The video game media landscape continues to shift against the traditional model. Performance ratios are now measured on how much a personality can bring to the site and much can be saved by relinquishing the traditional “fat” of operating a full time site. Well, following in the footsteps of many other major gaming websites out there, GameSpot was recently hit with massive layoffs.
GamesIndustry.biz did a brief write-up how a large portion of the GameSpot staff are now out of jobs and out of work. The news was confirmed via various Twitter posts from former staff members of one of the largest video game websites on the internet, with former reviewer Carolyn Petit tweeting the following message...
It seems shocking that a site as large as GameSpot would lose so many of its staff so quickly.
According to the post on GamesIndustry.biz...
“GameSpot is the flagship gaming brand at CBS Interactive, which also owns Giant Bomb, GameFAQs, and onGamers. CBSi touts GameSpot as streaming 50 million hours of live gaming content every month, with 25 million monthly visitors across its gaming platforms.”
Speaking of Giant Bomb... they actually hired in a full-time staff member and expanded their studios. We recently ran a post about a video game store some of their members visited as they ramped up their production equipment for opening up shop and getting things underway to go all-in on their New York venture.
The discussion surrounding Giant Bomb and their success was eventually mentioned in a lengthy discussion on Reddit, where many hinted that Giant Bomb may be outperforming GameSpot as far as engagement and viewership goes. Personality-driven content apparently drives hits more than standard news, if the boom in YouTube engagement, the rise of Giant Bomb and the $4 million in annual profit by PewDiePie is anything to go by.
Not every member of GameSpot has been let go, however, as resident news guru at the site Eddie Makuch is still on board, along with Kevin VanOrd, where NeoGaf caught wind of him stating on social media that...
“Somehow, I am in the tiny group of GameSpot authors still left standing. People I love will not be greeting me each day.”
CBS Interactive is apparently hunkering down on the content that works and shaving off the content that doesn't. This meant removing Carolyn Petit, Tom Mc Shea, Justin Calvert, Ryan Mac Donald, and Maxwell McGee from the staff at the long-running media outlet. It's safe to say that a lot of gamers, gaming media personalities and industry workers are shocked at the news.
GameSpot issued a statement to GamesIndustry.biz about their restructuring, stating that...
“GameSpot did some shifting of internal resources as part of our long-term content and user engagement strategy. A few positions were impacted."
GameSpot has joined other notable gaming websites that have recently downsized due to the shift in market engagement, including but not limited to Computers and Videogames, GameTrailers, IGN, 1Up, UGO, GameSpy and Polygon.
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