Gamespot exodus continues: Ryan Davis to leave

48 Comments by Kyle Orland Feb 4th 2008 3:55PM
Filed under: Culture, Hacks

Update: Davis discusses his departure with Joystiq.

Joystiq has confirmed with new Gamespot editor-in-chief Ricardo Torres that longtime staffer Ryan Davis has given notice that he intends to leave the site. While we haven't been able to get in touch with Davis directly, a source close to Davis inside Gamespot told us, on condition of anonymity, that the controversial firing of editorial director Jeff Gerstmann was the catalyst behind the decision. The planned departure follows similar decisions by freelancer Frank Provo and staffer Alex Navarro in the wake of the scandal.

In a Dec. 1 blog post, Davis spoke of his close relationship with Gerstmann since before he started writing for Gamespot in 2000. "Jeff Gerstmann has been a significant figure in both my personal and professional life for a long, long time," he wrote. "By my recollection, we were fairly fast friends, though I was also kind of pushy about it." The pair played together as part of alternative rap group Suburban All-Stars.

Tags: controversy, exodus, gamespot, gerstmann, jeff-gerstmann, journalism, quit, ryan-davis

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

Doctor Nick: Feb 4th 2008; 4:00PM

Wolf shirt.

Naota: Feb 4th 2008; 4:04PM

the chops command you

GreyFox: Feb 4th 2008; 4:47PM

He has the chops to make a new site with Gerstmann.

DP: Feb 4th 2008; 4:04PM

Yea, he was funny.

Kevin: Feb 4th 2008; 4:04PM

What's a gamespot?

Jhongerkong: Feb 4th 2008; 5:06PM

A miserable little pile of secrets?

igetgames: Feb 4th 2008; 5:24PM

But enough talk, have at you!

Tiptup300: Feb 4th 2008; 7:48PM

Richter No!, wait what are we talking about?

BananaPoo: Feb 4th 2008; 4:09PM

Good I am glad this is most excellent the CNet ass hat must feel really stupid... he has lost some of the best in the business and is going to lose more...

I can see Ryan Jeff and Alex making their own site and it will be the down fall of Lamespot...

BananaPoo: Feb 4th 2008; 4:10PM

Also I think Ryan Davis was the best one there...for me he was one I would tune into to listen...

Ilya: Feb 4th 2008; 4:34PM

Oh my. This is seriously amazing. CNET must be getting their nooses ready because Gamespot is dead to most gamers now. Who the hell is there now? Ricardo? Brad Shoemaker?

Everyone left. Alex Navarro , Jeff Gerttsman, Ryan Davis, Frank Provo, that guy that hosted on the spot last year. It's amazing.

It's too bad because I loved Gamespot and even got their Total Access membership before.

Nigeria: Feb 4th 2008; 5:31PM

"Everyone left...that guy that hosted on the spot last year".

I miss that guy. I'll never forget the contribution that guy made to that website. He was so memorable. His tone, his writing style, especially his name.

Nevar forget: that guy.

Einhanderkiller: Feb 4th 2008; 6:57PM

Rich Gallup, features editor.

I miss GameSpot's video features. (Let's GameSpot, TimeTrotters, the humorous video reviews, etc.)

Chubbs: Feb 4th 2008; 4:40PM

Okay, they all need to make a new site now. It's perfect timing.

NeverSage: Feb 4th 2008; 4:59PM

Woo! New site! I vote yes.

And somehow they need to wrestle gamefaqs away. It's the only gamespot site I still use.

Lord_Chako: Feb 4th 2008; 5:04PM

Gamespots.com

Shadowcast: Feb 4th 2008; 5:43PM

I certainly hope they do, that'd be sweet... seeing as these were my favourite at GameSpot... now, if they could get Rich Gallup involved to that'd be pure epic win.

Tiptup300: Feb 4th 2008; 7:50PM

I always would flip the t/p in gamespot.com, so it was gamestop, so they would go with something like BEGames.com

Tiptup300: Feb 4th 2008; 7:51PM

Ha, wait no, using basic synonym knowledge...

gamestain.com

sounds dirty but mysterious!

Ihya: Feb 4th 2008; 5:03PM

As I note vacancies are appearing, I've decided I would be perfect as a Gamespot employee. As proof, I'll go through the shittiest comments in this thread and award them a heart.

lord hobo: Feb 4th 2008; 5:09PM

Oh god this is getting bad, i can only assume that the new rumoured site must be true with Ryan and alex leaving.

Rob: Feb 4th 2008; 5:15PM

That pretty much seals it, Gamespot is dead.

AdamW: Feb 4th 2008; 5:16PM

THAT'S RYAN DAVIS?!?!

Man. I've been listening to the HotSpot for a while now. The guys never end up looking like I picture them.

Anyway, he's a cool dude and I hope he and his other GameSpot expatriates start up a site of their own. It'll succeed. We'll see to that.

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime): Feb 4th 2008; 5:20PM

President Bush to leave white house in Jan. '09 due to Gerstmann Gate, CONFIRMED!!! Also happy birthday to that sexy piece of crap, THE WICKER MAN!

Andrija Ifkovic: Feb 4th 2008; 5:22PM

I used to read GameSpot every day and rely on it as my primary source of games info. I stopped visiting it at the time of the scandal - and I'm proud to say I haven't been there since (apart from a very occasional visit through a linked news, and even that only as an accident). That's one resolution I didn't have trouble keeping, though it does hurt a lot to not have a comprehensive site one can depend on. RIP.

Obie: Feb 4th 2008; 5:24PM

The ex-gamespot posse should do their own site/podcast thing. I would support them for their integrity alone.

Norty: Feb 4th 2008; 5:30PM

I also haven't been back to the site. It was a tough loss at first - their news coverage was often second to none. But, what, three months gone by now? And I barely miss it. There are plenty of sites to get news from (And I recommend gameindustry.biz myself) as well as sites like Joystiq for a taste of everything.

I am interested in the prospect of the Gamespot Radicals forming their own site though....

Korova: Feb 4th 2008; 5:31PM

Revenge is a dish best served over many courses.

This guy clearly is the fried chops entree.

Durandel: Feb 4th 2008; 5:34PM

ComicShaman: Feb 4th 2008; 5:48PM

Gamespot continues its precipitous descent into the toilet of history. I wonder who's responsible for boning things up so badly over there?

emotaku: Feb 4th 2008; 5:51PM

shoemaker, van ord and dude who hosts hotspot now should just jump ship and get on the life craft everyone else seems to be escaping with.

EihBeir: Feb 4th 2008; 6:06PM

Man, since late November, the collective weight lost by the Gamespot team must be closing in on 2,000 pounds by now.

Korova: Feb 4th 2008; 6:41PM

Irrelevant and lol

Sam Coulson: Feb 4th 2008; 6:44PM

And theres the final nail in the coffin that is Gamespot. Davis was the only real reason to even bother with Gamespot, now theres... yeah, no one. R.I.P. Gamespot, have fun cleaning up this mess.

Shotgun Steve: Feb 4th 2008; 6:49PM

Awesome. All that are left are Vince and Brad, and then Gamespot is done.

XGM: Feb 4th 2008; 6:53PM

I can almost bet that they are all leaving to make their own site, witch will be more successful (and not biased).

Master Bruce: Feb 4th 2008; 7:04PM

so?

Dude360: Feb 4th 2008; 7:10PM

Gamespot officially sucks now...Theres no editors worth the time now.

JQuizzle757: Feb 4th 2008; 7:24PM

idk about any of you but i'm DONE going to game spot they have really Fed yup this time hello ing.com!!!!

SpekOpz: Feb 4th 2008; 7:47PM

Gamespot is dead now. I use to be a regular on that site but now I dont even get close to it. Jeff, Alex, and Ryan should really make their own website. If they do, they got my subscription guaranteed.

Stuart: Feb 4th 2008; 7:50PM

It just gets more disappointing. Right when I started to get into gamespot heavily, Kasavin leaves. Then I start watching on the spot and other specials... whoops! There goes Rich... I start to listen to the hotspot, and sure enough: Jeff, then Alex, Frank, Ryan. Guess my feeling bad about passing over the bookmark I used to click so consistently time and time again gets more justified by the minute. We'll always have blogs :P

Fox318: Feb 4th 2008; 8:27PM

Fuck Gamespot

Deck: Feb 4th 2008; 8:56PM

YAY more drama!

Though, props to him for stepping up and leaving!

See ya later Gamespot! *wave*

Feigr: Feb 4th 2008; 9:04PM

I certainly hope they are all starting a new site. Alex and Ryans loyalty to Jeff exceeds their loyalty to CNET or Gamespot and they will go where he goes most likely. And I am all for that.

emotaku: Feb 4th 2008; 10:33PM

oh yes, mechburg is better off elsewhere as well.

ThornedVenom: Feb 5th 2008; 12:02AM

When you're a jerk, friends leave you.

ScottG13: Feb 5th 2008; 1:21AM

I can't wait to hear the podcast that all these guys end up on.

refinedsugar: Feb 5th 2008; 7:24AM

Wow another surprise! Cue the music already.

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