The news hit me hard.

Hey guys, firstly I want to pour one out for the leaving GB crew. We've all heard the news but before this post waffles on about anything, I want to say, to the folks who's worked at GB and are leaving, thanks, it's been incredible and I wish you all the best.

I've been listening to GB since the gamespot days. It actually inspired my entire career as a professional (don't laugh) gaming youtuber and I ended up building a YouTube channel with 1M+ subscribers and was able to give people jobs which is just incredible. All of this came from as a young teen, burning downloaded mp4s of xb360 release videos onto a DVD and building a love of showcasing things I loved with like minded people. (Err GB/GS, I used to steal your videos make a showcase dvd and pretend I was some kind of magazine). It just looked like so much fun and it looked like my dream job, and it is even today.

To say GB has had an impact on me would be a huge understatement. The team has been like family, I've laughed, endured and grown along with the team and so much of what the team has collaborated on over the years has been absolutely brilliant. Even once I built my own version of online gaming content (whatever that might be these days) I still could not be without my dose GB family.

I'm gutted to hear of the new changes coming, it's a real shame - I know it might sound silly, but knowing we wont get the same squad back for that GOTY special is honestly really sad to me. I spend all year looking forward to it, even if it's a year where none of my games make the top 10. I really take real personal enjoyment from being part of the GB community and even though I know it might just be a job or someone's job, it kind of hurts so many of them are leaving. I guess all I really want to say is I'm gutted these people wont be in my life anymore (is that weird?), I feel I know them as real people and even though they've never met me, I could probably chat to them like I've worked along side them for all these years.

I will absolutely look forward to meeting new people, I'm sure they'll be great but I do want to say I'll really miss this era and I will always appreciate the work the squad have done to this point regardless of what happens.

Guys it's late for me, sorry if this was written poorly, I'm just tired, and sad lol.

Take care GB crew, I look forward to seeing what happens next!

Olli

Also, Jeff? Congrats on your news about BB2 - that's amazing!

@olli43: Hope you're doing ok! It's going to be an interesting few months for sure!

@rorie: Thank you Rorie - I really appreciate that!

If it is, then you're not alone.

You are not alone. The news has wrecked me.

6-8 hours a week, every week, for around 13 years of having these chuckleheads in my life.

This will be hard.

i feel like i just got broken up with

Cheers to your own success, and I agree. It's been a day of quiet mourning to myself. I have friends that play games but mostly my gaming hobby which is a decent portion of my life has been contained to my consumption of this websites content.

There have been eras of influential people that have come and gone but the core group has always made it feel like the same site. Now it feels like, assuming the site doesn't fade away; it will be a different website even if the name is the same.

I feel grateful for this online platform to have been a welcome constant thought my young adult years, and for the people that have made it so great.

Yeah, you're not alone <3

I listen to all the live casts at work to get me through the day. Today, I just had to drop what I was doing and go home.

I started looking for a new job over the last month or so and I really don't want to leave my job because I love the people I work with but it's time for me to go. It's been slowly creeping on me that I need to give my notice and seeing this both crushed me and reminded me I was doing the right thing. It was a whole lot to take at once though so I took the day. Gotta do what you gotta do

I listen to Giant Bomb podcasts every day while driving and while at work. I watch new Giant Bomb content every night before I go to bed. For years, I’ve been playing old Giant Bomb content in order from the beginning as my background sound while playing video games (currently up to 2012). When I get home from work, I change into a Giant Bomb t-shirt.

For people like us, Giant Bomb has been our thing for more than a decade. I’m pretty gutted too. Maybe this can just be our thread for being gutted.

Thanks for everything, Vinny, Brad, and Alex.

We’re still with you, Jeff.

Grief is grief, no matter what form it takes. Feel the feelings, it's really all you can do.

I'm happy for the guys, as taking a step like is clearly a big thing and they're doing what they need to personally. The site is fantastic and now it'll be different. But that's life, man, and as I get older I've learned to appreciate that change is an inevitable part of it so this didn't hit me as hard as it would've five years ago.

Still, I hope they go out being able to appreciate how much they mean to so many people.

We are all family here, even when we disagree with one another. The split hurts, but the bond between the four, the staff and the community is forever.

Vinny, Alex, Brad, Jeff, staff and ex staff: If you happen to catch this, if and when it is possible, I would love it if y'all can do a "Film and 40s" for the upcoming FF9 movie. Because, ya know, FAMILY.

Yeah I'm having a really difficult time processing it to be honest. I feel extremely sad.

Man, I can vividly remember different milestones in my life all marked with memories of what Giantbomb was up to at the time. It's been such a steady force to retreat into when I have stressful or even not stressful times. The Giantbomb crew have been gracious enough to share with us for so many years that I'm really going to miss that from the core duders, though I completely understand the toll it has to take on them to maintain that work lifestyle

Really glad that Vinny, Brad, and Alex are able to exit on their own terms and be proud of all the content they gave us over the years. I'm gutted but also really excited to see where Jeff, Matt, Jan, and Jason take things. Jeff is a force and has always been a trailblazer and trend setter. Hearing him talk about the excitement of overcoming new challenges and rethinking what the site is shows that there's still some gas in the tank. I'm on board for wherever this community heads next!

@olli43: I feel you, just got back from a 12hr work day and saw the post about Brad, Alex and Vinny. Def hurts to hear the news but you're not alone.

The Bombcast and content of this site has been the soundtrack of my life for the past decade plus. Moving, marriage, new jobs, all sync up with the amazing moments on Giantbomb. I remember listening to the Bombcast while waiting for my daughter to be born.

I wish everyone the best, and excited to see where they go in the future! Thanks duders! It's been a hell of a ride.

You're not alone, this is incredibly difficult for me to handle.

I want the best for Brad, Vinny, and Alex of course but wow; I'm floored and speechless.

Well, all my GS faves that left went into the game making side of the industry (Rich Greg Carrie Bob), but so far everyone thats left GB has stayed in the press-side, twitch streaming, podcast guesting. Even if not here I think we will still see these three dudes more often than the 18-24 months between Gallup visits etc.

Well 2021 sucks. These folks helped me survive a divorce and gave me something to look forward to. I am crushed. I am happy for everyone if they are really chasing their dreams. Otherwise this year sucks and just seems to get worse everyday.

There’s been a lot of change in my life lately. Saved last week’s Bombcast for when I needed a little bit of normal. What a surprise to have this happen now, during a total upheaval.

But with upheaval can come good things, better things. I’m glad for everyone.

You're not alone.

For years I've seen people say things like "GB got me through some hard times" and thought "well that didn't happen for me, really, but that's good for them," but it's because I wasn't paying attention.

All this time, since 2008, when I lost my core friend group, then when I lost a girlfriend, to a couple years after when I had no friends and no direction and a job in a supermarket, to a few years ago when I was overworked in the most toxic job of my life and dreaded every single day, to this past week when my long term partner and I decided we had to break up, I always went back to GB for comfort. To me, Giant Bomb has always been a group of friends that share one of my favorite hobbies. I could rely on them to make me laugh, to "get" me; even if, to them, I'm just another member of the audience. GB has often been my therapy without me even realizing it, and without it I don't know where I'd be.

This probably is mostly due to my aforementioned recent loss, but this news has tipped me over into a bit of a numb twilight zone and I'm honestly scared about how alone I'm going to be in the next few months.

But in the end, change is good, I know that. I'm excited for the future.

They made fun shit for a long time, lifted the spirits of a lot of ppl, that’s something to be proud of

Been following since the beginning. Really starting to realize how much of a crutch I've used these folks as to avoid life. Specifically the sheer pure joy of Vinny. I wish them all the absolute best and look forward to the future, but, also thinking that I need to completely re-evaluate things.

I like how this has almost become like some group therapy thread... I've been sad every time someone left recently... Ben, Abby, Dan, Drew, Austin, Patrick, etc.... and of course the loss of Ryan. Still the tears are flowing... definitive end of an era. Will cherish the memories for a lifetime.

@development: I hear you. I can empathize with what you're saying here.
I learned something a few years ago, as change/loss continues to happen in my life over and over and I get tired of the same old routines I'm doing for various reasons.
It is kind of like when you get stock you need to have a portfolio. Don't put all your eggs in one basket or whatever. There are a lot of great podcasts and communities which now-a-days bring me as much joy as I have experienced over the past 20+ years with the guys of Giant Bomb which used to be my sole source of content (I didn't even watch a lot of TV shows for around 10 years just to make time for everything Giant Bomb was doing at all times so I could always fit it into my schedule).

All I mean to say is: It's scary. I get it. You always find yourself alone in this world and Giant Bomb has been a constant. But there are other long standing communities out there and this is a good chance to find one that you can relate to just as much.

It's pretty crazy how many podcast there are now with relatable hosts and a wide swaths of content to help you get through the tough times.

Really this is also for others that feel that way as well. Giant Bomb doesn't have to be the only source of interest. These days there are tons of great communities and podcasts or even shows on the web somewhere with relatable people- sometimes people you wouldn't even expect. Just as an example: I used to really dislike Bobby Lee's comedy, but recently I found and started listening to his podcast. While I still have similar feelings about his comedy I respect him more as a person and I find myself vastly more interested in listening to his podcast because of it. And all he does is talks honestly for an hour or so with various comedians.
So just give stuff a chance and see what you like. There's stuff out there. Sometimes you find your limiting yourself by not giving stuff a chance.
This is meant to be uplifting and positive. Hopefully it reads that way :)

Hang in there. You're never alone.

Yeah, this is rough. While it hasn't been my only source of podcast/internet personality content in quite a while, GB and its core crew has been my only constant that isn't my immediate family for well over a decade, almost a majority of my life. Not really sure how to effectively deal with this break in continuity.

Absolutely gut wrenching for me. I haven't been around since the absolute beginning, but it's been a little over 10 years. These people who I have this parasocial relationship with have seen me through high school, college, multiple jobs and moves, all these transitions in life, they have been a constant to help keep me sane and grounded. I know they don't owe me anything and they are allowed to move on and do what they want with their lives, but it still leaves a hole in my heart.

I wish all three the best, and I'm looking forward to hopefully exciting new territory for GB and the remaining crew. Thank you for making this thread so I could take a moment to get all of this out.

This. dont you forget about me pops on, cries. Reading comments, cries. Twitter, cries. Bombcast, cries. I wish everyone the best, but fuck man it hurts. You watch and listen to people everyday for over a decade you feel like you know them know them.

@nick: This is too accurate. I couldn't find the words to describe how this feels and these are it.

Feels like all the posts here could have been written by me. Just finished talking to my wife about why this hurts so much. She understands as we started going out shortly before Ryan passed and she saw my reaction to that.

I was never able to fall asleep at night before Giant Bomb. My brain was far too active and I would stay up late, sleep in, and basically ruin large parts of my life. Giant Bomb's videos, particularly @turboman's excellent Best of Giant Bomb series, calmed my brain down and allowed me to sleep. Another aspect of all this is that none of my friends play games. Vinny, in particular, liked the same games I liked and made me laugh and cry. For the first time in my life, and I was 28 or so at the time, I was listening to someone be as enthusiastic about the same things I loved.

My wife knows how big GB is to my routine. I keep a spreadsheet with all the latest videos and mark them off when I finish them. I listen to every podcast. When I lived in Japan, I would listen to the GoTY deliberations over and over again because I had so much time to myself. I would spend the entire year being excited about GoTY. Going as far as keeping another spreadsheet tracking upcoming releases and GB crew's reactions to them.

I truly love Giant Bomb. I'm 100% on board with what comes next but for the rest of this week, forgive me if I'm crying.

I think this community has such a organic appreciation for the staff, it is hard not to feel a emotional surge when someone leaves. I think every Giant Bomb staff member has earned our collective respect through their merit on their work with Giant Bomb. Whether they came from Gamespot, Game Informer, or some other trenches of the video game world, we have grown our fondness for what they have done for us here. I am doing my ritual of buying a six pack, listening to GB content, and really just appreciating this place and how it has been around for myself in my life.

I will always miss Ryan, Dave, Patrick, Austin, Drew, Dan, Abby, Ben, Brad, Vinny, and Alex.

On the flipside, I am excited for the core of Jeff, Jan, Jason, Rorie (?), and Bakalar (?).

It feels like a fresh start. As we begin coming back out of this crappy pandemic, it seems like getting back to basics will be a good thing, and we can maybe see some new growth from there.

This is a really great post and perfectly encapsulates how I feel. Maybe GB won't make it through this, but also, maybe it will and what will be different will at least be interesting I think.

@vectortheangel: My wife knows about the site and the people because I have talked about them before and we also need background noise so we had GB on in the background while falling asleep to the degree that when I said "VINNY BRAD AND ALEX ALL LEFT" her reaction was literally "WHAT!?" which was both unexpected and endearing.

It hits hard. Been with these guys since the GameSpot days. That's about 15 or so years of listening/watching these guys for me. GB crew has been a big part of my life and now it's coming to an end. :(

Having the team continue to do what they do more or less uninterrupted has been a level of normalcy that I really needed over the last miserable year(s).

It feels silly to feel so broken up about a website but good to know others feel the same.

Vinny mentioning the birth of kids is equal parts amazing, endearing, sad, and insane. I will forever remember the Fez podcast when he talked about Max being born.

I just wanna say I agree with all of you and GB has been a huge part of my life from when they started it.

@sternone: Same for me 100%.

It's rough.

Learning this news now seems even harder to swallow knowing you have this ticking clock until a thing you loved for years is suddenly going to go away forever. Giant Bomb the site will live on but it was always about the people first and foremost. I'm one of those folks that found GB at a really rough time in my life and without much exaggeration I can say they helped pull me out of a really depressing place. When I started getting into long distance running they were always my companions during training and during competitions for years to come.

I think it's a system shock for anyone that has regularly listened to these guys for the past decade. When the office split into the two coasts it took a bit of adjusting to not hear them all together but eventually the two distinct styles of East and West started once again feeling like second nature. Now, I dunno, I think like everyone here I feel confused, deflated and anxious about the upcoming final friday show. It speaks volumes how these strangers on a website about videogames have wormed their way into our hearts in such a way that feels like you're losing a close friend rather than experiencing a staff transition.

Really I'm at a loss for words - I wish them all the best and hope Vinny gets some much needed rest. This site has been a huge part of my life and it will take a while to process and adjust to living without these voices every week. I will forever blame Kingdom Hearts for this.

I lived at my parents as a young adult; lonely, depressed and unemployed. GB really helped me keep going and since then I have gotten a job that turned into a career, got married and bought a house and adopted a dog... The GB crew was always there trough my own journey and Ryans passing was like a death of a family member.

I truly wish the best for Alex, Brad and Vinny as I have done to all those who have come and gone along the years. <3

@development: Hope you're doing ok. I know exactly what you mean. GB got me through a break up of a ten year long relationship and recently, with covid etc, helped me feel less alone. I even started rewatching Mario Party Party because sometimes we all need to remember: as bad as life is right now at least we're not playing Mario party.

They've just barely got enough staff for Mario Party.

It's not hitting me as much as you guys but it does feel like the end of an era. It's a fact of working life that some people burn out, redundancies are made, etc so the old guard going doesn't surprise me. Especially given they've been at this for close to 20 years. And the curveball that is covid.

The future's going to be interesting for those staying on and those leaving. I hope they've got some exciting things in mind.

It's been a ride.

Already mentioned in the other thread that GB has been part of my life for so long that it’s impossible that this wouldn’t effect me in some way.

Much like in the case of Ryan, it’s sad to think about that I won’t hear their thoughts on new game releases or on things that are completely seperated from games. Obviously this is way less tragic than Ryan’s passing and while I’m personally bummed, I hope they’ll find new paths in life, that will occasionally cross with GB again.

Also, like said, people move on. I feel like last year, I kept reading about people leaving video game related websites every month. Maybe covid sped things up, but I feel like we would’ve been in this situation in a few years even without a pandemic. They were at this for a long time.

P.S. I usually don’t watch their friday shows live, because it’s late over here when they start and I also like to have something to watch on a saturday morning, but I feel like I gotta stay awake for the last one (and then cry myself to sleep).

Change is nearly always good, and very rarely do we have any control over it. GiantBomb has been the most important website/podcast/community to me and many others for the last 13 years. Thank you Vinny, Brad and Alex - you have given so much pleasure to us viewers over the years and being a 40 something now myself, I fully understand the need for change! Embrace it. Cheers chaps

Ive been following so long its like friends are moving away. I look forward to the future of GB because new points of view will keep things engaging, but im gonna miss em all.