Our Silicon Valley and tech-focused sister site Valleywag is reporting that CBS will be merging CBSnews.com and CNET's News.com. While we're aware of some cuts already hitting GameSpot, we're not yet clear on the extent of those lay-offs.

We'll keep you updated between bouts of blog-crippling depression and wish former GameSpotters the best of luck.

The death of CNET's media-conquering dreams [Valleywag]

In an interview with GameSpot, GameStop executive vice president of merchandising and marketing Tony Bartel reveals:

We actually have slightly over a week's supply of Wiis, which is great. We haven't been there ever since the launch, and so we're excited about being there.

Not a day's supply. Not three day's supply. A week's supply. With all that stock, if you can't find one this Christmas, you're not doing it right.

Q&A: GameStop illuminates Black Friday strategy [GameSpot][Image]

Jens Peter Kurup, Director of Kane & Lynch at IO, tells GamesRadar that "there was something in the tone of that review that was tough on people, and on me."

Calling the GameSpot thrashing of Kane & Lynch — a nasty 6.0, when many reviews range from 7.0 to 10 — "a review that I would like to forget," Kurup is surprisingly honest in his feelings about the judgment.

Kurup says that single review has molded the opinions of gamers everywhere, even ones who haven't played the game.

"In glimpses I still feel it, because when I meet somebody who hasn’t played the game, I can be fairly sure that his or her opinion is based on the GameSpot review," Kurup said. "It just won't go away."

It doesn't sound like we've heard the last of the unlikable Kane and Lynch, according to Kurup's assessment of the franchise's future. When you sell a million copies, you're almost guaranteed another go — even if Jeff Gerstmann doesn't like your game that much.

Kane & Lynch: How it feels to be critically panned [GamesRadar]

Sony PSP 3000 Hands-On [GameSpot]

Joshua Larson, Joshua Larson, Josh Larson? That's right, at CNET he was involved in GameSpot business strategy, and he was apparently involved in the site's "Gerstmann-gate" brouhaha. This controversy supposedly lead to the controversial firing of long-time staffer Jeff Gerstmann (pictured0. After that incident, other senior GameSpotters like Frank Provo, Brad Shoemaker, Ryan Davis and Jason Ocampo all left the site. Josh Larson was sacked last April. According to an anonymous "gamespot" commented at sister site Valleywag, Larson was "a suit [...] who had no editorial experience and was only involved on the business side of things."

And now Joshua Larson is working in advertising. In-game advertising. Why was he ever working in editorial?

GameSpot's 'Gerstmann-gate' VP Heads to Double Fusion [GameDaily] [Pic]

Fallen Earth Project Manager Colin Dwan said, “During the Alpha test phase, testers will be focused into specific towns so we can have miniature stress tests each week. They will be able to experience all of our game systems including missions, combat, crafting, scavenging, economy, and vehicles. We are extremely excited to move from general content creation to game balance and bug fixing.”

Incidentally the game date is 2145 and their apocalypse of choice is a plague named Shiva that wiped out 99% of the population. Always good to know which post-apocalyptic scenario we are working with. Hit the jump for full details on the alpha sign ups.

FALLEN EARTH ANNOUNCES ALPHA TEST

CARY, NC – August 12, 2008 - Post apocalyptic MMOG Fallen Earth announced today it will officially begin Alpha testing on Thursday, August 14, 2008. The test is scheduled to run through early 2009, immediately followed by Beta testing to begin in 1Q09.

Fallen Earth Project Manager Colin Dwan said, “During the Alpha test phase, testers will be focused into specific towns so we can have miniature stress tests each week. They will be able to experience all of our game systems including missions, combat, crafting, scavenging, economy, and vehicles. We are extremely excited to move from general content creation to game balance and bug fixing.”

Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game that mixes first person shooter and role playing game style mechanics. The game is set in 2156, one hundred years after the world is brought low by a plague known as Shiva that killed 99% of the population. The game takes place in and around the Grand Canyon, one of the few habitable places left on Earth, which makes it a place many are willing to kill to control. Our world is one where mankind teeters on the edge of extinction, clinging to the bones of the old world while trying to recover their lost secrets. It's a world of scavengers and desperation. The players are those who choose to rise above the hardships of this new world and work toward a better world, or decide the old world was corrupt and all signs of it must be erased completely.

Gamers who are a GameSpot subscriber can apply for the free Alpha test at http://www.gamespot.com/event/codes/fallen-earth/. Gamers who are not GameSpot subscribers can go to http://www.gamespot.com/signup/index.php and sign up for free. Participants will be chosen based on qualifying criteria, applicant numbers, and testing schedules. If accepted into the Alpha test, gamers will receive a key code and can download the file immediately.

Fallen Earth, being developed using the Icarus Studios Tools Suite platform, will be showcased in the Icarus Studios booth 307 at the Virtual Worlds Expo in Los Angeles, CA, September 3-4, 2008 and in booth 316 at the Austin Game Developer Conference Expo, September 16-17, 2008.

For more information, players can visit www.fallenearth.com.

It's just you, your horse and some mounted medieval combat. They may as well call it Stabby Stabby Horse Riding.

The game offers PC owners some first or third-person single player fighting with an RPG bent as the player guides their horsey around a sandbox environment, cutting a swathe and trading in what is reckoned to be a complex economic system. A bit like GTA with horses, I suppose.

If this tickles your fancy and you can't wait until mid September for the full release, you can sign up for the game's open beta via Gamespot.

Mount & Blade Exclusive Beta [Gamespot UK]

GameSpot Party [Comedy.com]

"I’m at a point where I rarely second guess what I think about a game upon finishing it,” Gerstmann told me. He said he’s long gotten over the doubt that could set in “when you are facing the raging fury of the Internet.” He used to get death threats about some of his scores. “Now that stuff just rolls off. It’s the ranting of insane people, which you could say about a lot of internet stuff.”

I've always thought that some people take personal offenence to reviews. They are just opinions. Everyone's got one.

The Art of Not Second Guessing [Multiplayer]

Graphics Comparison [GameSpot]

CBS' existing online network already includes CBS.com, CBSSports.com, CBSCollegeSports.com, MaxPreps.com, CBSNews.com, last.fm, Wallstrip, MobLogic, and the CBS Radio and CBS Television Stations digital media
platforms. CBS says its distribution net, the Audience Network, comprises 300 partner sites and reaches 82% of U.S. web users.

"CNET Networks operates some of the most important premium online brands, serving the most sought after online audiences," said CNET CEO Neil Ashe. "Today's announcement brings together two organizations that complement each other and working with Leslie, Quincy and the talented people at CBS, we look forward to taking our business and our brands to the next level."

Full announcement follows the jump.

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) has entered into an agreement to acquire CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET), it was announced today by Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, CBS will make a cash tender offer for all issued and outstanding shares of CNET Networks for $11.50 per share, representing an equity value of approximately $1.8 billion. The acquisition will make CBS one of the 10 most popular Internet companies in the United States, with a combined 54 million unique users per month, and approximately 200 million users worldwide.

"There are very few opportunities to acquire a profitable, growing, well-managed Internet company like CNET Networks," said Moonves. "CBS stands for premium content and unparalleled reach, and CNET Networks will add a tremendous platform to extend our complementary entertainment, news, sports, music and information content to a whole new global audience. Together, CBS and CNET Networks will have significant additional exposure to the fastest- growing advertising sector and can accelerate our growth through a number of new content, promotion and advertising initiatives. We could not be more pleased with the prospect of adding CNET Networks and its tremendous team of people to the CBS family. I look forward to working with Quincy Smith, Neil Ashe and the considerable combined talent at both companies, as we build upon our success."

Based in San Francisco, CNET Networks owns many of the Internet's leading entertainment, news and information sites including CNET, ZDNet, GameSpot.com, TV.com, mp3.com, CNET news.com, UrbanBaby, CHOW, Search.com, BNET, MySimon and TechRepublic. The company, which reported significant profits in 2007 on revenues of $406 million, has a large international footprint, particularly in China.

Upon closing, CNET Networks' sites will be combined with CBS's stable of dynamic and growing interactive businesses. These include CBS.com, CBSSports.com, CBSCollegeSports.com, MaxPreps.com, CBSNews.com, last.fm, Wallstrip, MobLogic, CBS Radio and CBS Television Stations digital media platforms, and the distribution network of the CBS Audience Network, which is made up of more than 300 partner Web sites and reaches 82% of all online users in the United States.

"The core businesses of CNET Networks and CBS Interactive represent near perfect category symmetry in premium online content," said Quincy Smith, President, CBS Interactive. "Together we will have a terrific opportunity to not only grow our established businesses, but to build new attractive verticals of content as well. This is the beginning of an era for both CBS and CNET Networks; plus, it's going to be great to work with Neil and his team, many of whom I have known for many years."

"We're thrilled to join CBS and combine our interactive media experience with CBS's world-class content," said Neil Ashe, Chief Executive Officer, CNET Networks, Inc. "CNET Networks operates some of the most important premium online brands, serving the most sought after online audiences. Today's announcement brings together two organizations that complement each other and working with Leslie, Quincy and the talented people at CBS, we look forward to taking our business and our brands to the next level."

"We look forward to completing the acquisition of CNET Networks and the terrific benefits it brings to CBS as Quincy, Neil and their combined teams build upon our success," Moonves concluded. "At the same time our strong cash flow allows us to pay among the highest dividends in the industry, and we are committed to continue to pay our attractive dividend to return value to shareholders."

The Board of Directors of CNET Networks has unanimously approved the merger agreement and unanimously recommends that CNET Networks stockholders accept the tender offer and tender their shares.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

...there was a bug in our publishing system on Monday that caused the incorrect score for GTAIV, a 9.5, to appear for on some pages for a while. This happened hours before we posted the actual score with the review, a 10. This has all led to a lot of talk and speculation so I'm going to set things straight, short answer: it's not true.

FUNCOM, EIDOS AND GAMESPOT REVEAL UNIQUE AGE OF CONAN PVP WEEKEND

15,000 gamers get exclusive Age of Conan access from April 18th to April 20th

DURHAM, NC - April 9, 2008 - Eidos and Funcom are proud to announce a unique beta partnership with GameSpot.com, one of the world's biggest gaming websites. In a highly exclusive event, 15,000 gamers from across the world can log in and play Age of Conan, non-stop, from Friday, April 18th to Sunday, April 20th. The unique PvP weekend allows lucky gamers to test a limited part of the PvP functionality of Age of Conan, and the two different PvP mini-games Capture the Skull and Team Annihilation will be available.

To make the weekend even more interesting Eidos and Funcom are also including the engaging Age of Conan character creation system, allowing players to create avatars with strong personalities. All 12 classes in the game, including the barbarian, can be picked and tested, with Funcom transforming each character into a fully specced, level 20 death machine. In PvP lobbies players can then chat and socialize, prior to entering PvP matches. Participants are urged to test different classes and offer any feedback on the forums. There will also be forums on GameSpot.com where people can talk about the event, and Funcom staff will be present to gather feedback.

"The battlefields of Hyboria are craving new, fresh blood," says an enthusiastic Game Director/Producer Gaute Godager at Funcom. "Throwing newcomers into a fully specced, level 20 PVP character is naturally a challenge in this most unforgiving of all MMO environments, but I am confident the players will rise to this challenge. We have spent years fine-tuning the combat system in Age of Conan, and allowing GameSpot readers to be the first to get a small glimpse of this is something we really look forward to."

The unique PvP weekend marks an escalation in the stress testing for Age of Conan, and aspiring barbarians can now sign up on GameSpot's website. The 15,000 lucky winners will be then contacted by email on Wednesday the 16th of April, and then they can then start downloading the game. The servers open at 4 p.m. EST Friday the 18th of April and close at 4 p.m. EST on Sunday the 20th of April. Funcom would like to point out that the PvP weekend is still part of the beta testing process, and that it is a part of the planned stress test escalations towards launch. As such, it is not fully representative of the final product, and players are asked to treat it accordingly. Stress traffic issues may occur.

Age of Conan is consistently mentioned as one of the most anticipated PC games in development. It has received more than 25 covers on high-profile gaming magazines across the globe and more than 15 major awards, including numerous "Best MMO of E3" awards and the official "Best Online Game" award at the Games Convention 2007. Age of Conan is a key title in Microsoft's Games for Windows line-up, and a showcase title for nVidia. The game is set to launch in several territories on May 20, 2008.

For more information on Age of Conan - either in English, German, French or Spanish - visit the official website at www.ageofconan.com where you also can access the respective community websites.

To sign up for the unique PvP beta weekend please visit http://www.gamespot.com/test/ageofconan/

Well here's what. Castaway V.P. Stefan Scandizzo followed up to Gamespot with a YouTube link to gameplay video of Djinn, a Diablo-style game that never got out the door. The video is of a fully playable demo in 2005, so, before the current consoles were available. Embedding's disabled so you have to go to YouTube to see it.

I kind of like the mystery of what-could-have-been stories. Who knows where this game would have ended up. But it's a nice tribute to the hard work of these developers and designers.

Djinn 2005 [YouTube, via Gamespot]
Castaway Sends Out SOS [Gamespot]

Internal communication informing employees of the cut were forwarded to Kotaku last night, indicating that a "new management structure means that Josh Larson's position as VP, Games is being eliminated and Josh will be leaving the company." CNET announced last week that it would cut 10 percent of its work force, about 120 employees. We contacted GameSpot Editor in Chief Ricardo Torres to verify the news this morning.

Torres confirmed that Larson's last day would be April 9, but declined to comment much further on the restructuring, citing the "internal" nature of the news.

It was clear that, at the time, Larson's capabilities as editorial lead weren't well regarded by some of the GameSpot staff. The anonymous "gamespot" commented at sister site Valleywag that Larson was "a suit [...] who had no editorial experience and was only involved on the business side of things." The anonymous commenter lamented that the presence of the sales team had become much more visible under Larson's watch, with other contributors going on and off record with less than favorable comments of CNET management.

In the months that followed Gerstmann's dismissal, GameSpot lost a sizable portion of its editorial staff, with reviewers Alex Navarro, Frank Provo, Ryan Davis, Brad Shoemaker and Jason Ocampo leaving for other, sometimes unspecified opportunities. Torres told us that GameSpot continues to bring on new editorial talent and plans to continue its coverage "with the same breadth and depth we have in our previous 11 years."

Tom's Games points out that the company posted three job listings over at JournalismJobs.Com from Feb. 15 through Feb. 27 for copywriter; associate editor, reviews; and associate editor II, PC previews and reviews.

Hit the jump for some of the responsibilities for each job. On a side note, I was a little disturbed to read that their copywriter position might include the unholy wedlock of advertising and editorial, with the person being responsible for writing banner ads, print ads and, perhaps, headlines?

Update: I hear from friends over at GameSpot that the copywriter job is in fact advertising and marketing only and that there will never be any editorial hanky-panky. Good to know.

Associate Editor, Reviews
The associate editor will be responsible for 3-5 regular game product review assignments per week in a timely manner.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to the reviews editing process both by receiving and giving feedback on his/her own reviews, as well as reviews written by other editors and staffers.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to additional review-related duties, such as appearing in video reviews or potentially helping to compile game assets.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to GameSpot's editorial product in other ways, such as attending press events, covering games for previews, and contributing to editorial features.

Associate Editor II, PC previews & reviews
The associate editor will be responsible for 3-5 regular PC game preview and review assignments per week in a timely manner, and potentially some console-related coverage as well.
The associate editor will be called on to interface with game industry contacts and attend game-related industry events and may be required to travel, schedule appointments, manage press assets, and keep track of deadline and designated publish dates.
As part of the process of contributing to reviews, the associate editor will be expected to contribute to the reviews editing process both by receiving and giving feedback on his/her own reviews, as well as reviews written by other editors and staffers.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to additional review-related duties, such as appearing in video reviews or potentially helping to compile game assets.
The associate editor will be expected to contribute to GameSpot's editorial product in other ways, such as attending press events, covering games for previews, and contributing to editorial features.

Copywriter
Write banner ads, landing pages, print ads, ads, microsites, videos, and, of course, email. Work autonomously with partner designer during concept development and design. Integrate the brand personality into all consumer communication and maintain a consistent look and feel that reinforces and builds the brands as innovators.

Work with Marketing, Product and product design teams to understand our customers, the nuances of the product and the key strategies for each project. Attend user lab studies to witness consumer experience with the product first hand in order to better understand their motivations, stumbling blocks, etc. Develop a strong command of our brands, their positioning and detailed product features.

Like Video Games? Cnet/Gamespot Going Hiring Crazy (must Like Eidos) [Tom's Games]