GameSpot

• 1. Founding And Early Expansion

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  On the 1st of May 1996, three former IDG employees launched a new website called GameSpot. Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein formed SpotMedia Communications to build an online platform focused on gaming content. The initial launch emphasized news, previews, and reviews primarily for personal computer games. To broaden its scope, SpotMedia launched a companion site named VideoGameSpot on the 1st of December 1996. This sister site dedicated itself to console and arcade titles instead of PC software. By the 6th of January 1997, SpotMedia announced a partnership with Ziff Davis valued at $20 million. That financial infusion enabled the company to grow to 45 employees within one month. The partnership integrated content from Ziff Davis publications such as Computer Gaming World and Electronic Gaming Monthly. Eventually VideoGameSpot was renamed VideoGames.com and merged into the main GameSpot site.

• 2. Corporate Ownership Transitions

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  Ownership of GameSpot changed hands multiple times over two decades following its founding. On the 19th of July 2000, CNET Networks acquired ZDNet for approximately $1.6 billion in stock. This transaction brought GameSpot under the ownership of CNET. In June 2008, CBS Corporation acquired CNET and placed GameSpot under the management of the CBS Interactive division. CNET was sold to Red Ventures in October 2020. Two years later, Fandom Inc. acquired GameSpot along with Metacritic, TV Guide, and Giant Bomb from Red Ventures. The acquisition included several other properties like GameFAQs and Comic Vine. In January 2023, between 40 and 50 employees were affected by a round of layoffs. More layoffs occurred at GameSpot in January 2024.

• 3. International Regional Operations

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  GameSpot UK started operations in October 1997 to serve the British market. Content offered there often differed from that of the U.S. site during this period. The regional version won the 1999 PPAi award for best website before being short listed again in 2001. PC Gaming World served as a sister print magazine where some content appeared on both platforms. Following the purchase of ZDNet by CNET, GameSpot UK merged with the main US site. It relaunched on the 24th of April 2006, with localized features including special forums and local pricing in Australian dollars. A similar operation existed in Australia known as GameSpot AU. This version ceased in 2003 when its content folded into CNET.com.au. The Australian site fully re-launched in mid-2006 with specialized forums and local release dates.

• 4. The Gerstmann Dismissal Scandal

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  Jeff Gerstmann served as editorial director until his firing on the 28th of November 2007. He was dismissed following pressure from Eidos Interactive regarding a specific game review score. Eidos objected to the 6/10 rating given to Kane & Lynch: Dead Men while heavily advertising on the platform. Both GameSpot and parent company CNET initially stated the dismissal was unrelated to the review. In March 2012, a non-disclosure agreement forced Gerstmann to withhold details about his termination was nullified. Not long after, Giant Bomb was purchased by the same parent company as GameSpot. Gerstmann revealed that management fired him because publishers threatened to pull advertising revenue due to less-than-glowing scores. Jon Davison confirmed this account of events.

• 5. Review Methodology Evolution

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  GameSpot employs a 1-10 scoring system for reviews today. This method evolved from a categorical breakdown where aspects like graphics received individual scores. A unified overall score introduced in 2007 added half-point increments for finer granularity. By 2013, the scale shifted to integer values only. The system categorizes scores with labels such as Masterpiece or Abysmal. A score of 10 represents a Masterpiece while a 1 indicates an Abysmal experience. Scores between these extremes include Superb, Great, Good, Fair, Mediocre, Poor, Bad, and Terrible. The site ran paid subscriptions from 2006 until 2013 before discontinuing them.

• 6. Notable Staff And Alumni

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  Greg Kasavin served as executive editor and site director before leaving in 2007 to become a game developer. He worked as a producer at EA and 2K Games before joining Supergiant Games as a writer and creative director by 2021. Danny O'Dwyer was a video presenter who founded crowdfunded game documentary company Noclip in 2016. Chris Wanstrath left GameSpot in 2008 to start GitHub which became the world's largest host service for software code. In 2018 he sold GitHub to Microsoft for $7.5 billion. Jeff Gerstmann started Giant Bomb after his dismissal from GameSpot. His departure led to the creation of a new platform that eventually moved headquarters into the same building as GameSpot.