:GameSpot

In January 1996, Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein quit their positions at IDG and founded SpotMedia Communications.{{Cite web |title=D.I.C.E. Awards by Video Game Details |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idGame=559 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605212436/http://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idGame=559 |archive-date=2018-06-05 |access-date=2019-08-17 |website=Interactive.org}}{{Cite web |last=Grabowicz |first=Paul |title=Course Number: Ba278 |url=http://courses.haas.berkeley.edu/descriptions/Descriptions/BA278-2_Spring01.htm |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Berkeley.edu |publisher=University of California, Berkeley}}{{Cite magazine |last=Farnady |first=Kate |date=February 6, 1997 |title=Research Dream Job: Online Gaming Zine |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/02/research-dream-job-online-gaming-zine/ |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102072826/https://www.wired.com/1997/02/research-dream-job-online-gaming-zine/ |archive-date=2020-01-02 |access-date=2023-04-20}} SpotMedia then launched GameSpot on May 1, 1996. Originally, GameSpot focused solely on personal computer games, so a sister site, VideoGameSpot, was launched on December 1, 1996.{{Cite web |last=Navarro |first=Alex |date=July 14, 2006 |title=Burning Questions: July 14, 2006 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6154109/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930080927/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154109.html |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=March 23, 2007 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} Eventually VideoGameSpot, then renamed VideoGames.com, was merged into GameSpot.

On January 6, 1997, SpotMedia and publisher Ziff Davis announced a $20 million agreement allowing the publisher to run content from Computer Gaming World and Electronic Gaming Monthly on SpotMedia's websites.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/01/zd-spotmedia-to-create-online-gaming-goliath/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523184643/https://www.wired.com/1997/01/zd-spotmedia-to-create-online-gaming-goliath/ |title=ZD, SpotMedia to Create Online Gaming Goliath |last=Brown |first=Janelle |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |date=January 3, 1997 |archive-date=May 23, 2018 |access-date=April 23, 2024 |url-status=live}} By the following month, Ziff Davis's substantial financial infusion enabled GameSpot to grow to 45 employees. Upon the May 11, 1998 launch of Ziff Davis's cable channel ZDTV, a program by GameSpot was projected for a mid-summer release,{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/zdtv-launches-monday/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711004004/https://www.zdnet.com/article/zdtv-launches-monday/ |title=ZDTV launches Monday |first=Martha |last=Stone |website=ZDNet |publisher=CBS Interactive |date=May 8, 1998 |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |url-status=live}} and would premiere as GameSpot TV on July 4.{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320175525/https://kotaku.com/5991439/internet-killed-the-video-star-the-extraordinary-journey-of-adam-sessler |title=Internet Killed The Video Star: The Extraordinary Journey Of Adam Sessler |last=Schreier |first=Jason |website=Kotaku |publisher=Gawker Media |date=March 20, 2013 |archive-date=March 20, 2013 |access-date=September 23, 2014 |url-status=live}} In February 1999, PC Magazine named GameSpot one of the hundred best websites, alongside competitors IGN and CNET Gamecenter.{{Cite journal |last=Willmott, Don |date=February 9, 1999 |title=The 100 Top Web Sites |journal=PC Magazine |volume=18 |page=114 |number=3}}

On July 19, 2000, CNET announced its acquisition of ZDNET, putting GameSpot and Gamecenter under the same parent company.{{cite web |author=Vaggabond |date=July 19, 2000 |title=Cnet buys ZDnet |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_28565 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523191403/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_28565 |archive-date=May 23, 2018 |work=Eurogamer}} That December, The New York Times declared GameSpot and Gamecenter the "Time and Newsweek of gaming sites".{{Cite web |last=Olafson |first=Peter |date=December 7, 2000 |title=Basics; Sites Keep Up with Games and Gamers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/07/technology/basics-sites-keep-up-with-games-and-gamers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180523185648/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/07/technology/basics-sites-keep-up-with-games-and-gamers.html |archive-date=2018-05-23 |access-date=2018-05-27 |website=The New York Times}} In February 2001, GameSpot was spared from a redundancy reduction effort by CNET which shuttered Gamecenter.{{cite web |author=Fost, Dan |date=February 15, 2001 |title=Heavy Lifting Begins for Cnet |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Heavy-Lifting-Begins-for-Cnet-Dot-com-downturn-2951969.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523184059/https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Heavy-Lifting-Begins-for-Cnet-Dot-com-downturn-2951969.php |archive-date=May 23, 2018 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}{{cite web |author=Smith, Andrew |date=February 7, 2001 |title=CNET shuts Gamecenter |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/07/cnet_shuts_gamecenter/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041204094044/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/07/cnet_shuts_gamecenter/ |archive-date=December 4, 2004 |work=The Register}}

In October 2005, GameSpot adopted a new design similar to that of TV.com, now considered a sister site to GameSpot.{{Cite web |author=GameSpot Staff |date=November 2, 2005 |title=GameSpot Redesign: Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamespot-redesign-frequently-asked-questions/1100-6134513/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018065355/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamespot-redesign-frequently-asked-questions/1100-6134513/ |archive-date=2013-10-18 |access-date=2006-09-29}} GameSpot ran a few different paid subscriptions from 2006 to 2013, but is no longer running those.{{Cite web |last=GameSpot Staff |date=February 23, 2006 |title=GameSpot Revamps Subscription Model |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamespot-revamps-subscription-model/1100-6144748/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115124754/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamespot-revamps-subscription-model/1100-6144748/ |archive-date=2018-01-15 |access-date=2018-01-14 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}{{Cite web |title=GameSpot Sign-Up Page |url=http://www.gamespot.com/signup/index.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321212959/http://www.gamespot.com/signup/index.php |archive-date=2007-03-21 |access-date=2007-04-03 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Lark |date=January 9, 2013 |title=GameSpot's Paid Subscription Service is Ending: FAQ |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/gamespots-paid-subscription-service-is-ending-faq-6402038/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206100619/http://www.gamespot.com/features/gamespots-paid-subscription-service-is-ending-faq-6402038/ |archive-date=2013-02-06 |access-date=2013-01-22 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} In June 2008, GameSpot{{'}}s parent company CNET was acquired by CBS Corporation, and GameSpot along with CNET's other online assets were managed by the CBS Interactive division.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbscorporation.com/news/prdetails.php?id=3503 |title=CBS CORPORATION COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF CNET NETWORKS; MERGES OPERATIONS INTO NEW, EXPANDED CBS INTERACTIVE BUSINESS UNIT |publisher=CBS Corporation |date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=June 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829001159/http://www.cbscorporation.com/news/prdetails.php?id=3503 |archive-date=August 29, 2008 }}

A new layout change was adopted in October 2013.{{Cite web |title=Swipe Up Game |url=https://expoodle.com/experience/swipe-up |access-date=2021-09-29 |website=Expoodle.com}}

CNET was sold to Red Ventures in October 2020.{{Cite web|title=Red Ventures Announces Closing of Acquisition of CNET Media Group|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/red-ventures-announces-closing-of-acquisition-of-cnet-media-group-301163922.html|date=2020-10-30|access-date=2020-11-06|website=PR Newswire|language=en|archive-date=June 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608220527/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/red-ventures-announces-closing-of-acquisition-of-cnet-media-group-301163922.html|url-status=live}} Two years later, Fandom acquired GameSpot, along with Metacritic, TV Guide, GameFAQs, Giant Bomb, Cord Cutters News, and Comic Vine from Red Ventures.{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=October 3, 2022 |title=TV Guide, Metacritic, GameSpot Acquired by Fandom in $55M Deal With Red Ventures |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/tv-guide-metacritic-gamespot-acquisition-fandom-1235231819/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}} In January 2023, 40-50 employees were affected by a round of layoffs.{{Cite web |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=2023-01-19 |title=Layoffs Hit GameSpot, Giant Bomb Just Months After Fandom Buys Them |url=https://kotaku.com/giant-bomb-gamespot-metacritic-fandom-layoffs-1850008228 |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} More layoffs at GameSpot took place in January 2024.{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Brendan |date=2024-01-31 |title=GameSpot lays off portion of staff |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamespot-lays-off-portion-of-staff |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}

GameSpot UK (United Kingdom) was started in October 1997 and operated until mid-2002, offering content that was oriented for the British market that often differed from that of the U.S. site. During this period, GameSpot UK won the 1999 PPAi (Periodical Publishers Association interactive) award for best website,{{Cite web |title=GameSpot UK Winner, PPAi Awards 1999 |url=http://www.ukaop.org.uk/Events/Annual-Awards/110#ppai1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926233911/http://www.ukaop.org.uk/Events/Annual-Awards/110#ppai1999 |archive-date=2007-09-26 |access-date=2006-10-07 |website=UKAOP.com}} and was short listed in 2001.{{Cite web |title=GameSpot UK Short Listed, PPAi Awards 2001 |url=http://www.ukaop.org.uk/Events/Annual-Awards/110#ppai2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926233911/http://www.ukaop.org.uk/Events/Annual-Awards/110#ppai2001 |archive-date=2007-09-26 |access-date=2006-10-07 |website=UKAOP.com}} PC Gaming World was considered a "sister print magazine" and some content appeared on both GameSpot UK and PC Gaming World.{{Cite web |title=GameSpot UK: Computer Games News, Reviews, Demos, and Strategy Guides |url=http://www.gamespot.co.uk/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815053201/http://www.gamespot.co.uk/ |archive-date=2000-08-15 |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=GameSpot UK |publisher=ZDNET |quote=Some of the material on this site also appears in our sister print magazine}} Following the purchase of ZDNet by CNET, GameSpot UK was merged with the main US site. On April 24, 2006, GameSpot UK was relaunched.{{Cite web |last=Foster |first=Lisa |date=April 24, 2006 |title=GameSpot UK Launches |url=http://www.mcvuk.com/newsitem.php?id=947 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611045243/http://www.mcvuk.com/news/947/Gamespot-UK-launches |archive-date=2007-06-11 |access-date=2006-11-01 |website=MCVUK.com}}

In a similar fashion, GameSpot AU (Australia) existed on a local scale in the late 1990s with Australian-produced reviews. It ceased in 2003. When a local version of the main CNET portal, CNET.com.au was launched in 2003, GameSpot AU content was folded into CNET.com.au. The site was fully re-launched in mid-2006, with a specialized forum, local reviews, special features, local pricings in Australian dollars, Australian release dates, and more local news.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Jeff Gerstmann, editorial director of the site, was fired on November 28, 2007 as a result of pressure from Eidos Interactive, a major advertiser; Eidos objected to the 6/10 review that Gerstmann had given Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, a game they were heavily advertising on GameSpot at the time.{{cite journal|first1=Peter|last1=Szuban|title=Reconstituting Vocabularies: User Generated Databases, Social Tagging, and Folksonomies in Giantbomb's Videogame Wiki Database|url=https://theijournal.ca/index.php/ijournal/article/view/32139|journal=The IJournal: Student Journal of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information|date=2018|issn=2561-7397|pages=41–49|volume=4|issue=1}} Both GameSpot and parent company CNET initially stated that his dismissal was unrelated to the review.{{Cite web |last=GameSpot Staff |date=December 5, 2007 |title=Spot On: GameSpot on Gerstmann |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6183666.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725203926/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6183666.html |archive-date=2008-07-25 |access-date=2007-12-24 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}{{Cite web |last=Faylor |first=Chris |date=November 30, 2007 |title=CNET Denies 'External Pressure' Caused Gerstmann Termination |url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50157 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515212056/http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50157 |archive-date=2008-05-15 |access-date=2007-12-24 |website=Shacknews}} However, in March 2012, the non-disclosure agreement that forced Gerstmann to withhold the details of his termination was nullified. Not long after, Giant Bomb (a site Gerstmann founded after leaving GameSpot) was being purchased by the same parent company as GameSpot, and that they moved their headquarters into the same building. As part of this announcement, Gerstmann revealed that the firing was indeed related to threats of Eidos pulling advertising revenue away from GameSpot as a result of Gerstmann's poor review score, which was confirmed by GameSpot's Jon Davison.{{cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |date=March 15, 2012 |url=https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/exciting-news-from-your-friends-at-giant-bomb/1100-4035/ |title=Exciting News From Your Friends At Giant Bomb |publisher=Giant Bomb |access-date=April 9, 2022 |archive-date=July 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720165520/https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/exciting-news-from-your-friends-at-giant-bomb/1100-4035/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=March 15, 2012 |url=https://kotaku.com/yes-a-games-writer-was-fired-over-review-scores-5893785 |title=Yes, a Games Writer was Fired Over Review Scores |publisher=Kotaku |access-date=April 9, 2022 |archive-date=April 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409220352/https://kotaku.com/yes-a-games-writer-was-fired-over-review-scores-5893785 |url-status=live }}

• Greg Kasavin – executive editor and site director of GameSpot, who left in 2007 to become a game developer. He became a producer at EA and 2K Games. As of 2021, he was working for Supergiant Games as a writer and creative director.{{Cite web |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |date=January 19, 2007 |title=To Live and Die in L.A. |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pages/profile/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-24849433&user=GregK |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930082224/http://www.gamespot.com/pages/profile/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-24849433&user=GregK |archive-date=2007-09-30 |access-date=2007-05-17}}{{Cite web |title=Supergiant Games |url=https://www.supergiantgames.com/team/|access-date=2021-11-19 |website=SuperGiantGames.com}}
• Jeff Gerstmann – editorial director of the site, dismissed from GameSpot on November 28, 2007, for undisclosed reasons, after which he started Giant Bomb.{{Cite web |title=Jeff Gerstmann - Virtual Fools |url=http://www.virtualfools.com/games/jeff-gerstmann/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314151801/http://www.virtualfools.com/games/jeff-gerstmann/ |archive-date=2008-03-14 |access-date=2008-04-15 |website=VirtualFools.com}} Following the announcement of the purchase of Giant Bomb by CBS Interactive on March 15, 2012, Jeff was allowed to reveal that he was dismissed by management as a result of publishers threatening to pull advertising revenue due to less-than-glowing review scores being awarded by GameSpot{{'}}s editorial team.{{Cite web |last1=Davison |first1=John |last2=Gerstmann |first2=Jeff |date=March 15, 2012 |title=GameSpot and Giant Bomb, Together |url=http://www.gamespot.com/video/gamespot-and-giant-bomb-together-6366598/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308124102/http://www.gamespot.com/video/gamespot-and-giant-bomb-together-6366598/ |archive-date=2013-03-08 |access-date=2018-01-14 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}
• Danny O'Dwyer – video presenter of GameSpot, founded crowdfunded game documentary company Noclip in 2016.{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2013 |title=dannyodwyer's Blog - GameSpot |url=https://www.gamespot.com/profile/dannyodwyer/blog/ |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |language=en}}
• Chris Wanstrath – web developer of GameSpot who left in 2008 to start GitHub, which became the world’s largest host service for software code.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Tom Huddleston |date=2018-06-04 |title=How this 33-year-old college dropout co-founded GitHub, which just sold to Microsoft for $7.5 billion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/chris-wanstrath-co-founded-github-which-microsoft-bought-for-billions.html |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=CNBC |language=en}} In 2018 he sold GitHub to Microsoft for $7.5 billion.{{Cite web |title=Microsoft finalizes its $7.5 billion GitHub acquisition |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-finalizes-its-7-5-billion-github-acquisition/ |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=ZDNET |language=en}}

• GameSpot Game of the Year awards

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{official website|http://www.gamespot.com/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20000619190627/http://www.gamespot.co.uk/ GameSpot UK] (archived)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041026020036/http://www.gamespot.be/ GameSpot Belgium] (archived)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/19990117002707/http://www.gamespot.fr/ GameSpot France] (archived)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/19981201194209/http://www.zdnet.de/spiele/ GameSpot Germany] (archived)

{{Fandom, Inc.}}

{{Red Ventures}}

{{Video Game Critics}}

Category:Internet properties established in 1996

Category:Video game Internet forums

Category:Video game news websites

Category:Webby Award winners

Category:2020 mergers and acquisitions

Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Former CBS Interactive websites

Category:Fandom (website)

Category:Spike Video Game Award winners