29 (Working Title)
By Jensonb 5 Comments
Foreword
An alternative title for this is Six-Point-Oh, let me know which you prefer. This is a dramatic interpretation of the events which led up to 29/11/07 and subsequently, The Bomb. It does not suppose to be absolute fact, but it is a best guess I have had based on all the information I have found. The later events are deliberately condensed as well, the most important part of the story is the lead up to the day that shook the internet - also the part which is based the most on best-guessing.I decided to write this treatment because I genuinely believe it's an interesting story. I was also keen to put out something which could serve as an effort to resolve some of the lingering questions and dispel the (still) recurring myth that Eidos pulled the trigger. The events of 29/11/07 were a symptom of a wider and older problem at GameSpot and it's important for that story to be told.
Feel free to chime in with any revisions, I'll update the story to be as complete as possible.
29/Six-Point-Oh First Treatment
Opens with a montage of the GameSpot “Golden Age”. Imagery of Rich and Jeff hosting On the Spot, the E3 coverage, the popular video reviews and so on. The opening credits are overlayed onto this, identifying the cast with their real-world counterparts. Midnight Brown's “Too Hot” plays, owing to its relation to The Hotspot and
Move onto positive coverage of Greg Kasavin's reign as Editor in Chief - forum posts, blogs and so on. This should have a voiceover in the form of Hotspot clips and audio praise from fans and compatriots.
Cut straight to Greg approaching Jeff, they get the core staff together and Greg announces his departure, naming Jeff his successor. The crew is apprehensive, but supportive of Greg's move into development. From here, we move to Greg's sign off on On the Spot. The chatroom response is shown, overwhelming disappointment. General optimism about Jeff taking over though.
From here, we move to Cnet handing control over to Jeff. He is told he will only have Editorial control, but that he has total control of that department. They appoint a suit to handle advertisers and business “so you don't have to waste yourself on it Jeff”. Jeff clearly has reservations, but agrees.
Next, Jeff and the team are prepping the review system renovation. They have clearly been working on it for a while and are just about getting ready to unveil it. Meanwhile, Jeff and Rich's popularity is emphasised by showing positive responses to On the Spot.
Larson and the suits discuss the “Jeff Problem”. They clearly don't get it, repeatedly suggesting he's unpopular, citing minor incidents. They emphasise his “lack of tact” when dealing with advertisers' products. Larson and GameSpot's ad guy decide to talk to him about it.
Jeff is in the meeting with Larson and the ad executive, accompanied by Ryan MacDonald and Ricardo Torres. The suits are unprepared for MacDonald and Torres to go on the offensive, asking why the ad team has been talking to the editors about editorial content so much lately, they cite several examples.
Once the suits recover from their shock, they explain they're worried about a lack of professional tone in the content, citing the text of the medals and demerits as well as some body text they considered “harsh”. The GameSpot trio hold them off, but it's clearly a temporary truce.
The GameSpot staff are discussing the issues they're having with the ad guys and Larson. During a pause, Rich announces his intention to leave shortly after E3. Some
The staff prepares for E3. The “GameSpot is still crazy” video plays on what is revealed to be Larson's monitor. A shadow crosses his face, but he is largely unreadable.
Jeff and Ryan MacDonald are out to lunch with Greg shortly before E3 and are reporting their problems with Larson and his cronies. Kasavin explains he was usually able to keep them at bay. He speculates that Jeff was not given the Editor in Chief job in order to weaken the GameSpot leaders' power and allow more influence from the higherups. Noone likes the sound of that.
Next, the E3 2007 coverage is briefly shown. Jeff and Rich's popularity in the community is again emphasised. This moves abruptly to Rich's final On the Spot. The staff and community's sense of loss is emphasised and many are seen to feel “First Carrie, then Greg, now Rich...At last Jeff's still here. Jeff IS GameSpot”.
The staff agree Jeff should take the On the Spot job. Vinny is tapped for The HotSpot and Button Mashing. The senior staff reiterate how important it is to emphasise the popular faces given the high profile losses of Carrie Gouskos, Kasavin and now Gallup.
The senior editors immediately head off to a meeting with the Cnet's suits. The meeting is overwhelmingly unpleasant, Larson and the ad guys are mad, they angrily demand the editorial staff “pay special attention” to triple A games. Jeff demands they take that back, GameSpot does not and will not do that, which is bias by another name. Larson gives him a cold stare “these are of course just suggestions Jeff, you're currently the Editorial Director”.
Ryan MacDonald tells Larson the editorial team will continue as is, if he has nay specific issues, he can take it up with Jeff, Ricardo or him (Ryan).
The suits depart the GameSpot office and the GameSpot crew congregate to discuss the situation. Alex and Brad sum things up as some fucked up shit which they don't like. Jeff and Ryan exchange worried looks.
Larson and the ad executives meet up in their own offices. The ad executives seem frustrated but helpless. Larson suggests that he has a solution which will scare the GameSpot staff into line and please some of the site' dissatisfied users (Ominously flash the overwhelmingly positive responses to Jeff's stuff contrasted with very minor negative reaction to emphasise Larson's cluelessness).
“Well what is it?” the ad executives ask
Larson responds easily “It's simple. Fire The Gerstmann.”
Next we show the editorial staff being disrupted by ad executives pushing their noses in over a period of time, frustrating the staff a lot. Larson keeps an overly watchful eye on the GameSpot office.
Larson and the ad executives hold another meeting. It's night and they seem to be the only executives left in the building. They discuss the preceding months and agree that something has to be done about GameSpot. One cites Eidos, who were displeased with Jeff's review of Kane and Lynch (Note: Eidos did NOT ask for Jeff to be fired). He explains he had to fight tooth and nail to keep their business, one of the biggest deal the site had. Others discuss similar problems.
Finally, Larson calls the meeting to a close, proclaiming he will dispatch Gerstmann the next week once most of the reviews are in.
The GameSpot offices are in a state of end-of-crunch-time hysteria. Work is finally slowing from it's yearly peak to virtually nothing. Plans are underway for the next On the Spot and Tournament TV's final preparation are ongoing. Jeff heads home on the night of the 28th, fairly content with the way things are headed. Note that Larson and his cronies are no longer omnipresent. The staff are too glad to find this suspicious.
The date 29 of November is emphasised as Jeff heads into work as usual. He arrives at his office door, one of the first people to get to work. He's amazed to find Larson waiting for him. He instructs Gerstmann to lock the door.
Larson proceeds to explain Cnet's issues with his tenure as Editorial Director, and tells him his services are no longer required, effective immediately. He has a lackey box up Jeff's stuff and takes him to C|Net legal where the terms of his termination including his gag order are finalised.
Jeff is told to leave Cnet's building immediately, and he does so, in a state of shock. Larson sends Jeff's things down to him, then addresses the GameSpot editorial crew, who are congregating around Ryan MacDonald for answers. He calls a meeting immediately.
Larson leads the core GameSpot Editorial Staff into a meeting room. The Editors bombard him with questions, (“what's going on?”, “why?”, what now”, why should we put up with this?”) but Larson has few answers. The overall message the staff receives from him is “this was a warning, fall into line”.
MacDonald and Torres are put in charge. Once the staff are rid of Larson's presence, MacDonald intimates that his top priority is protecting the staff. He instructs them to do their jobs, but be careful. “We're all pissed, but let's not try to be heroes.”
The senior editors continue to discuss the plan going forward. Navarro and Davis are highly demoralised, but Navarro steps up to the plate as editorial lead. Davis leaves early whilst the rest of the staff remain – not working, just talking.
Jeff picks himself up out of bed, he has apparently been crashing there for several hours. He puts some feelers out onto the internet to reassure the world that he's okay. He calls Davis who sympathises strongly. He also contacts several of the other editors. They arrange to meet up.
The editors convene at Jeff's house. They drown their sorrows and play Rock Band. The staff inform Jeff of the changes at GameSpot.
Jeff begins to receive word from potential employers as Christmas approaches. He gradually decides he wants to keep writing, then slowly decides to work with Whiskey Media on a new site.
Meanwhile, GameSpot's staff are pushing to have Larson and his lackey's removed. MacDonald is doing his best to help whilst not putting anyone's os at risk.
After new year, MacDonald has a meeting with the editors, he reiterates the new hierarchy and urges everyone to keep their heads down. Alex begins handing out assignments.
Jeff meets with Whiskey's staff and begins planning the new site. He mentions not wanting “game” in the name. Whiskey shows him around Comic Vine and Jeff begins to brainstorm ideas like the Five-Star game ratings.
A few weeks later, Alex meets with MacDonald and tenders his resignation. His heart's not in it. Shortly thereafter, Davis departs too. Davis meets up with Jeff and they join the Whiskey team where the site name is revealed: “Giant Bomb”.
Finally, the blog launches (This can be represented with a random person who is a fan of Jeff and Ryan finding the news. Final shot is of the blog, with a sample of Jeff announcing the site on TV in the background.
Fade to black. Text appears on the screen - “Blowing up in Cnet's Face”.
Credits roll. Too Hot (For GameSpot – Remix) plays.
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