Gamespot still won't come clean

Gamespot has finally issued a Q&A-style denial that pressure from Eidos led to the sacking of Jeff Gerstmann.

But the one question that Gamespot refuses to answer is the keystone to this entire controversy:

Q: Why was Jeff fired?

A: Legally, the exact reasons behind his dismissal cannot be revealed. However, they stemmed from issues unrelated to any publisher or advertiser; his departure was due purely for internal reasons.

Frankly, there are simply too many credible, anonymous sources saying otherwise for gamers to take Gamespot's word on the matter.

And Gamespot does admit that Eidos made known its displeasure with Gerstmann's Kane & Lynch review.

So, according to Gamespot's own official remarks, Eidos paid a bunch of money to advertise K&L on the site, the subsequent review of the game was harsh and Eidos complained, and the offending reviewer -- a 10-year veteran of the company -- was fired shortly thereafter.

Plus, the text of the print review was altered, in some cases adding praise that wasn't there in the original review, while the video review was supposedly pulled for "concerns of quality," before being shoved back on the site as the furor grew.

Look, where there's smoke, there's usually fire, and there are just too many gray clouds billowing from Gamespot's offices to settle for a simple assurance that all is well.

And it's not like Gerstmann is exactly trying to diffuse suspicion that his firing was unethical.

Also, check out this N'Gai Croal column at Newsweek's gamer blog for some background on the awkward relationship between gaming blogs and Web sites and game publishers.