GameSpot is a website in the United States that gives information about video games and entertainment. It offers news, reviews, previews, videos, guides, downloads, and forums for people to discuss games. The site was started on May 1, 1996, by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. It was first focused on computer games and later expanded to include console games through another website called VideoGameSpot. Since October 2022, GameSpot has been owned by Fandom, Inc.

In 2004, GameSpot was chosen by viewers at Spike TV's Video Game Award Show as "Best Gaming Website." The site has won Webby Awards multiple times. By October 2008, the website GameSpot.com had at least 60 million visitors each year, as shown in a study by Compete.com.

History

GameSpot was founded on May 1, 1996, by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein through their new company, SpotMedia Communications. SpotMedia was created in January 1996 after the founders left their jobs at IDG to build an online platform focused on gaming content. When GameSpot first launched, it shared news, previews, and reviews mainly about personal computer games. To expand its reach, SpotMedia started a separate site called VideoGameSpot on December 1, 1996, which focused on console and arcade games.

On January 6, 1997, SpotMedia announced a partnership with Ziff Davis worth $20 million. This partnership allowed GameSpot to use content from Ziff Davis publications like Computer Gaming World and Electronic Gaming Monthly. By February 1997, Ziff Davis’s financial support helped GameSpot grow to 45 employees. Later, VideoGameSpot was renamed VideoGames.com and merged with GameSpot. In May 1998, Ziff Davis launched a cable channel called ZDTV, and a GameSpot TV program was planned to air in mid-summer, premiering on July 4. In February 1999, PC Magazine named GameSpot one of the top 100 websites, along with competitors IGN and CNET Gamecenter.

In July 2000, CNET Networks acquired ZDNet for about $1.6 billion in stock, and GameSpot became part of CNET. That same year, The New York Times called GameSpot and Gamecenter the "Time and Newsweek of gaming sites." In February 2001, GameSpot avoided layoffs that affected other CNET sites, including Gamecenter.

In October 2005, GameSpot updated its design to match TV.com, which became a related site. From 2006 to 2013, GameSpot offered paid subscriptions, but these were later discontinued. In June 2008, CNET was bought by CBS Corporation, and GameSpot was managed by CBS Interactive.

In October 2020, CNET was sold to Red Ventures. Two years later, Fandom acquired GameSpot along with other sites like Metacritic and TV Guide from Red Ventures. In January 2023, 40 to 50 employees were laid off. More layoffs occurred in January 2024.

GameSpot UK, launched in October 1997, provided content tailored for the British market until mid-2002. It won the PPAi award in 1999 and was shortlisted in 2001. PC Gaming World, a related print magazine, shared some content with GameSpot UK. After CNET acquired ZDNet, GameSpot UK was merged with the main U.S. site. It was relaunched on April 24, 2006.

GameSpot AU, an Australian version of the site, operated in the late 1990s with local reviews but closed in 2003. Its content was later included in CNET.com.au when it launched in 2003. In mid-2006, GameSpot AU was relaunched with local features, including Australian pricing and news.

In November 2007, Jeff Gerstmann, GameSpot’s editorial director, was fired after pressure from Eidos Interactive, a major advertiser. Eidos was upset about a 6/10 review Gerstmann gave to Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, a game they were advertising. Initially, GameSpot and CNET said his firing was unrelated to the review. However, in March 2012, a non-disclosure agreement was lifted, and Gerstmann revealed that Eidos had threatened to stop advertising on GameSpot due to the low review score. This was later confirmed by Jon Davison of GameSpot. After leaving GameSpot, Gerstmann founded Giant Bomb, which was later bought by the same parent company as GameSpot.

Operations and features

GameSpot uses a scoring system from 1 to 10 for reviews. This system changed from giving separate scores for parts like graphics and audio to a single overall score in 2007. This new score allowed for more precise scoring with 0.5 point increases. In 2013, the system changed again to use only whole numbers. Scores are now grouped into categories: Masterpiece (10), Superb (9), Great (8), Good (7), Fair (6), Mediocre (5), Poor (4), Bad (3), Terrible (2), or Abysmal (1).

Notable staff

• Greg Kasavin – top editor and leader of GameSpot, who left in 2007 to create video games. He later worked as a producer at EA and 2K Games. As of 2021, he was employed by Supergiant Games as a writer and creative director.
• Jeff Gerstmann – head editor of GameSpot, removed from the site on November 28, 2007, for unknown reasons. After leaving, he started Giant Bomb. In 2012, after Giant Bomb was bought by CBS Interactive, he explained he was fired because companies were threatening to stop advertising due to low scores given by GameSpot’s reviewers.
• Danny O'Dwyer – video presenter at GameSpot, who started a company called Noclip in 2016. This company makes documentaries about video games using money raised from the public.
• Chris Wanstrath – web developer at GameSpot, who left in 2008 to create GitHub, a website that became the largest place for people to share and store computer programs. In 2018, he sold GitHub to Microsoft for 7.5 billion dollars.