Do you guys ever think of the GB crew as 'friends?'

No, but sometimes I wish I had friends like them. Then again, I don't do anything about the fact I don't. I kinda envy people who were lucky enough to grow up around people with similar interests to themselves.

They will be. They will be....

In a sense they are, but I would generally say their just really awesome people(strangers) I follow on the Internet.

"God, it's gonna get ugly, man. They're gonna buy you drinks. You're gonna meet girls, they're gonna try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs. I know. It sounds great, but these people are not your friends. You know, these are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of rock stars video games. And they will ruin rock 'n' roll video games, and strangle everything we love about it, right? You know, because they're trying to buy respectability for a form that is gloriously and righteously dumb. Now, you're smart enough to know that. And the day it ceases to be dumb is the day that it ceases to be real, right?" ~ Lester Bangs "Almost Famous"

lol 25% didn't answer 'no'.

I would have easily voted "no" until I heard that Ryan died. That's when I came to the conclusion that they are something a bit different, because of the kind of environment they have managed to cultivate with Giant Bomb. They're not friends, not exactly acquaintances, but not strangers either. If I had to make up a term, they would be kind of like honorary friends. They didn't go to the friend university, but they still got the degree based on outside works. If any of them (through some very weird sequence of events) ever ended up needing to crash on my couch, they would be welcome... even if it doesn't work both ways.

So, I just split the difference with "acquaintances I guess"...

No...

I like them all, think they're all genuine and was sad for them when they lost Ryan Davis... But I don't consider them as friends. I just consider them to have a brand of videogame coverage I happen to like and respect their opinions (even the ones I disagree on)... no more, no less. I also listen to them a lot less than a lot of the people on the site... I might only watch 3 or so quick looks a year (if even). I tend to only listen to the podcasts and some liverstreams so I tend to hear them a lot less than other users of the site.

Family ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I'm a fan, but there's no such thing as a non-mutual friendship. If you've never personally interacted with them in a meaningful way then by definition you're not their friend.

Acquaintances... but that's a huge, fucking stretch. I have met most of the staff only once in person and Ryan had blocked me on Twitter, but that's about it. I'm not expecting Vinny or Brad to wave to me if I see them walking down the street because they live over 2000 miles away from me and that would be really weird, guys.

And 1% simply don't register.

I am the 1%.

I know a lot about these people, from following them practically everyday for years now, maybe a little too much even.

But they know quite literally nothing about me, I've never met them, never spoken to them. So no, they're definitely not my friends. I like them a whole lot, but I'm a fan, nothing more.

Would I like to be friends with them? Of course, why wouldn't I.

I consider them lovers.

I think most of you are taking this too literally. Of course they're not like your real life friends. You don't hang out with them, share jokes, watch movies, talk about problems. That's obvious. No one's asking if you converse with a home-made Jeff themed body pillow (ugh).

The way I see it is that, at most, It's a one way friendship with these guys, and that's the way I prefer it. Otherwise the "magic"(ugh) would be ruined.

I still haven't watched any GB videos. The one time I tried it was premium content. I should be able to filter that out.

Jeff is my dad.

... b-brother? ;_;

@fattony12000: I'm sure for a lot of people, including myself, It certainly felt like we lost a friend when Ryan passed away.

No I've never thought of them as my friends. Yes GB has sometimes been the only thing I had to look forward and yes it would devastate me if Monday morning they announced they were shutting GB down but I would feel the same way about Community being canceled. They've had an impact on my life no doubt it (I did grow up listening/watching them on GameSpot) but calling them friend would feel weird.

Greg Miller on the other hand I feel like I can (and have) go up and talk to as if he was a friend which I'm sure is a result of how open Greg has always been and how ever since I can remember he has always referred to everyone who watches/listens/reads his work as his friend.

I've learned the danger of assuming people like you as much as you like them.

I voted for Yes, friends, but only because I misunderstood the question. I thought it was if I thought the crew considered themselves friends, or more coworkers. You know, like you always wonder about the cast of a TV show.

I don't consider the staff, people I have had maybe thirty seconds of interaction with in person (at PAX) my friends. They're entertaining (for the most part) people whom I watch and read on the internet, and nothing more.

Interesting how aggressive the anti friendship responses are. WELL THEY ARENT YOUR FRIENDS EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY ARE.

Not at all and I'm sure they'll feel the same. You can't be friends with anybody you've never met, or aleast talk to in someway.

Sure, why not ? i don't give a shit.

Danger? This sounds like a can of worms I don't want to open but...

They are people I pay to entertain me. Nothing more.

I could never call someone a friend if they don't know my name. Friendship, as an institution, requires familiarity. It requires camaraderie. And friendship requires a two-way relationship. I'm no more friends with the owners of this site than I am friends with Barack Obama or Hulk Hogan. I supported both of those men in their various endeavors, but not because I wanted their friendship but because I believed in their cause or product.

They are entertainment. Nothing more

I didn't mean to imply that I encountered an internet personality and they told me to back off, just saying that I deduced for myself that would be the inevitable conclusion. That Giant Bomb confessions tumblr would seem to say that many others haven't realized this yet.

I read it as "Strangers I blew on the Internet"

Absolutely not. My friends listen to me.

No matter how much caps and bold text I use in my comments, they barely ever respond and when they do, they talk to me like I'm some sort of customer... or subscriber of some sort.