The thing I love about this story is that if it occurs, the same people that gave Gerstmann the boot ... will get booted. It's just one of those small ironies that help me enjoy life.

Alright!
Hostile corporate takeover, 80's style!

1 - create something

2 - put it for sale

3 - not yours anymore!

Watchmen Movie is coming.

@jayntampa:

An eye for an eye i guess. (or an eye for like how many directors they are)

Hopefully an overhaul of CNet's directors will serve to create an atmosphere at Gamespot that is more friendly to honest and responsible journalism.

Hell, maybe this will even clear the way for Jeff to come back.

Oh my, this should be interesting.

Ask Gerstmann?

Looks like the a-holes that run that brand and it's sites just might get their's after all. More power to these investment firms on this one.

-WPack911

*News just in: Gamespot raises all the PS3 scores and finally get a boost in AAA titles!* Ah, that'd be nice.

Or even better:

*Games that are actually DIFFERENT from your average game will now stop getting 8.5s for not copying.*

Coughs Shadows of the Colossus Coughs.

Gerstmann Gate: Chapter 2

@jayntampa: I'm smiling for the same reasons. Let's hope this coup doesn't result in a worse administration.

Is it me or does it seem like everyone is getting taking over these days?

Let's hope Josh Larson gets a pink slip for his trouble! That would be poetic justice at its absolute finest.

Funny how i imagine some're gonna assume this is good for gamers/gamespot.
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..."

TO THE OBSERVATION SPIRE!

"a consortium of 'prominent investment funds'"?
Those crazy Illuminati and their hostile takeovers.
*smiles and wags finger*

"...No word on if or how this could possible impact GameSpot."

couldn't hurt, thats for damn sure.

Honestly? This could only be a good thing.

still going to be a crap site!

CNet is ripe for a takeover, as was pointed out in the article -- they're underperforming. We have no way of knowing whether it would be good for gamers ... but, I don't think it could be worse. A totally new management team is pretty much the only way I can foresee them regaining any level of respect with the gaming community.

Everything was planned from the start...by The Patriots.

Anyway, what a year. It's only January, and lots of stuff going down. Let's hope it's better for Gamespot...

I smell a conspiracy to bring back Gamespot's reputation. I remember when i worked at a pizzeria in boston and we got a bad score on the phantom gourmet, put up a sign-"Under New Management", replaced the owner with his brother, and didn't change a thing, got a much better score a month later.

@TheIrishNinja (XBL = IrishNinja2099, PSN = TheIrishNinja: Beat me to it, Ninja.

But yeah, sweet irony is awesome.

@SaintAnima: La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo! La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo! La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo!

What's that word I'm looking for, ahh, that's right, Stock Options. All of these directors who will get "kicked out" almost undoubtedly own shares of C|Net and will benefit greatly when they sell off their shares come time for the take over. hardly an eye for an eye, who cares anyway. Maybe with some amoutn of luck the new owners will bring some reputability to Gamespot that has been missing for over 5 years.

TechCrunch is a competitor, not a CNET asset.

EXECUTIVE FIGHT!!!!!!!

(grabs a bowl of popcorn)

@TheIrishNinja (XBL = IrishNinja2099, PSN = TheIrishNinja: like the name. :)

And given the shit Gamestop has had with Gerstmann, a new management might be the best thing for them(or atleast gamespot). Like starting a new QB, a new CEO can show people a rebirth and a new start, something gamestop direly needs since it's accounting goodwill with gamers is in the shitters.

@kotaku Cnet's Stock prices have been going down since the start of the year (and oddly they were rallying during the Gerstmann incident), Which means it might not be so hostile after all.

₤99? Pretty pricey for a remote.
And with that, I have become my grandmother.

I don't think that the decision to take over CNet has much to do with Gamespot. I mean, if CNet is underperforming, then yeah, Gamespot's performance has a small impact on what's going on.

But without any numbers to show that Gamespot really is a ghost town after Gerstmann-gate, I think that all we're looking at here are people who think CNet can make more money, and if it can, they'd like a cut.

I don't know much about this stuff, but 21% does not a hostile takeover make. Granted it's still a substantial stake in the company.

@Erwin211: What the hell? How did I get to this story? My newfound senility? Sorry about that, wrong story.

@Erwin211: lol, u in the wrong place, but i;m guessing that's the joke, funny though

@Erwin211: im gunna go check to make sure you got there in one piece

@theprof00: Thanks, but it actually wasn't intended, but it worked out in my favor!

Well, Kotaku can thank Gamespot for claiming this user *points thumb to himself* so maybe our numbers will increase still! FOR THE MOTHAHLAND!

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the potential buyer was Eidos?

What would be totally sweet, though, is if this thing actually happens, the new board gives Gerstmann back his job.

Or even better, the new "owners" of C|Net dismantle the company and sell it off as scrap.

Down with C|Net!

@Digitalguardian (GOD DAMN EWOKS!): 21% is enough of a vote to force a change in management by placing voting members on the board, so it is actually enough if no one else owns more or much more. It's not enough when there is an owner with over a 50% stake, which, there is not in this case.

@okenny :): Pictures of Laura Croft landing on an aircraft carrier while flying under a giant banner that reads mission accomplished will plaster the internet :) Shenanigans!!

What's this going to do to GameFAQs? Aren't they also owned by CNET? Or merged with them? Or whatever?

executive powder! a million and one uses!

Excellent, fucking excellent. There really isn't anything better at kicking executives into gear than a hostile takeover.

Since when was TechCrunch owned by CNet? The New York Times is comparing news.coms traffic to TechCrunchs traffic. As Omnisleep says, TechCruch is a competitor.

POPCORN! Get your sweet buttery popcorn here, served cold as often preferred!

Also available for preorder - Boxes of confetti, released in time for the end result. Get it in bright colours or black - Be ready for any outcome, for none can say how things will turn out.

Some of the many high-quality products provided by ALAKaBi Inc. (Ain't Life a Karmic B*tch).

TechCrunch*

@huginn: oh, dont get me wrong, i hope you're right and its a complete overhaul in the right direction, i just wish i was more optimistic about it.
personally, im not overly hung up on the issue as i more or less stopped viewing gamespot back when they went pay (i tell a lie, i dug the gamespotting stuff) but i know many others are big fans.

It's like The Secret of my Succe$$, but doesn't have the Yello song :(

dur bout bout, chic, chicka chicka
where's Helen Slater when u need her!

When it rains, it pours?

I somehow doubt a consortium of investment bankers would hold the value of journalistic integrity above all the money that could be made by kowtowing to corporate entities whos products they review. If anything the types that ousted Gerstman could proliferate exponentially.

Whenever I hear hostile takeover, I picture pirates invading the board room. Yarr.

@Omnisleep: I agree. CNET owns TechRepublic, which is not TechCrunch of course.

So long as they don't touch GameFAQs, I'm fine with it. And, despite this whole Gerstmann ordeal, GameSpot does have a lot of good information and a quality site - even if the people running it aren't too good.

I can't be the only one that took the "random" firing of a famous reviewer as a bad commercial omen, so I can't be the only one that thinks this is the fruition of the forementioned, right?