Gamespot finally figured out how to plug in a keyboard and talk to people today, denying that Jeff Gerstmann or anyone for that matter has ever been let go due to pressure from advertisers. Now was that so hard to say? I knew there was a perfectly good explanation for all of this mess. This ought to clear things up.

Due to legal constraints and the company policy of GameSpot parent CNET Networks, details of Gerstmann’s departure cannot be disclosed publicly. However, contrary to widespread and unproven reports, his exit was not a result of pressure from an advertiser.

There you have it folks. None of it was true. Hell, even Mountain Dew is back on the site. It’s like Jeff Gerstmann never happened. It’s officially okay to reinstate your Gamespot account, and to make purchasing decisions based on what we can now clearly see is a very credible source. </sarcasm>

Sorry, Gamespot. Even if you’re being 100% honest about all of this, it took you 4 days to open your mouths. 4 days. What did you have to figure out? How many damned drafts of that story did you have to write in order to get it right? NOTHING takes 4 days to write. Well, unless you’re hiding something.

Look, after 4 days of waiting, I expect a very clear explanation, a huge apology, or a counter attack against someone.

Personally, I think the first line of Gamespot’s “news story” says it all.

The past week marked the end of an era at GameSpot.

I think, at least that, is something we can agree on.

“Ask not for whom the bell tolls…”

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