Would Giant Bomb continue without Jeff?

This is something I've been curious about, and with him out on paternity leave, I figured I'd just ask here. If Jeff for whatever reason decided that he just doesn't want to do this anymore, does Giant Bomb end with him? Or does it all depend on what CBS wants to do? I'd like to think Giant Bomb will be around forever, regardless of who comes and goes.

Well from the last couple weeks I can say my interest in west coast content would disappear. I haven’t listened to the bombast in a month.

Pretty much the same would happen if Vinny left, I would lose interest in the beastcast and any east content too most likely.

He’s still very much the editorial center for the site, so I’m honestly not sure who would take over as EIC. Brad is possibly the only obvious choice.

Regardless, the site would continue. Founders can’t stay forever, and unless everyone else on staff quit en masse for some reason, the site would continue. Unless the entire audience dried up and CBSi somehow merged the site staff with Gamespot.

Unless they collectively decide they all want to move on (which seems unlikely), I can't imagine it would end just because Jeff left. I'm almost 100% positive Jeff would not want that either.

I do think they would have to find someone notable to replace him though. I mean, you can't replace Jeff, but I think the west coast would definitely suffer without another big personality to keep things lively.

I wrote-up some long-winded shit and deleted it. Who wants to read that?

Jeff and Vinny are the lynchpins of the site.

The crew has always hired and shifted roles well, bouncing back from deaths and departures better than they should be able to.

I don’t know if I’d keep watching/listening without Jeff and Vinny, but the folks around them do a great job of contributing to an ever-changing Giant Bomb.

It’s more dad than renegade radio these days, but it’s still got a lot of heart, and you can feel the effort and dedication with each podcast and video.

My favorite era was the original four, but these dudes are holding it down and still providing the best content the industry has to offer.

It would continue, but i doubt it would be as succesful at that point. A lot of people would move on.

I like bunch of the folks just as much as Jeff so I'd stick around. It'd depend on who stayed I think. If some of the key ppl held it down, it can last another decade.

Yeah it'd be fine.

I bet CBS would fold GB into GameSpot in some fashion - judging by the responses on the "Is Giant Bomb Having a Mid-Life Crisis?" Reseta thread (https://www.resetera.com/threads/is-giant-bomb-having-a-midlife-crisis.137042/) many people seem to favor East over West these days, with Jeff's absence adding fuel to the fire. I personally prefer West even without Jeff, but it seems the younger audience favors the Beastcast. Video game coverage has changed immensely over the last decade; I think GB may have to change along with it to stay relevant.

There is one way and one way only that Giant Bomb could survive losing Jeff and that would be the return of Austin Walker. The man is a national treasure.

@htr10: amen to that last sentence!

If the rest of the crew stayed? Yes, I think it would continue just fine. (I mean no disrespect to Jeff by saying this, he's the reason I came here in the first place).

If either Vinny or Jeff left, it would survive but there would be a massive hole in our hearts where they left, just like Ryan. If both left, I highly doubt Giant Bomb would stay profitable, and it would likely fall apart. That being said, I don't see either of them retiring anytime soon.

There was a time when I would have said I don't know, but I think it would absolutely continue, and I'll even be as presumptuous to say Jeff would make sure of that as much as he possibly could, I've no doubt.

I've been visiting this site since the How to Build a Bomb videos ('08?); I loved Jeff, Vinny and Ryan like uncles that never were, but I've grown to have deep affection for the newer members of the crew these last couple years. It wasn't instant, but I enjoy hearing all of their thoughts, likes/dislikes, unique gaps of knowledge they each have the ability to fill, humour, etc., just as much as anyone else.

I watch more GBE 'cos they have more features in rotation it seems. They and JeffB have a camaraderie that reminds me of classic GB, but Ben, Jan, Jason and Rorie are fantastic together, and I will always tune in to see them as long as it or I remain. They've all proven they have the ability to create and help content fly with their personalities, and that is the the true key to why this place has a certain magic and is as strong as ever. It isn't one person holding it all together, that is a ridiculous thing to say, with all due respect.

A great indicator that this site has multiple reasons for success and will likely continue to do so is that Jeff and Brad have already been less present on the site sometimes, due to whichever important reasons, and the content hasn't 'suffered', it's just been different. I remember the transitional phases (before the new hires for example) when there were some rough months, but I think it always finds its way in the end, for the better.

Edit: I will say, I think it is important to have more fatherly (if you know what I mean) and knowledgeable people like Jeff and Vinny involved, very important, but other crew may fill those roles in time. Dan, to me, is becoming wiser and, dare I say, more lovable and papa bear-ish by the year.

To me it's Vinny. If Vinny was gone I would probably cancel my subscription and only occasionally check the site out. I have no real problem with the west coast cast, but I rarely enjoy content they make. I love pretty much everything out of the east coast on the other hand, silly as it may be. There is just a geniuine feeling of enjoyment over there that I don't get from the west coast.

It depends entirely on CBS and how profitable the site is imo. Jeff would leave a big penguin suit to fill but for my part I'd stick around because I like everyone involved even if Jeff would be very much missed.

I don't think it's in anybody's interest to just stop if Jeff cashes out.

I mean in name it would definitely continue because it would still generate some form of revenue. It would be a different site though.

It was able to survive Ryan's passing. Then it can survive Jeff leaving. The East coast works perfectly without Jeff on camera.

It's a much, much smaller site, but all of the OG founders and staff of Videogamer left, then their second generation staff all left and now they're on something like their 4th generation of staff. They're a tiny site run by about 3-4 people and supported by some media company who owns their brand (much like CBS and GB).

Point being, the site would continue until CBS feel it's no longer profitable or worth keeping around. This is likely true with or without Jeff or Vinny or anyone else.

Yes, it would go on, but it won't happen. Especially now since he has a kid, he has to work, and from what I gather, there is nothing else he'd want to do than what he's already doing. That said, hypothetically, if Jeff left, how much longer would you think some of the others would stay?

I refuse to talk about it :P, i enjoy the site every day.

@deckard: I’m an old man who’s been listening since Arrow Pointing Down, but if I were forced to pick, I’d go east.

If you go back and listen to old content, Jeff and Vinny have softened their approaches quite a bit, but Vinny more consistently brings the same energy from 10

years ago.

Jeff is maybe a little tamer these days, but every once in a while he brings it like on one else can and hilarity ensues.

I also think the east coast crew gels better. West has a good thing going, but east really has that feeling that everyone wants to be there and is having fun, not super unlike the original four.

@nutter: If you re-watch some of the Persona 4 Endurance Run a lot of the jokes there are things that they would never say on air anymore - especially concerning Nanako. I'm not saying this as a criticism but just an observation how they have changed over the years.

@nutter: I can see it - I’ve been around since the Arrow Pointing Down too, and I think the “energy” people keep mentioning as missing is rooted in the early years where everyone was not only a bit younger but everything had much more of a seat-of-our-pants vibe due to them being a scrappy startup.

@humanity: I never watched the endurance runs, but yeah, even looking back at the odd old quick look here and there (I go back and watch old Ryan stuff more than current stuff), there was a definite edge to videos that has calmed in recent years.

It’s sometimes a little jarring to go back and hear the difference.

EDIT:

I was never really on the forums way back when, but this old thread goes sideways FUCKING QUICKLY!!! I found it looking up that character, as I don’t know much about Persona...

https://www.giantbomb.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4/3030-21373/forums/so-tomorrow-nanakospoilers-522881/

I've completely lost interest in West coast content since he's been gone,but beast is still strongg

@zombie2011: But if Jeff and Vinny both left to do something together...I'd pay for a subscription to that in a heartbeat.

Don't want to think of a Giant Bomb without Jeff. I mean I'm sure it'd be fine, but him and Vinny are the last pieces of heart & soul, so if one of them leaves.. I'll just maybe just watch old archives for the rest of time.

Rather than it being an issue of the site needing any one specific person, I think the site needs a balance of personalities to work. It's why it's survived the various crew changes over the years. Jeff is important for the west coast, but theoretically if he wanted to move on, it's a matter of finding someone who could complete the crew, not necessarily replace Jeff and be the new Jeff. The crew without Jeff is lacking something, but Jeff isn't the only one that can fill that hole. Each new Giantbomb hire has brought something new to the site.

I do think the West Coast needs a little something though, regardless of Jeff being present or not. Their video features aren't as adventurous as the East coast, they tend to stick to more familiar things, and sometimes having an unfamiliar game to bounce off of is just as important for the video being good as having other personalities to bounce off of. That alone can keep the energy up.

Yes, it would.

Whether it would be something I'd still be interested in though is pretty up in the air though. I like the east coast content over the west coast these days by a pretty wide margin. Even the Bombcast has been hard for me to get through since Jeff has left for paternity leave.

I hope to see some creative shakeup at the west coast in the future. Things have gotten too formulaic and I'd like to see something fresh.

who is jeff ?

I miss Jeff a lot. I would guess a part of the reason for the new hires (Austin, Ben, Abby, and Jan) were to have younger staff to take the mantle when the old guard eventually leaves. Even though Austin left I’m sure there is a door wide open for him.

I feel like it will be the same with your favorite football team. Stars will leave and a new patch of players will fill roles and a new era will begin.

I’ve been a giant bomb fan since 2011 and I doubt I will stop following this site on my own accord.

Not sure about west, east would be fine.

@envane: it's a typo, they meant Brett.

I would stop visiting ths site without Jeff.

Everyone grows up! I’m another ‘long term’ fan from pre giant bomb days. This site has seen me from school age into a career and a family and I’m only one of a large number. If Jeff left the site it would be very different, but also if Jeff has a reason for leaving then al power to him! giantbomb ‘a video game website’ has always really been about the people! I also find myself leaning east these days, that entire crew has a great dynamic, and when Jeff G joins as a guest it only gets better. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the west side stuff, but times change!

I did however stop listening to the recent bombcast with those English gamespot duo. They weren’t doing it for me at all!

I'm also one of the relatively early ones (though you'd never notice it through my site activity haha) and I definitely miss the old gonzo days with the original crew. It was about as rock and roll as videogame coverage could get and I loved it. I probably would leave if Jeff or Vinny sought a new challenge.

Ever since Ryan's death, it's been a slow decline for me personally. That's not a slight toward the later additions to the crew, it's just what I prefer. I thought Patrick and Austin were both very intelligent insightful people, Dan and Jason are both excellent hires, and Ben and Abby I'm sure please a lot of the younger audience, though I have to say the milennial meme'y sense of humour is sort of lost on me.

So again nothing wrong with any of those people, it just reminds me of Top Gear in that the early seasons were groundbreaking and hilarious, run by a bunch of very intelligent dudes doing dumb things. Later on it gets contrived, forced even and I'm losing interest.

It would... without Jeff, Brad and Vinny.. It would... but it wouldn't be very good..

If Giant Bomb can handle losing the star power of the Blinking White Guy, it can handle anything.

I think the site would and could go on, but I would probably leave personally as I followed Jeff from GS and stopped looking at GS completely after he left. They already struggle to do stuff that has the dynamic I really loved from the old whisky days as it is so it would be the final nail in the coffin for me.

I have fallen all the way off. For the first time I haven't subscribed, I haven't listened to the podcasts in about a year. To be perfectly frank, I adored everything that came from the Whiskey Media era. The mixing of the various websites, the sheer energy that came from that.

When Ryan passed. lots of new segments appeared which was fun and different, but they all seemed to disappear over time, with it the energy that came from them.

With the acquisition GB kind of went a little sterile, then people started leaving and it left holes. It lost its dynamic and chemistry. East has kept the energy the most having Vinny, Alex and most especially Dan, almost an old school feel, but even that began to wain for me. Politics kept creeping in and I just didn't enjoy it anymore.

Now I stop by just every now and then just looking for a take on a particular game and maybe watch or listen to the Whiskey Media content. I felt like I lost a friend.

This is an interesting discussion since I just noticed Ben's title in today's newsletter: Editor-in-Chief

This raised some red flags for me re: Jeff.

That said, if Jeff left Giant Bomb, I have a sneaking suspicion he would still be on the podcast.

I almost entirely don't watch content nowadays anyway. I'm not a fan of the newer staff, and they're in every video. I think I just grew out of Giant Bomb, as it's very much a younger person website nowadays

I dont believe it would end with him, and I dont think he would want to leave it in a position where it would fail without him. I like all of the current crew (although I greatly miss having Austin on the team) and would continue to watch the same content I watch now.

I don't dislike any of the staff, but I think I might be starting to feel like I'm growing out of it. Or something. All I seem to want these days is old guys playing old games and talking about the industry and the history. And the East crew is doing a banana themed game show or something? I don't know I skip almost everything they make.

The site will change, because nothing is static in this world. At some point the Founders will leave and the site will adapt and change - it may not be change that everyone likes but it will be change nonetheless.

Personally I have been here since the post Arrow Pointing Down, and still enjoy all of the content that gets posted. I love the differences in the 2 coasts, and do enjoy the stuff the younger members put up (Ben's Lens, Abby's Vlogs, just about anything to do with Jan, etc.) and while some recent stuff might not be to my interests (Burgle My Bananas is maybe a bit too chaotic for me, but definitely enjoyable) but there is so much available that I think I won't have any issues.

I would definitely miss seeing Jeff, Vinny, or Brad leave but I expect that the site is on strong enough footing to weather that kind of change.

@the8bitnacho: Hmmm, that’s is interesting, I didn’t notice that. Changes afoot?

@the8bitnacho: Hmmm, that is interesting, I didn’t notice that. Changes afoot?