Giant Bomb, one of gaming’s most influential websites, has effectively shut down its original content production following the departure of several key staff members. Jeff Grubb, a central figure in the site’s recent era, confirmed he is now “out of a job,” while other core team members, including Dan Ryckert and Mike Minotti, have also left.
The shutdown comes after parent company Fandom reportedly instructed remaining staff to halt content creation. This directive followed the removal of a recent Giant Bombcast episode where hosts criticized Fandom’s brand guidelines, signaling a dramatic shift in the site’s direction.
Founded in 2008 by Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis after Gerstmann’s controversial firing from GameSpot, Giant Bomb pioneered personality-driven games journalism. The site became known for its podcasts, video content, and editorial features, prioritizing authentic voices over traditional review formats.
“Game Mess Mornings, Bombcast, Blight Club, Voicemail Dumptruck – the crew made it really easy to want to tune in every day,” noted one longtime fan, highlighting the community-focused approach that made Giant Bomb stand out.
According to reports, Fandom plans to transform Giant Bomb into a game guide site, focusing on SEO-driven content rather than the community-driven podcasts and videos that built its reputation. This change aligns with broader industry trends where editorial content is increasingly replaced by scalable, automated content.
The site has weathered significant changes before, surviving the passing of co-founder Ryan Davis in 2013 and the departures of several original team members over the years, including Gerstmann himself in 2022. However, this current transition appears to be the most dramatic shift in the site’s 16-year history.
