GB staff moral gradually dropping?

Ok, the quest and a strange feeling that I've been having for a long time made me write this.

Is it just me or is the GB staff morale gradually dropping?

First time I noticed was probably around the Monster Hunter Tri QL, continuing with Dead to Rights, Ironman 2 and Lost Planet 2 QLs. We can all argue if those are bad games or not, but I sense a drop in good spirit and/or  willingness and/or lack of love for what they do… I can even say I felt it here or there on the podcast as well. I don’t mind if they don’t like the game I find great, I’ve been with them from GS till now, so I know their tastes by now, it’s just that they don’t even care about them (games) , you know?

With all the fuss with the community lately, bans of certain members and some inappropriate comments directed towards the GB crew, (don’t comment so much on that, those topics have been done to death) I began to think that maybe the users are the ones that are demoralizing the GB team.

You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite.

I didn’t pay too much attention to the state of the community, the users, nor their contribution here, but maybe that’s why there’s lacking oomph?

Put yourselves in their shoes. If I ran a site and the users behave like dicks, I would strive less to make that site great. Just me and my work ethics I guess (I’m writing this at work so that says something  =) ).

Thoughts?

P.S. No matter what is stated above, I got to give props for Brads Alan Wake (video) review, not because I like the game to, but because the way it was written/spoken. Great and informative review.

If I was any of the GB staff, I would never, ever read these forums ever. So much vitriol here.

those were just bad games (for them), you are just over dramatizing, a common theme on these boards. Besides E3 is in less than 1 month, they'll be quite peppy by then

" those were just bad games (for them), you are just over dramatizing, a common theme on these boards "

I dunno. I think the community here is actually pretty good and maybe the lack of enthusiasm just comes from the lack of major games that have been released in the last couple of months. This time of year is really slow for the video game industry and I guess their jobs become pretty boring, from E3 onwards it will start to pick up.

It's only a matter of time until they crack hehehe

If they are upset by forum commentary, then perhaps they do need a new job.  I doubt it has anything to do with what you are perceiving though.

I remember Jeff and Brad talking on the Mobcast about how great it is at GB.  I think that was only a few months ago.  
 
I think what you're noticing is them taking a step back from "Yo, come check out our dope site!" to "Dude, we have a great site with lots of user generated content. Let's not screw it up."  It is like dating.  After a while, you stop ironing your pants for dates.

I think they're just stressed. Tested.com went up a little while ago and now we just got Screened.com. It's a lot of work to launch a new website/database like that and I doubt Dave, Andy, and the rest of the Whiskey crew have the Giant Bomb guys solely working on Giant Bomb stuff. It just wouldn't make sense. So anyways that's my 2 cents.

" I remember Jeff and Brad talking on the Mobcast about how great it is at GB.  I think that was only a few months ago.   I think what you're noticing is them taking a step back from "Yo, come check out our dope site!" to "Dude, we have a great site with lots of user generated content. Let's not screw it up."  It is like dating.  After a while, you stop ironing your pants for dates. "

Actually, I've was curious what you think about the rockstar-fan-feedback thing and do you think that bad (dickish) community feedback can affect the quality of their work.  
It would affect mine.

you mean morale? I think you mean morale.

" you mean morale? I think you mean morale. "

If there is any decrease in morale, I'm guessing it's because of the Endurance Run. Such a large endeavor surely takes a toll on people, especially if the point of it is to strain you out. 

First Jeff has always been hard on gams.  Go back to Gamespot and look at his reviews from a decade ago, I wonder how many 9+ rated ratings he has ever given.  I usually just add a point to whatever Jeff gives as a way of comparing it to other reviewers.  Second as long as these guys have been working on the internet surely they know the mentality of it and realize that there will always be people that hate on things and people that passionately defend what they enjoy so I doubt they get to upset about what most people say on the internet which is why I was surprised over the last incident. 
 
 
 
Edit:  and my morals have been dropping for years now.

I usually just add a point to whatever Jeff gives as a way of comparing it to other reviewers.  

" If they are upset by forum commentary, then perhaps they do need a new job.  I doubt it has anything to do with what you are perceiving though. "

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

"Is it just me or is the GB staff morale gradually dropping?

First time I noticed was probably around the Monster Hunter Tri QL, continuing with Dead to Rights, Ironman 2 and Lost Planet 2 QLs."

Meh.  Haven't really noticed this.

" @sopranosfan: @schizogony: I didn't even mention review scores in this thread. They are not the issue here, I said I've been by those guys for a long time and I know their tastes. It's about the attitude towards games and/or work and the way the sites community can have an impact on it. "

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

" If there is any decrease in morale, I'm guessing it's because of the Endurance Run. Such a large endeavor surely takes a toll on people, especially if the point of it is to strain you out.  "

Really? You pick one game that probably none of them have a great interest in and three that are bad (in their opinions) and you expect them to be balls to the wall happy about it?
 
And these guys are internet born and bred game reviewers, the KNOW not to care about what we say, only what we do (visiting their site, watching their videos, etc.). Hell, I'd love to hear what Jeff honestly thinks of forum posters talking trash about everything - that would be a rant worthy of comparison to his snake-tongued Final Fantasy hatred.

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

There's probably more non-members that visit this site.

" @Sweep said:

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

Ok, no need to make the always angry guy angry =) But something along those lines. It's not the band that should change, they do things the way they want to, it's the fans that gotta find another band they'll like, right?  "

what is brad sad I called him a dipshit like 100 times?
pathetic

" @Choi said:

" @Sweep said:

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

Ok, no need to make the always angry guy angry =) But something along those lines. It's not the band that should change, they do things the way they want to, it's the fans that gotta find another band they'll like, right?  "

I loyal fan sticks with their band, but a loyal band should stick with their fans. That's just my opinion. "

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

" @Sweep said:

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

Ok, no need to make the always angry guy angry =) But something along those lines. It's not the band that should change, they do things the way they want to, it's the fans that gotta find another band they'll like, right?  "

I loyal fan sticks with their band, but a loyal band should stick with their fans. That's just my opinion. "

they do. Just because a few nintendo fanboys hate them doesn't mean the comunity does. In fact, its quite the opposite. That's right,  I was tired of the band analogy "

" @Rhaknar said:

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

" @Sweep said:

" @AlwaysAngry said:

" @Choi said:

"You know, kinda like rock stars rocking out on the stage for their fans, and not getting any good feedback, or even getting back the opposite."

Then maybe those rockstars should listen to their fans and try to improve their music. "

Their "fans" are acting like fucking arrogant morons. "

Ok, no need to make the always angry guy angry =) But something along those lines. It's not the band that should change, they do things the way they want to, it's the fans that gotta find another band they'll like, right?  "

I loyal fan sticks with their band, but a loyal band should stick with their fans. That's just my opinion. "

they do. Just because a few nintendo fanboys hate them doesn't mean the comunity does. In fact, its quite the opposite. That's right,  I was tired of the band analogy "

Word. "

There has been a drought of good games that has resulted in them playing some bad games, which would make anyone feel a little down.
 
This new slate of good games this summer and E3 will pick them back up.

I think people are looking into this way too deeply, there could be a tonne of things that cause any perceived changes to their attitude that we wouldn't know about!
 
If there is any change then I'd take a guess at it being because E3 is coming up, the Whiskey Media company as a whole is moving to new offices sometime soon and there is still every day work that needs done; reviews, previews, video editing and so forth. And not to mention Screened.com just launched and Tested.com is set to move out of its preview phase soon as well. Generally speaking there is a tonne of work to be done in the next few months across all areas.
 
It has nothing to do with recent internet drama, no matter how much people would love to think that is the reason :P

They've been in this business for years. You don't think they're used to playing bad games and having community members act like assholes?

" what is brad sad I called him a dipshit like 100 times? pathetic "

The honeymoon period wasn't going to last for ever.  Morale isn't 'low', it's just gone from "This is an exciting adventure!" to "This is a job!".  This was inevitable and the same thing is reflected in the users.

" @Choi: oh, ok. Well, native English speakers get the words "moral" and "morale" confused too, which is one of the reasons it bothers me =P. Carry on then. In any case, I love what they are doing. And I usually don't read the forums (or comments) particularly because of people whining, so I imagine many readers are perfectly happy and just don't complain. "

" those were just bad games (for them), you are just over dramatizing, a common theme on these boards. Besides E3 is in less than 1 month, they'll be quite peppy by then "

" @trophyhunter said:

" what is brad sad I called him a dipshit like 100 times? pathetic "

You called brad a dipshit 100 times? That is pathetic. "

Can't say I noticed this decline in morale.

" The honeymoon period wasn't going to last for ever.  Morale isn't 'low', it's just gone from "This is an exciting adventure!" to "This is a job!".  This was inevitable and the same thing is reflected in the users."  

i just think that it is something to do with outside of gaintbomb. they are confused. they are going to be happy again when E3 comes. i just think that it is their job and other whiskey media doing other things. 
 
it is anytime before they crack!!! they are going to kill everyone in the gaintbomb office.