Gamespot’s Gerstmann Fired, Allegedly Over Kane and Lynch Review
After publishing a critical review of Eidos’ new shooter, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men, long-time Gamespot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann today finds himself without a job.
According to a fellow Gamespot contributor and close friend of Gerstmann who wished to remain anonymous, the editor was fired Wednesday morning because of his negative review of the game, which he awarded a 6.0. Comparably speaking, Metacritic lists Kane and Lynch as currently having a 68% average from critics. I recently reviewed the game, bestowing it with a score of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Eidos is heavily advertising Kane and Lynch on Gamespot this week, including interactive Flash banners.
The latest Penny-Arcade comic features a brief overview of this controversy. However, because the comic isn’t scheduled to ‘go live’ until tomorrow, commentary from neither Gabe nor Tycho is yet provided.
Gerstmann had been with Gamespot since 1996 and was largely responsible for its growth. Several past reviews of his have been controversial, including an 8.8 awarded to Twilight Princess and a 10.0 for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3.
It is possible that other factors contributed to Gerstmann dismissal in addition to the review, although this is completely unsubstantiated at the present. While we stand behind the information presented here and our source, no official announcement has been made by Gerstmann or Gamespot. Expect more details to emerge online in the next 24 hours.