing set will be missed :*(
February 5th, 2008 at 11:52 am
well put ryan, can’t wait to hear what the future hold for you.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Good man! keep up with games i look foward to seeing/hearing from u in the future! U+Jeff+Alex=greatest website ever! start one!!!
February 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
its all good man im just waiting for the super site if thats what you guys are working on.. if not no biggie you always got this site
February 5th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Why don’t we make something better? I have stopped using gamespot now since this all began. I think there are a lot of us out there that support you because it is unAmerican or well, we don’t want to be ripped off.
Honest reviews sell. They also save money for what they help us not buy. Often ads are influencing websites’ reviews. We could use that as a tool as well.
This is a win/win. We get better games because of harsher reviews, writers gain credibility and creators gain competition. I honestly believe many games are being pre-rushed-released due to two factors:
1. ahole gaming companies (EA’s bad rep a few years ago), were games are pushed to meet deadlines rather than quality
2. to meet advertising goals
Why not create a site that sticks by their reviews, but at the same time gains credibility due to their honesty? Advertisers would know this in advanced with our contract’s disclaimer that no favortism is given to contractors, just maybe a more thorough review or whatever was requested (pics, movies etc).
Shew… anyways good luck. I have many ideas in mind so feel free to write. I think it would be great is if we also got involved in game testing (nda/press releases) to gain a edge over other companies that are to large, to vague and out of touch with what is great. We’d also have content created before game release that is useful to the reader.
I honestly have no reason to pay for gamespot or ign because the fluff, is fluff.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
BRING HIM BACK!!
Its not impossible,man! If not, I ensure you all the staff will depart.You guys like tragedy?
February 5th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Ryan Davis, you probably wont read this but I’ll write anyway. I salute you! I visit gamespot everyday in hope that the magic gets recovered and so far (i have to be honest, sorry) its not happening. I will still be visiting and hoping though.
Meanwhile Ryan, I wish you good luck. From what I saw of you in gamespot, I believe you are a great man destined for great things.
I will follow your blog to get the latest on Ryan davis!
Later!
February 5th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
It’s becoming really hard for me to come up with new goodbye messages. Ryan you were always one of my favorites on the GS staff, and I’m sure you will be missed over there. You’re a good man and I know you’re going to be just fine wherever you decide to go.
It’s not really goodbye though, I’ll always keep checking on you right here. These blogs you guys keep kinda help ease the blow. I hope to hear from all of you guys soon!
BTW; If all you guys are going to keep blogs like these, why not unite them in one big site? It might also be a foundation for something much bigger down the line.
February 5th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
yeah, the K&L demo on XBL was dumb. jeff was spot on.
February 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Where the hell is E!’s documentary on this. THIS STORY NEEDS DRAMATIC MUSIC.
I’m still a Gamespot fan, and I’m happy to see most sane people slowly taking off their tin foil hats.
February 5th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
No matter how much you guys try to tell us otherwise, Gamespot really lost its cool. And that’s a compliment to all the people leaving, by the way.
February 5th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Nice article, it certainly sheds more light on the real factors that have led to this whole mess. Its gonna be a tough year for Gamespot.
February 5th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I love GameSpot, but with everyone jumping ship, I don’t really feel like going there anymore. There’s no other site that I trust(ed) as much though.
February 5th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Alright, man! Looking forward to see what you’re doing next. Good to see you’ve started updating the good old blog.
swim easy
February 5th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Best of luck man. You, Jeff, and Alex need to do your own podcast.
February 5th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
You should make a band. Tour the world. You could totally be the next Slash. On a unrelated note, add me as a friend on XBox live. NinthValidBacon. If you feel like it.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Well said Ryan. It’s simple, Jeff’s review was not harsh at all. His review was an honest one, the game gets very tired very quickly and the excesive use of the F word is not cool at all, it just becomes verbal garbage after the first 5 minutes.
Moving ON is correct. Can’t wait for the DREAM TEAM, Jeff, Ryan, Rich and Alex Navaro to form the ultimate gaming site for the gaming realist’s of this world. Thank you for your honesty.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Get Culdcept SAGA tomorrow and let’s play the crap out of it.
Also, hello. You’re awesome.
February 6th, 2008 at 12:35 am
You Jeff and Alex should start your own podcast about burritos games and early 80’s hair metal infused hip hop.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:26 am
good luck dude and thanks for telling it like it is, it would be good to see you,rich,jeff and alex doing maybee a gamesite/pocast you would get bigger than gamespot given time i know i`d pay a membership…
February 6th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Yesss
U, Alex, Jeff, the best game site ever…
Please at least try it !!!
Zenwork from Italy
February 6th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Please start a new video gaming website together. It would be great if you did.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:19 am
LAFF? Love At First Fright? Please educate me as to what this really means.
It sounds like uppper management has made things very difficult. Unfortunately, as you implied, all they see is dollars. If they really do not like someone they sometimes will find things to exploit and use this as their basis for terminating a person’s employment.
Gamespot, in it’s prime, had such a strong core of individuals. Now many have left for various reasons, and now management will see how difficult it is to rekindle that magic. It’s good to see that you are not ignorant of this. Some may say that you’re not loyal for seeing Gamespot through this down swing, but ultimately you have to do what is best for you. You’re still young and talented and the door is wide open.
Thank you Ryan for making me laugh and for your insightful commentary!
-Rudy
February 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Good for you Ryan D. Now if U, Jeff, Alex, Frank and olde R Gallup start a site I’ll be the 1st there. Good luck.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I’ll probably keep going to Gamespot, mostly for the sake of Ricardo Torres, Brad Schumaker, Ryan Mechberg etc
You ex-gamespotters should at least make a bit of an annual video. Give us something.
Also, I really respect how you were holding it up on the podcasts n that. I’m just guessing you didn’t want to host On The Spot, but you kept it together pretty well. So thanks for that.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
well there is now no reason for me to listen to The Hotspot nor to watch On THe Spot … or go to GS at all any more.
no Jeff / Ryan / Alex means no Gamespot in my opinion.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:54 am
I still say you should’ve made cocainemountain.com your homepage, but that’s just me.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Well at least he’s saying that kain and lynch was a factor, and that upper management fired him because of his crictal reviews, and ad money, not because of a bunch of random circumstances that no one could have prevented.
February 13th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Ryan-
Thanks for the information. I was sad to see Jeff go and no you too are leaving…..
You guys are great and I have enjoying listening to the podcast.
I wish you the best in whatever is next for you.
Thanks
Chuck
February 13th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
This basically confirms most of what people were so angry about. Perhaps not to the extent which they were, but certainly more than Gamespot EVER led us to believe. That is inexcusable.
Ryan, you were always one of my favorites on Gamespot, and I wish you the best. But I cannot wish the same for Gamespot, as I feel we have been deceived.
They will never, ever regain their credibility, and do not deserve to do so.