Annual subscription - future of the site

With the latest news that Vinny, Alex and Brad are to be leaving GB along with Jeff's statement of a total rethink of the site. I'm wondering whether its a good idea to claim a gift card to continue Premium or try for a refund. The fact they are extending everyone's subscription through May says to me that not a whole lot of content (and rightly so as much bigger things are going through) would be coming out over the next few months.

Is the site even going to continue a subscription model? If i claim my gift card for another year of Premium, what will that look like in 6 months? All questions I'm sure they are working through along with many others i guess.

Is anyone else in a similar situation? Or have just purchased an annual subscription and worried about what that year will look like?

I knew my money was supporting people I wanted to succeed. The premium vids were a bonus.

I don’t think GB is the sort of place that will let your spent money feel wasted.

Same. I've always thought of it as a glorified tip jar. I've been on a renewing annual subscription for years, which just refreshed itself back in December, so I'm on the hook for awhile. I'm going to give Jeff the benefit of the doubt and see what Giant Bomb becomes before I even think about crying for a refund. The fact that he is sticking around gives me some hope that the site isn't going to become something insufferable or fade awhile entirely.

I'm renewed through the end of the year so that's how long I'll give Jeff to rebuild the site. I don't think cashing in a gift subscription right now makes a lot of sense, since Jeff has basically conceded that May is not going to have a lot of content and you have no idea if you'll be into whatever new form the site takes. I trust Jeff's vision and I assume it will be something cool with interesting people, but it may be something cool with interesting people that you (or I) just don't connect with.

The only reason to use the card now is to access archival premium stuff. If there's a bunch of stuff you haven't watched but want to then there's no reason not to subscribe and enjoy that content. I believe the site will be around for a long time and I think Jeff will succeed because he's really good at this, but there's still a pandemic going on so if you want to binge on old UPFs and other premium stuff it's probably worth the cash.

The new stuff? I'd wait and see. It's not like it will be a long wait to get an idea of the future direction.

i'm subbed through essentially this time next year (with no auto-renew), so that's how much personal runway i'm giving the site's new direction. and i'm happy to give it to them- even if i threw down the cash before i knew who was leaving.

the site's given me a lot, so it gets the benefit of the doubt. happy to see what the future brings.

There are no scenarios where I’d have the ability to subscribe to something Jeff Gerstmann is doing and not do it. I’m keeping my Giant Bomb subscription active for as long as there is a Giant Bomb subscription.

For people not like me, I’d probably wait and see what happens the next few weeks before doing anything.

Jeff, Jan and Jason form a good nucleus for a rebuilt Bomb. But I think patience is the key word here.

Remember, it took probably at least a year, maybe more, before the OG group really found their groove back in 2009/2010, and, depending on what's going on behind the scenes, it may take a few months before they even have a chance to hire people full time.

Now, everybody has the right to make their own financial decisions over where to spend their entertainment money. (Even though the mismatch between expectation versus actual cost in generating Internet content make me wonder sometimes about some of the assumptions some people have behind those decisions, IMHO.) But FWIW my wife and I, we're willing to hang around at the premium level for at least another year.

Maybe they'll catch lightning in a bottle again, maybe it all falls apart. But Jeff has earned the chance to do it again, if he wants to take it.

@bigsocrates: Good shout; I'm pretty caught up on the premium vids so think I'm going to leave as is until I either see what this new direction is going to look like (and like you said, connect with it) or get that urge to dive into the archive again. Full confidence in Jeff, past or future so I doubt refunding is an option I'd take. Excited to see what's next, and if not my thing... there's always Metal Gear Scanlon.

I'm subscribed until July of next year, but I've canceled the auto renewal for now. Once Giant Bomb 2.0 launches I'll renew if its something that speaks to me the same way old GB has. I hope to god it does, Giant Bomb has been a part of my life for years and I'm just not ready to say goodbye to it yet.

It's exciting to think about the editing shenanigans that Jan could get up to with a little more budget.

My current subscription runs until December, so I might as well see what's actually coming next before making any sort of judgement call. That being said, they'd have to drop the ball pretty hard to lose me at this point, and it could just be once-a-week streams of Jeff noodling with his MiSTer or demolishing his garage and I'd probably be happy enough.

Absolutely gutted that Alex, Brad & Vinny are leaving (and all the other departures as of late), but Giant Bomb has always been kind of an embarrassment of riches and I don't get the impression that it's just going to wind down from here. So I'll see how it goes!

Mine runs out in June, I’ve cancelled it going forward. I am treating this as a new site and something that has to earn my subscription new not an existing agreement.

@jackw1212: they haven't given us a free month because of "no content" it's because within the next 4 weeks we'll know more about what the future of GB is, thus giving us time to make a decision on if we renew or cancel.

Just renewed in February, so I'll probably give the new flavor ago because I love Jeff, but honestly I'm not sure if I'm hopeful.

I don't know that I'm interested in "a Web Site About Video Games in 2021" given current trends.

@yalbit: Never said no content and agree with your thoughts of what the next 4+ week would be about.

I believed I am subbed until October or November this year. I mostly absorb the site through the podcasts on apps so that I do not even listen to the premium versions, and I only watch snippets of videos and best of giant bomb so I do not know how much I would miss if I stopped being premium. Other than when I did not have Auto renewal on I've basically been premium since the concept came about. I have used the premium subscription basically as a tip jar because if I stopped the way I absorbed the site's content would not really change. If however the site developed was not in a way I was very interested in I do not think it would be the difference between being premium or not, I think it would be the difference between me going elsewhere elsewhere + no longer subscribing or not.

I'm not too worried about this right now. I'm going to keep listening to Jeff and crew on the podcast every week and enjoying it. I assume just like whenever big changes happened one month isn't going to be enough to really see how plans work out. I think 2021 will essentially be an entire rebuilding year for giant bomb and whatever they try to pivot to 2022 will be the year.

I don't think it's a big mystery of where the site is pivoting to. This industry is basically watching people play video games on camera and and listening to them on a podcast. Unless there is some entirely new way to interact with games coverage it'll come down to weather these people are fun to watch.

^ very true

I'm subbed for a while, and leaving auto renew on. Until they say this site is shutting down, I'm subscribing because I trust the crew to keep this ship going

@yalbit: Jeff explicitly stated that the free month is compensation for the fact next to no content will be coming out in the next month as they pause and take the time to plan for the future.

I was subbed through till December, and after hearing the news I decided to cancel it just so I the auto renew doesn't kick it.

Definitely routing for Jeff and the remaining gang though, and will be very happy to extend/re-enable my sub should I be happy with the sites new direction.

I bought a Tushy just the other day after hearing Vinny on the Beastcast pushing a promo code. Then I heard the recent news. I’d still like to think my bidet purchase has helped Vinny in some way. *shrugs*

Just renewed for a year last month. They can keep it - they’ve provided me with more than enough enjoyable content over the years. I believe they deserve it, whatever the future may hold.

A good portion of what and who I love about Giant Bomb is still in place. Jeff, Jan, Jeff, Jason, Rorie...I'll absolutely stay subbed and stay tuned.

I don't think anyone knows what's about to happen right now, including Jeff and the rest of the crew which is why they are doing the free month extension as they figure it out. Sounds like they had ideas for the future but now the timetable is pushed forward.

I'm subbed through December 2022 since I had some spare cash during the last sale and I prefer planned purchases to paying attention to renewal schedules. So I guess I'm in for the long haul. I shall follow this man, this Gerstmann into the depths of hell itself should it become necessary.

That said, I wouldn't fault anyone not currently committed for holding off until we have a better idea of how this is all shaking out. Lot of stuff up in the air at the moment.

The only time I’ve ever lapsed was a period of five or so years when I could just not afford it. And even then the site kept giving to me in my times of darkness.

Now in my better financial position, I’m going to make up for the lost years and hopefully give it some runway to become something new and wonderful.

People seriously need to chill. It's been a day. We will no more on on Friday and likely more in the coming weeks.

...I mean, old videos from the Whiskey Media days are still fun to watch. Going though the archive while new stuff gets planned doesn't seem like a bad idea.

@facelessvixen: I was just a casual non-premium visitor at first and the thing that got me to go premium was the Unplugged series, which was at least a couple years old at the time. So I agree, there's plenty of already excellent premium content to dive into.

My sub doesn't auto renew until July 2023 so I'm sticking around for a bit at the very least, and besides, I have absolute faith in Jeff, he's still a threat after all. I'm also still here for Jan, Jason, Rorie, and whomever I may be missing.

If there's one site or group of people that I trust won't take my money and run, is Giant Bomb / Jeff.

So I'm up to what's next.

I think my sub lapsed once because i forgot to update my CC info. I will continue to give money to this website about video games as long as I gather some enjoyment from it. Changes will happen, from Sausalito to Whiskey Media to CBS to Ryan passing to the multiple coasts and the numerous staff changes, I am a different person than when I started following but I trust this website can continue on in a fashion that I will enjoy with the threatthat is Jeff Gerstmann. Hell I pay Netflix, Amazon, and others for their streaming services even though i may not use them a whole bunch so why not help the little guy.

I will not be surprised if one of the casualties of this change is them turning off the subscription model and moving to something new. Mostly because I see Giant Bomb: the Next Generation moving all video hosting to YouTube.

Not a bad thing. YouTube is MUCH easier to cast and stream to TV's, play on a phone, etc. They could really expand the possibilities for the site if they free up all of the money they spend hosting the videos for hiring freelancers and more longform edited stuff.

My subscription is up in Jan 2022, more than enough time to see where this site is going and if its worth staying on board or not. With that said, whatever Jeff is planning, I hope its good and he is successful. I want GB to last in the gaming community forever if possible with new generations of people keeping it alive.

Edit: But I do have a personal request. Whatever happens, please don't get rid of the Wiki. I've done a lot there and so have many other members, especially OG members. Seeing that get thrown in the internet ether would suck.

@jackw1212: by a sub, it's not as bad as you all are saying. Geez, jeff started this site from nothing, this wont be an issue. His friends couldnt work for him their entire lives, but jeff is in it for life. Jeff can easily hire some big youtuber personalities. Hope its a bigger personality and brings in a huge crowd. Not talking pewdiepie but something like a youtuber with 1 million views a video. Plus jeff can solo and gather people. He's better than any youtuber on the market within his genre.

GB has done so much for me that I will continue to subscribe indefinitely regardless of content.

Keeping my premium. I genuinely believe Jeff wants to make something that can be fun. I’m willing to put some cash toward that effort. Plus, I probably spend more time watching archived content than I do Netflix.

I've been been paying month to month. It's more expensive that way but their content is more than worth it for me. I'll see what the future holds when we get there before deciding whether to continue.

As someone who consistently has giant bomb videos rolling in the background while reading, cleaning, gaming, cooking, etc. I will absolutely be there for giant bomb as lomg as it exists. Old upfs and steal my sunshime are worth it alone.