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Giant Bomb News

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Phase Two Is Go

We're saying goodbye to Sausalito and moving back to the big city. Our time is now.


Maybe a bit too literal, but hey, whatever works. 
Maybe a bit too literal, but hey, whatever works. 
I'm coming to you live, from my house... in my underwear. Just felt I should get that out of the way up front, but the reason for all the partial nudity is that we're between offices right now. Wednesday was our last official day in the old offices, and we spent most of that day packing everything up, slapping labels onto it, and drinking. Actually, I was driving, so I mostly watched other people drink. And I'm extremely lazy, so I mostly watched other people pack, too.

It's a big move for us that comes at the exact right time. With the addition of Tested and Screened to the Whiskey Media posse, Sausalito is now officially too small to contain us. So our new office is a bigger spot that'll give us more studio space, a dedicated podcast room, and, weirdly enough, an entire room devoted to our own private whiskey bar. I believe in the business world they call that "walking the walk?" This also means that I'll be able to make vague threats directly to Alex every time a bad game shows up in the mail and constantly pester Will to help me figure out which laser mouse is right for me without having to walk upstairs.

We'll have more to show of the old office getting dismantled and new office in the near future. But there's more going on than just a new basement to call home.

 The Human Tape Measure goes to work.
 The Human Tape Measure goes to work.
The number one question we get around here goes something like "how the hell do you guys stay in business with no ads on the site?" We've sold a few T-shirts in the past, but to be honest, those happened because we thought they'd be cool, not because we ever expected to make a huge profit on them. Same deal with the iPhone app, which is rapidly losing value now that you can view those same videos using your phone's browser. For us, it's been all about building a regular audience and treating the people that choose to spend their time with us with the respect they deserve. The business dudes have done some ad deals in the past, and they've signed a deal with an external firm called Six Apart, which will be largely responsible with putting ads onto Giant Bomb and the other Whiskey Media sites.

It's funny, a lot of people wanted to guarantee us a whole lot of money up front for the ability to sell ads on our sites. For just about any other company I can think of, this would have been the "cha-ching" moment, where you start grabbing as much cash as possible. That's the easy way out. We've gone a different way with it, instead focusing on putting a system in place that should hopefully prevent the Internet's worst types of advertising from ever sullying our pages. We're doing what we can to make sure that the ads don't ruin your experience on our site. There will be site skins, but you definitely won't see one every day. There will be banner ads, but not for dick pills or "YOU PUNCH MONKEY 4 FREE IPODZ" or all of the other bullshit that makes a website start to stink. It's nice to be working with guys that understand the value of your experience with our sites. My guess is that there will be some bumps in the road this month as we get things going, but it feels pretty good to be shifting into "proper business" mode. That'll give us some more leeway to do all of the stupid things that no other game website would dare to even try and continue having fun while we do it.

This is the part where I should come to you, hat in hand, and tell you how ad blockers block the fun in the worst way possible, but I'm not going to tell you how to live your lives. If you absolutely can't stand any form of advertising ever yet you still want to support what we're doing down here, well, we might have some things for you in the fairly near future that'll let you handle that without the intense guilt that comes from knowing that Coonce won't be able to afford any more tracksuits if you're blocking all of the ads.

My understanding is that today is the first official day that Six Apart is beating down doors on our behalf, and our office doors will open once again on Tuesday. In the meantime, we'll be working on some review stuff (I have a lot of Singularity to play) and celebrating... our Independence Day! *cue cheers*
  
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

381 Comments

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maxszy

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Edited By maxszy
@alternate said:
" I don't mind static relevant ads - either subtle or front page skins - but anything that pops up, animates, autoplays video or flashes, etc and I reach for adblocker.  Look at the big game sites and they are hurting for ads these days so if you got companies wanting to give you money up front you must be doing something right. "
Long as they are not these types of ads, then we are all good! And since you guys know what the hell you are doing, I am sure they will be just fine.
 
You all deserve the l00tz of your labor! Go get it!
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RHCPfan24

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Edited By RHCPfan24

BILL PULLMAN YES!!!
 
Well, guys, I hope you enjoy your new offices; they sound sweet. I am glad I got to visit the Sausalito office once, and I would love to visit your new office sometime down the road. Your advertising plans are fine by me; keep this site how it is now and you have my support.

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brocool

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Edited By brocool

best of luck guys, keep the up the good work and you'll never hear me complain.

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PLWolf

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Edited By PLWolf

Sounds great Jeff! I guess Mailbag Vids will take some time to get going again too. lol
Glad you guys are back in the city and will have a much more reliable power source, especially during the occasional rain storm.

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Chummy8

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Edited By Chummy8

Here is what I took from this article:  We're moving to a bigger office and we're a little nervous about the increase in overhead.  So therefore, we are probably going to put ads on the site and please continue to support us. 

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natural_deadhead

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Edited By natural_deadhead

I love Giantbomb.com. You guys do great work!
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SenorTrampoline

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Edited By SenorTrampoline

I read "private whiskey bar" as "pirate whiskey bar". I think I'm watching too much Its Always Sunny. Also dont worry GB, as I just looked at the top of Chrome and it appears AdThwart is disabled for this site! Huzzah!

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sjschmidt93

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Edited By sjschmidt93

The first thing I thought when I saw this was Starcraft.
 
DAMN!

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FuzzYLemoN

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Edited By FuzzYLemoN
and celebrating... our Independence Day! *cue cheers*
 
Today is Canada Day. Therefore, I have come to conclusion that Giant Bomb is moving to a remote log cabin in Canada. I see right through your guise, Gerstmann. I KNOW THE TRUTH!!@!1one
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s10129107

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Edited By s10129107

but the dick pill ads are my favorites... 

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Skogen

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Edited By Skogen
@alternate said:
" I don't mind static relevant ads - either subtle or front page skins - but anything that pops up, animates, autoplays video or flashes, etc and I reach for adblocker.  Look at the big game sites and they are hurting for ads these days so if you got companies wanting to give you money up front you must be doing something right. "
I completely agree. As soon as we start having redirects for "Ax Body Spray" and shit like that im done. But I trust that the Whiskey Media family will keep their sites in check.
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ravensword

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Edited By ravensword

lol, that speech is epic.
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Hamz

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Edited By Hamz

Interesting read, now we can thankfully have something to direct all those "HOW DOES GB MAKE MONEYZ!" topics too! :P
 
Good luck in the new office!

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OllyOxenFree

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Edited By OllyOxenFree

I'm turning off AdBlockPlus for Giantbomb!

 Do it!!!
 Do it!!!
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risseless

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Edited By risseless

Thanks for considering us ad haters. I would love to support GiantBomb because I love the site and community, but you can pry my ad blocker from my cold dead hands.

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ThePhantomnaut

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Edited By ThePhantomnaut

Cools.

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cypher89

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Edited By cypher89

Funny how you posted this story on Canada Day 

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russdog

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Edited By russdog

I appreciate the transparency...when good people do good work in a good way, it's all good.  I'll click on some ads for yous guys, no problem.

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Pop

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Edited By Pop

Wow jeff, I love it when he breaks it down he the greatest evaaa!!

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goodwood

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Edited By goodwood

I promise not to block the ads on whiskey media sites unless you guys start using the damn eye fucking ads that pop up then our relationship is over.

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warxsnake

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Edited By warxsnake

<>

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sanzee

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Edited By sanzee

What a rad little place.

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BenMatok

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Edited By BenMatok

wait... you really only made money so far by selling T-shirts and the iPhone app?

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btman

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Edited By btman
@Skogen:   bullshit you're done.  where will you go?  If you don't want any advertising then I suggest not going on the internet or watching TV
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SoothsayerGB

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Edited By SoothsayerGB

 
Nice, can't wait to see the new videos and the Sing.  review.  I hadn't heard of it before the QL.  Might buy it after your review and bombcast it.
 
As for the ads, I don't mind them at all when they are gaming related.  But if they aren't I will only block the flash ads.  When I click a video to watch, I hate ads first.  But! If they are for games? I might let them play.  
 
But fuck watching auto insurance ads before a QL!  That is getting blocked, sorry.  Banner ads, site ads whatever.  I am fine with those for the most part. 
 
Happy to support Giant Bomb in their pursuit to try and take over the world.  Good Luck! Not that you need it.  You don't do what you guys have in the past 2 years and just loose all steam.   
 
No matter how big the sale.

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Spence_5060

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Edited By Spence_5060

I am excited for the future.

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MachoFantastico

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Edited By MachoFantastico

Good luck with everything.  
 
Don't mind ads, they can work for a sites design in a good way. Just don't be GameTrailers and put endless advertisements everywhere. Fecking awful website. 

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crusader8463

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Edited By crusader8463

We will see. I have heard the same line form other sites just before logging in the next day to find those eye blaster, axe body spray and KFC ad's on ever dam inch of the site. I really hate those ones you see being used these days to randomly pop up over videos as your watching them.

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ht101

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Edited By ht101

This is totally the greatest movie speech ever in the history of movie speeches.  I will probably watch this movie this weekend because I feel like I need to in order to keep being able to call myself an American.

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Klaimore

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Edited By Klaimore

As longs as we don't get any EYE BLASTERS!!! all good oh and maybe it would be good not to advertise games that will suck like oh I don't know Kane and Lynch 2.....maybe?

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MeatSim

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Edited By MeatSim

A whiskey bar, sounds like the best office ever.

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bhhawks78

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Edited By bhhawks78

Giantbomb is the one website where I make sure adblock is off no matter what/whose computer I'm using.  I would legit send you guys 100$ or buy basically any Merch you sold just because you've given me literally HUNDREDS of hours of hilarity and genuinely good info.  Seen all of all three endurance runs, basically every non trailer video, listened to every podcast probably twice by now.  Giant bomb is just fucking awesome.

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rybrad

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Edited By rybrad
@btman said:
" @Skogen:   bullshit you're done.  where will you go?  If you don't want any advertising then I suggest not going on the internet or watching TV "
Or reading the paper/magazines, driving or going to the movies.  Clearly, a conversion to the Amish lifestyle is the only option.
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sweep

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Edited By sweep  Moderator

For the sake of Coonce's tracksuits, I shall disable my addblocker. 

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WEGGLES

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Edited By WEGGLES

July First. The day Canada became it's own nation. The day Giant Bomb got a new office.
 
I use adblockers. But I have it off on all whiskey media sites. I mostly use it on sites that are so plastered with ads it bogs down my computer. So, as long as you don't put up flash heavy ads that you mouse over for 1/100000000000th of a second and it expands and covers the whole screen I will continue to not block ads. I'm fairly confident you guys wouldn't put up shitty stuff like that though.

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Brendan

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Edited By Brendan

But...I DO want to punch a monkey for a free ipod Jeff.  Don't take that chance away from me!
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DanceDanceKennypants

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Farewell to Sausalito!
 
I hardly knew you. In fact, I didn't know you at all.

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superfriend

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Edited By superfriend

Good luck and have fun moving!

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Damien

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Edited By Damien
@Brendan said:
" But...I DO want to punch a monkey for a free ipod Jeff.  Don't take that chance away from me! "
THIS! And I also need and want DICK PILLS!
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TheGreatGuero

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Edited By TheGreatGuero

That IS the best movie speech ever! I can quote it word for word without even watching it!

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PowerBombYo

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Edited By PowerBombYo

I went to turn Adblock off but realized I turned it off months ago. If ads bring some cash to the site, I can handle looking at them for 30 seconds or whatevs. 
 
May this site live long and prosper.

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Saieno

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Edited By Saieno

*cheers*

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Brackynews

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Edited By Brackynews
@FlameAlpha: Uh, no.
@Klaimore: Man, look around you and take a moment to appreciate the explosion that K&L "set off". Even though it's absurd to think one game was responsible for what happened.  Had you even heard of Whiskey Media before Jeff hooked up here?
I now have a network of pop culture 2.0 sites that I didn't have 2 years ago. I'm perfectly willing to "blame" K&L for that, and by blame I mean shake my head and smile.  Yeah I'll try K&L2, its reputation proceeds it, and it is damn well going to be better. The internet is a better place because of the first one. Word to your mother.
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albedos_shadow

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Edited By albedos_shadow

A whiskey bar is probably the best and worst idea you guys have ever had. Farewell to the old Bomb Shelter, may we always remember that basement.

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TheLastNeo

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Edited By TheLastNeo

Awesome....     great post...

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Nev

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Edited By Nev

I use Adblock, but for GiantBomb, I'm happy to disable it for the site and help support you guys.

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wrecks

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Edited By wrecks

Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.   

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DarthB

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Edited By DarthB

Good to see a site acknowledge the ads issues without using some cut & paste wording from the lawyers.  For me, I don't usually notice ads much anymore, I guess I mentally block them or something.
EDIT:  Love that Independence Day speech.  Just watched it for the first time in years on bluray and holy crap those 1994 effects are looking pretty 1994.

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Azteck

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Edited By Azteck

Any news on if us Europeans will see ads now too or if we're still immune?

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comradecrash

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Edited By comradecrash

Congrats on the new office! I hope you have a video of the place up soon...
 
And just for you guys I will turn off my ad blocker.