I love Jeff Gerstmann. He is absolutely my favorite voice in gaming journalism. He is unapologetically Jeff and thats what makes him great.

I can't wait for the "tell all" book Jeff is gonna write in about 10-20 years. It's gonna be nuts. Heart goes out to Jeff. LOVE RYAN DAVIS!

Jeff and Ryan were the best duo in gaming ever old Giantbomb was amazing

This re-contextualizes a lot of Giant Bomb's history. I was under the impression that Ryan's passing nearly ended the site right as it was picking up momentum, and Jeff made previous comments that suggested they considered shuttering the whole site instead of continuing without Ryan. In reality, Ryan effectively saved the site and gave Jeff the leverage he needed to stay with the company.

Wow thanks so much for lifting this clip. Very cathartic to listen to. Love this man and his passing comment about helping people out with his contract signing reminds me what a kind dude he is too.

Also just want to say this was really hard for Jeff to share and really personal and I really appreciate him sharing this with us.

Ryan Davis was a real one. RIP. Thanks for sharing Jeff.

Ryan is one of the few times I've cried over the news of someone passing that I've never met. I remember driving to mow my dad's yard when I got an alert about it. Ryan's passing is STILL felt. Giant Bomb was fantastic after for MANY years (until a while after COVID hit) but nothing matches the Ryan Davis era of Giant Bomb and everything that they did. The live shows, TNT, Uprofessional Fridays, Big Live Live Shows, etc. Jeff never really laughed the same way after that, to me, even when he clicked pretty hard with Ben. Things change but I definitely miss Giant Bomb.

man, Jeff's speech from 7:25 onwards really hit me hard as I try and figure out what I'm doing with mine. Thank you Jeff for your words.

Coming back to this like a year and a half later. Realizing that seeing Jeff talk like this about his work might’ve given me some courage leaving a shit job back then (“Not for these people. Not for ANY people.”). Then thinking about how I started following GB folks a good 15 years ago, how much Ryan’s passing affected me in college. These folks talking about video games has had a bigger impact on me than I thought. I’ve realized it’s influenced how I approach work and how I think about how to have healthy passions.

As someone of a particular generation that used to watch both Jeff and Ryan from their Gamespot days in High School, the death of Ryan Davis really threw me for a loop. I remember learning about it, getting into my car to go get a coffee or something, and then having to pull-over to just cry a bit.

The "I live for a lot more shit now" hits a certain kind of way

I really appreciate Jeff being open about this, it was clearly difficult to talk about at points

Jeff sharing this info with us was such a wild ride.. super unprecedented and caught us off guard. We see these personalities we have grown up with (and love), as bigger than life a lot of times- but at the end of the day they are mortal, just like you and I.

Ryan. Forever young. Forever a loyal brother to Jeff.

Damn, that was intense. I had missed this, I don't usually endure Jeff's solo podcasts. Honestly I've been missing his rapport with others and I wish he did something with the Nextlander guys someday, but this video settles it so clear, I can only be happy for him and wish for him to enjoy life as much as he can. He deserves it so much.

Yes when I learned he died it killed me. It still kills me. Giant bomb is a huge part of my life Maybe saved my life. I worked at a sweat shop and listening to yall helps. When I learned he died it was a gut punch. I was on my lunch at work, 2 days late to hearing the podcast. I was sad bc nobody I know was a fan Anyway I still miss him.

I appreciate Jeff talking about this, it hits so close to home and it's hard to turn into words. I don't think there's anything more sobering than having one of your closest friends who you grew up with suddenly die in their prime. We get in the grind of life and advancing our careers and whatnot but when your "Ryan" dies, it makes you stop and think about what the your actual purpose is on this planet and what you want to get out of it. Your priorities then change for the better. It's almost like your friend's final departing gift to you, bittersweet as it is.

Jeff, I've been with you since Videogamespot days. You are a hero and a champion. Thank you for talking about thus kind of personal stuff. Lots of us miss Ryan, but talking about him makes me feel so nostalgic.

GB was there for me in the years after I left home and moved to a new job in a new city where I knew very few people. It was lonely times, but their content during that golden era was so good that it felt like I had a close group of friends to hang out with every night. Never met the man, but I was devastated when Ryan died. I'm in a similar place as Jeff now, with a wife and a kid and another on the way. I'm happy he has his new thing going that allows him to live a more balanced life and spend time with family.

Mad props to Jeff for being totaly real about it all. I enjoy what Giant Bomb is currently, but man, do I miss him and the older crew who are no longer there. Stay real, Jeff. We love ya.

It's wild to hear Jeff be so open toward the end of this video. Like others, I have spent countless hours watching/listening to content he's been part of. Literal years of my life. Way back to the Gamespot days, Arrow Pointing Down, beginning of GB, etc. I literally grew up listening to him, Ryan, Vinny, Brad, and all the other crew that came along the way. I wish him and everyone else the best of luck in whatever they do. And I'm glad Jeff realized there was more to life than what he was doing and decided to take action when he determined that's what he wanted. And it's crazy to see him have a family with (very soon to be 3 kids) and think back to those early days. I don't really watch too much Jeff stuff these days and never go on GB anymore since the GBeast split. My connection to the old GB days is through Nextlander right now and I feel bad I don't watch Jeff as much as I used to, but so much of his energy was feeding off other people as well and with him being solo, it just doesn't feel the same. But his wealth of knowledge and personality is second to none.

Thanks for everything Jeff, really.

This really got to me, in a good way. Jeff is so real here, and I have no doubt Ryan would be overjoyed knowing he's happy and focusing on the important things in addition to videogames.

Out of all of my decades on the internet, my para-social relationship with Ryan Davis is the strongest. I never met that dude in person, but I miss him like an old friend. It's very weird to me.

Thanks for sharing, Jeff. Those truly were the days. RIP Ryan

I'll never forget being in my campus' library, studying for a test and learning about Ryan's passing while listening to an episode of the Bombcast. At first, I thought it was a weird joke, but once I found out it was real, I had to leave campus immediately because I was holding back tears. A few days later, I went to a girlfriend at the times house and started talking to her about it and just started crying. I felt so silly crying over someone I didn't even "know," but then my girlfriend reassured me that it's OK, since this person has been in my life for literal years. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing this, Jeff, and I understand completely what you mean about not wanting to fuck around anymore. I've always had immeasurable respect for you, but this put you on another level.

OMG I was just listening to ep 500 of the bombcast where Jeff was clearly talking around some of the stuff he is laying bare here.

We kinda grew up w Jeff, and I'm happy he is still around. I really appreciate this guy! I think we all do.

Jeff confirming what I always suspected: that Ryan's death made him take his life more seriously is so damn powerful. I'm so damn happy you're still here kicking ass, Jeff. And that you found the family you deserve.

Big love to the Jeff man. Keep it real. Everyone take care of yourselves.

Thankful for the insight

I'm younger than Jeff (35) but watching what happened to him in Gamespot and Giant Bomb really influenced my own decision to start my own company and never be beholden to anyone. And I'm so thankful I did all those years ago, it's really paid off.

Nice clip. Do your thing Jeff.

I absolutely miss those days back then during this era he's talking about. I used to love listening to them on the Giantbomb podcast and wouldn't miss a single episode. They had a chemistry together that couldn't be matched by anyone in the gaming space. I'd bust a gut listening to Ryan laugh at a joke or something as his laugh was contagious. Damn I can't imagine how badly it killed their spirits when he passed. I wouldn't dare miss their E3 episodes for nothing as that to me was some of their best content. I just enjoyed their community and their sense of humor. It's sad that we'll never experience that combo of people again. Ahh man thinking back on their reviews and the famous "don't shake the baby" bit lol. They're the only group of people who I actually went and purchased something from their website to support them. I bought a Giantbomb hoodie and still have to this day. One of the elbows is a little worn out from me playing games for hours back then with it on from my elbows resting on my knees while gaming lol.

God bless ya. Jeff your a real dude

Always admired Jeff. As a dad of two boys 3 and 1, I couldn’t agree more with his take on prioritizing fatherhood while they’re young. You quickly realize most things work related just don’t fucking manner.

Jeff Gerstmann is still a threat. I remember when Ryan died. So tragic.

I hope in 9 years he's able to share what went down last year.

Damn, heavy stuff. Wish I could just give Jeff a big hug

Thanks Jeff

I do wish Jeff would appear on Nextlander occasionally, few times a year or something.

God damn I love Jeff so much

It's a sad and happy thing to know that from the passing of Ryan, Jeff managed to get his life back on track and quickly get married and have kids. Death certainly puts a perspective on things x

Love you, Jeff. Never change. RIP RTD.

Thanks for all the great molements, jeff

He should just do a history of the behind the scenes stuff, I’m sure there would be interest

Loved the Whiskey Media days. Ryan was a legend ❤

I still think about Ryan often. I watched this crew since the Gamespot days. Very sad.

Nice upload.

Poor Jeff

I'm so bummed we never got a Patreon group setup thing with at least Jeff Gerstmann and Vinny, and that he doesn't do anything with Nextlander so far. Everyone was fine but I could listen to Gerstmann and Vinny for the rest of my life they counter each other so well. Did the public ever find out what happened with Ryan? I remember at the time it was assumptions of just not having his sleep apneia whatever machine while on his honeymoon which is nightmare fuel

Man. I took a picture at work of a order with the name Ryan Tazewell. I shed a tear.

thanks for sharing. This is important. gb was never the same. I always thought gb should've been independent. Even whiskey days weren't so strict as cbs

i still miss him.

I had no idea GB was risking being shuttered before Ryan died. Giant Bomb was ahead of its time with the emphasis on personality driven content.

I wasted my 20s and now in my 30s i feel in running against the clock. After the 7min it got me deep.

I had a similar thing happen to my friend group. We were a large ish group of high school kids and one summer two of us died in a freak accident. It ended up bringing the group together more than they were before.

This is surprising to hear in one way but in another not at all because I am literally one of the people who started following Giant Bomb in the aftermath of Ryan’s death. I have just gone back and listened and watched so much Ryan content since then that I forget that sometimes!!

I hate to say this but it was Ryan's death that made me aware of Giant Bomb in the first place. I never heard of it before, the issues that happened at GameSpot all happened before I started paying any attention to any video game website or personalities. But I did start to get into podcasts around 2011, one of which was IGN's Podcast Unlocked. On that they took a moment to talk about Ryan and his then recent passing, to acknowledge his contributions to game journalism and such, and during that they mentioned Giant Bomb. That, in turn, was what led me to the site and the crew. I probably would have found Giant Bomb on my own eventually regardless if they talked about Ryan then or not, and Giant Bomb would very quickly become one of my favourite video game related media, but I will always feel bad that it was Ryan's death that brought me to it. I wish I had found it under better circumstances, that I had found it and enjoyed Ryan at a time before his far too early death.

I love(d) Ryan and Jeff. I miss Ryan and will follow Jeff in this gaming shyt until he quits for good.

Nice to learn, outside of it being a shock there wasn't a lot of finer details ever. Sure Jeff's leaving out like 10 years about his relationship(s) but that doesn't matter, heh.

I loved the original Giant bomb/arrow pointing down. It sucked when he passed

Jeff is the realest in the game. Dude is the only voice these days in games that I trust outside of skillup

I forgot about this. The algorithm reminded me.

Jeff’s Beyond the Mat moment

I still care about Ryan, RIP..

🥹 Love Jeff

He’s got a great voice - if he branched out from gaming he could do voice overs or radio haha. Such a rugged voice.

I wish he would talk about what happened when Vinny, Brad and Alex left GB. From an outsider's perspective they worked together for so long that it seemed like a betrayal to leave Jeff like that, but there was obviously more going on there.

Miss the old Gamespot crew ❤

Ryan passing was a massive shock at the time. it's really sad all these years later. I just wanted to see his face and hear his dumb voice goofing off on a quick look and I find this. man, what Jeff is talking about at the end there is exactly what I've been dealing with for the last 6 weeks.....

parasocial relationships are weird. having said that, super happy Jeff found what he was after.

Wow that was heavy. Much love to jeff and the giant bomb and gamespot crew. They were the gaming community i wanted when there was none on the internet. My gaming enthusiasm and love for learning about everything comes from all of them. But what Jeff says rings true in this video feom about 7:20 on. Once I had my son, i pumped the brakes hard on gaming, because this is a hobby and my son and wife are my life. Everyone please learn to have a balance.

Jeff doesn’t want the next generation to suffer the same way as he did 11:43 That’s why you can’t beat 100 percent

There does come a point in your life when, once you've dedicated so much time and love to games, you have to let other things in. Happened to me.

I'm always interested, what you have to say.

Title: Ryan Davis's Comeuppance Summary: Ryan Davis, a prominent figure in the gaming community, known for his sharp wit and humorous critiques, finds himself at the center of a dark, supernatural retribution story. This creepypasta weaves a tale of mysterious disappearances, ghostly messages, and eerie gameplay sessions that seem to blur the lines between reality and the digital world. Introduction: Ryan Davis, co-founder of Giant Bomb, was beloved by many for his unfiltered commentary and infectious laughter. However, like any public figure, he had his share of detractors. One day, after a particularly harsh critique of a niche horror game, strange things began to happen. The Unsolicited Package: It started with a package. No return address, no sender information-just a plain, brown box left at the Giant Bomb office. Inside was an old, dusty VHS tape labeled "For Ryan Davis." Curiosity piqued, Ryan decided to watch it. The Haunted Tape: The tape contained footage of a low-budget horror game, one he had reviewed years ago with scathing criticism. As the game played on the screen, Ryan noticed something strange: the in-game character bore an uncanny resemblance to himself, right down to the clothes he was wearing that day. Disturbing Messages: As the game progressed, the character began to receive messages-cryptic, threatening, and disturbingly personal. "You think you're safe behind that screen?" "Critique all you want, but you can't hide." The messages were typed out in real-time, as if someone was playing along with him, watching his every move. The Unseen Player: Ryan tried to turn off the tape, but it wouldn't stop. The screen flickered, and suddenly, he was controlling the character. Every movement he made with the controller was mirrored on the screen. He was trapped in the game, forced to navigate through a twisted, nightmarish version of the office he worked in. The Colleagues' Disappearance: Days passed, and Ryan's colleagues at Giant Bomb noticed his absence. They found him in the office, staring blankly at the screen, hands gripping the controller. No amount of shaking or calling his name could snap him out of it. One by one, they began to disappear as well, their faces appearing in the game as haunting, ghostly figures. The Final Message: As Ryan's health deteriorated, the final message appeared on the screen: "You laughed at our pain. Now you understand. This is your comeuppance." With that, the game shut off, and Ryan collapsed, lifeless. Epilogue: To this day, the tape remains in the Giant Bomb office, untouched and unwatched. No one dares to play it, fearing the same fate that befell Ryan Davis and his colleagues. Whispers among the gaming community suggest that the tape is cursed, a digital ghost story born from the depths of the internet's darkest corners.

It'd be cool if he hired Jason.

Still the goat

even in death he serves

wow

8:16 is some real shit.

I can't forget... That Bombcast with the announcement was released on my fuckin birthday, July 9th. I was all amped to listen to the show, and then a ton of bricks got dropped on my head. Seriously, it was the first time I ever cried over an entertainment personality's passing, and the second was David fucking Bowie. Never happened since.

so who was the person in charge of whiskey media (i assume) that he said was an idiot?

Poor old Jeff 😢

In a different timeline we probably woulld've got a Jeff and Ryan show, I wanna exist there

Been watching Gamespot / Giantbomb since the hey day. Cool to listen Jeff being real. Rarity.

Why isn't Jeff with nextlander

In spite of having been personally attacked by Jeff in a review, I have to say I sympathize with the sentiments.

Jeff’s villain arc is complete. Giantbomb was always Ryan and Vinny. Jeff was always a passenger.

thug 1 was fucking awesome