Throughout 2020 and even into 2021, the video game industry has seen numerous changes due to the COVID 19 pandemic that has shifted the approach to game development and coverage. While some have been more obvious like the delay of numerous big titles, there are other facets of the industry that are still transitioning. One area that has seen significant change is within the gaming press as many organizations have faced numerous layoffs and changes to content creation. The most recent comes as a shock to fans for one of gaming's most popular press outlets.
It was announced yesterday that Giant Bomb will see the departure of three of its longtime members. Brad Shoemaker, Vinny Caravella, and Alex Navarro confirm that they will be leaving Giant Bomb this Friday, May 7, after working for the website for over a decade.
The announcement was made in the most recent episode the website's popular weekly podcast, The Giant Bombcast. Episode 684, directly titled "Brad's Leaving," saw the announcement that Brad Shoemaker, Alex Navarro and Vinny Caravella would move on to other ventures in the coming days. Following the confirmation of the news, Alex Navarro and Vinny Caravella took to Twitter to confirm that they will be stepping away from a website they helped popularize through their years of content.
The sudden news has caught many fans by surprise considering the significant part all three members played in forming the popular website through a plethora of content over the last 13 years. All three were original members of Giant Bomb which was created in 2008 following the controversial exit of website founder Jeff Gerstmann from GameSpot. While many fans believe this to be the end of Giant Bomb, Gerstmann released a statement regarding the recent news and what the future plans are for the website. Gerstmann acknowledged the loss of the three members as being a significant one, but believes that its allows Giant Bomb to "rethink every facet of our operation, and get to a place where we're truly able to build that bomb all over again... or die trying"
Other fans, while still surprised by the sudden news, understood that there were signs that Giant Bomb was undergoing significant changes. The new of Brad, Alex, and Vinny leaving follows the earlier departures of Ben Pack and Abby Russel, two of the most recent additions to join the Giant Bomb team. 2020 saw Giant Bomb transition away from the office setting to stream focused content with crew working remotely, similar to how developers have adapted to working from home. Giant Bomb was well known for its in-studio content out of the San Francisco and New York offices, dubbed as Giant Bomb West and Giant Bomb East respectively.
Brad, Vinny, and Alex have yet to announce their future plans, but the three will continue to have a loyal fanbase ready to engage with whatever they produce. As for Giant Bomb, come Friday it will be a new era for the beloved gaming outlet.