The Community Spotlight 2025.05.03

Everyone, this all sucks. There's no other way to put it. I don't know what the future will hold for Giant Bomb. I honestly don't. I can tell you where you can support the people who are definitely not here anymore and summarize publicly available information. Nonetheless, this is one of the most difficult editions of the Spotlight I have ever written. I hope you all understand that the gaps in my reporting or errors I make from here on out are not malicious attempts to cover things up or redirect the community's present anger. I just don't know everything; in some cases, I know just as much as you do.Regarding the state and status of the staff, we still don't have a complete picture. Grubb has formally announced he is no longer an employee and Mike Minotti has stated that he will no longer be contributing to any Giant Bomb content. However, he wishes love to everyone who is still working here and at GameSpot. TurboShawn has announced Fandom is no longer employing him and has a Venmo and PayPal account for people willing to support them. Niki also has links for support here. Beyond that, everything else is a massive question mark.Speaking of supporting the people who made the last three years of this site special, Tosshi and others from the Giant Bomb Discord have created an incredibly helpful Staff support list. This spreadsheet provides the ways you can continue to follow and support the people you have enjoyed watching on this site.Episode 888 of the Giant Bombcast is not coming back. As Grubb explained, even before he announced he was leaving Giant Bomb, the decision to pull the episode was not made by the Giant Bomb staff, but not bringing the episode back was their call. While Grubb has confirmed that while he will no longer be a part of Giant Bomb, he still has friends working here and will avoid talking about Fandom in the future. So, if you do seek him out, be compassionate and understanding.The Giant Bomb Discord is now an unofficial platform and has formally disconnected from the site and Fandom. You are still more than welcome to join, and for the foreseeable future, Dtoast will be there to resolve any site-related or customer service issues.Some of you have pointed out that the Giant Bomb Wiki is unavailable for editing. The wiki is not shut down but is instead "locked down." Fandom triggered this to prevent vandalism. The message I got when I asked is that this is less about the community meeting a requirement and more connected to a presently unknown timeline.Those seeking subscription refunds or wanting to cancel their subscriptions entirely can send in a support ticket, and Dtoast will get to your request as quickly as possible.Concerning the forums and the pinned statement about the site's future, I will be as transparent as possible. The Moderation Team and I have deleted a few egregious posts calling for violence on people. That and jokes about doxing have no place and have even been condemned by the former staff impacted by everything. These comments must not be repeated or encouraged in any capacity and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Nonetheless, venting and expressing anger and frustration is more than acceptable. In fact, Fandom's community team has affirmed that's part of the purpose of the thread.If there is something more you can do that may hopefully provide some catharsis, Dtoast has told me to say that you all are welcome to use the support ticket system to share how you feel as long as it is done without threats of violence. I know; the last thing you want to do is work within a Fandom-based system. However, if you can find it within you to share your hurt and anger, I know some people are willing to use and present your words as signs that things could have and should have been done differently.On a personal note, at the start of this month Marino and I excitedly announced that we had reached a milestone with the Community Spotlight. It was the 10th anniversary of the Community Spotlight gracing the front page. However, unless something changes, this will likely be it for me. There may come a day when Giant Bomb and its community warrant a new Community Spotlight feature, but in all likelihood, someone else will need to bear the burden of carrying that torch and keeping it alive.Additionally, it does seem odd, and maybe to some of you crass, to air the originally scheduled content for this edition of the Spotlight alongside a carefully crafted celebration of the best works in the site's history. However, some people rolled into this week hoping for the best and shared things they had been working on for possibly weeks. To deprive them of one last chance to get some shine on the site just felt wrong. As I said elsewhere, Giant Bomb is and was a home for millions of people. Some people have come to the news later than others, and there may be countless more who will reach the site's current state in due time. Let's understand that things will get to others at di

May 3, 2025 - 21:41

Everyone, this all sucks. There's no other way to put it. I don't know what the future will hold for Giant Bomb. I honestly don't. I can tell you where you can support the people who are definitely not here anymore and summarize publicly available information. Nonetheless, this is one of the most difficult editions of the Spotlight I have ever written. I hope you all understand that the gaps in my reporting or errors I make from here on out are not malicious attempts to cover things up or redirect the community's present anger. I just don't know everything; in some cases, I know just as much as you do.

Regarding the state and status of the staff, we still don't have a complete picture. Grubb has formally announced he is no longer an employee and Mike Minotti has stated that he will no longer be contributing to any Giant Bomb content. However, he wishes love to everyone who is still working here and at GameSpot. TurboShawn has announced Fandom is no longer employing him and has a Venmo and PayPal account for people willing to support them. Niki also has links for support here. Beyond that, everything else is a massive question mark.

Speaking of supporting the people who made the last three years of this site special, Tosshi and others from the Giant Bomb Discord have created an incredibly helpful Staff support list. This spreadsheet provides the ways you can continue to follow and support the people you have enjoyed watching on this site.

Episode 888 of the Giant Bombcast is not coming back. As Grubb explained, even before he announced he was leaving Giant Bomb, the decision to pull the episode was not made by the Giant Bomb staff, but not bringing the episode back was their call. While Grubb has confirmed that while he will no longer be a part of Giant Bomb, he still has friends working here and will avoid talking about Fandom in the future. So, if you do seek him out, be compassionate and understanding.

The Giant Bomb Discord is now an unofficial platform and has formally disconnected from the site and Fandom. You are still more than welcome to join, and for the foreseeable future, Dtoast will be there to resolve any site-related or customer service issues.

Some of you have pointed out that the Giant Bomb Wiki is unavailable for editing. The wiki is not shut down but is instead "locked down." Fandom triggered this to prevent vandalism. The message I got when I asked is that this is less about the community meeting a requirement and more connected to a presently unknown timeline.

Those seeking subscription refunds or wanting to cancel their subscriptions entirely can send in a support ticket, and Dtoast will get to your request as quickly as possible.

Concerning the forums and the pinned statement about the site's future, I will be as transparent as possible. The Moderation Team and I have deleted a few egregious posts calling for violence on people. That and jokes about doxing have no place and have even been condemned by the former staff impacted by everything. These comments must not be repeated or encouraged in any capacity and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Nonetheless, venting and expressing anger and frustration is more than acceptable. In fact, Fandom's community team has affirmed that's part of the purpose of the thread.

If there is something more you can do that may hopefully provide some catharsis, Dtoast has told me to say that you all are welcome to use the support ticket system to share how you feel as long as it is done without threats of violence. I know; the last thing you want to do is work within a Fandom-based system. However, if you can find it within you to share your hurt and anger, I know some people are willing to use and present your words as signs that things could have and should have been done differently.

On a personal note, at the start of this month Marino and I excitedly announced that we had reached a milestone with the Community Spotlight. It was the 10th anniversary of the Community Spotlight gracing the front page. However, unless something changes, this will likely be it for me. There may come a day when Giant Bomb and its community warrant a new Community Spotlight feature, but in all likelihood, someone else will need to bear the burden of carrying that torch and keeping it alive.

Additionally, it does seem odd, and maybe to some of you crass, to air the originally scheduled content for this edition of the Spotlight alongside a carefully crafted celebration of the best works in the site's history. However, some people rolled into this week hoping for the best and shared things they had been working on for possibly weeks. To deprive them of one last chance to get some shine on the site just felt wrong. As I said elsewhere, Giant Bomb is and was a home for millions of people. Some people have come to the news later than others, and there may be countless more who will reach the site's current state in due time. Let's understand that things will get to others at different rates, and that will require repetition, patience, and kindness toward those community members.

Nevertheless, if this truly is the last time I pen a Community Spotlight, let's go out with a bang! After spending countless hours working on this edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight, I know there are likely a handful of stones I forgot to turn. If you can think of one, drop a comment! I'd love to revel in the memories with you.

Giant Bomb Meme Origins

Special Note: If there is one thing I think we can all agree on, it is that Giant Bomb's enduring legacy will continue to be felt in all of the memes they have generated over the years! To help those of you in trying to track down some of Giant Bomb's most "viral" moments here is a short primer of sorts! Though out of date, consider checking out sparky_buzzsaw's list looking at even more Giant Bomb memes.

Giant Bomb Fan Artists, A Highlight Of Their Works, And Where To Find Them

Special Note: I have tried my best to try and link to ways to support the artists listed below and provide you with a good sense of what they made for this community. Some have since walked away from making art, others have move on from Giant Bomb entirely, but many are indeed still artists and have ways you can support them. I know these are trying times, but if you have any means to help them, please do.

Buzz_Clik/Cal Skuthorpe Giant Bomb Portfolio (By: @buzz_clik)

Buzz_Clik was one of the first artists to get into making fan art inspired by Giant Bomb. Their works were so good they eventually graced more than a few Giant Bomb shirt designs. Fun story about the last image here, which is one their winning banners for E3 2010. buzz_clik was actually likely about to get a clean sweep with the banner contest that year so, in an effort to have some "fairness" MB/Mike and I did a protest vote for the Microsoft E3 2010 banner contest and the result was one of the most "notorious" winning banners taking it.

Editor's Note from Marino: We changed the rules the following year so that one person could only win one banner spot in a given year. Buzz_clik was too good.

Alister Cat's Personal Image Gallery (By: @alistercat)

AlisterCat has made a handful of fun works over the years, but maybe their most "iconic" contribution was an enduring viral fake Hardcore Dave t-shirt design. While the URL has long since expired and doesn't exist, you could make your own versions of the Hardcore Dave design with your own quotes and it was an endlessly hilarious community exercise.

Jea_Rum's Ko-Fi Account&Commission Posting Thread (By: @jearum)

It feels like jearum needs no introduction, as many of their designs and works have been recurring fixtures on the Giant Bomb store and on the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight. Nevertheless, I do think it is important to point out that they are taking commissions and if you want a personal or Giant Bomb related memento, jearum is you person to turn to!

Kone's Image Gallery (By: @kone)

I have often called Kone the "Master of Photoshop" and it is hard not to see why. The creative ways he has mashed the Giant Bomb staff in a variety of humorous scenarios have been a perpetual delight. However, don't sleep on their "traditional" works and 3D designs as well. As you can see below, they are an incredibly gifted artist with truly amazing talents.

Steve Kim/Fobwashed Instagram (By: @fobwashed)

I cannot forget to mention Steve's amazing GOTY 2024 list wherein they imagined the Giant Bomb logo in the style of five video game fonts. Over the years, they have proven they are a multi-talented artist who has communicated Giant Bomb's many eras through a variety of mediums. I can also attest that should you ever reach out to them, they will always respond with kindness and positivity.

Lizzy Dawson's Portfolio Of Fan Art (By: @morehandclaps)

Over on Bluesky, Lizzy Dawson has posted an incredibly touching compilation of all the ways she has drawn the Giant Bomb staff over the years. Her second work in the gallery below remains my favorite fan art involving Jess to this day.

Persona 4: The Golden Duder Project (GB Crew As P4 Characters) (By: @mleelunsford)

Formerly known as SuperNormalStep, MLeeLunsford is the author behind one of the most sustained and longest-lasting works of Giant Bomb fan art. Their Persona 4: The Golden Duder Project has envisioned decades worth of Giant Bomb staffers as characters from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 and the avatars they have created have allowed others, especially on the video-making front, to creatively act out their favorite Giant Bomb moments.

Aurahack's Patreon (By: aurahack)

aurahack has since gone on to become an established and respected artist in the game industry and art community overall. However, I would be remiss to mention that they developed their artistic chops by making some of the most beautiful works of Giant Bomb fan art. They were a recurring winner of the E3 banner contest and as Marino knows, their Giant Bomb trading cards from back in the day were incredibly touching.

Face15's Personal Gallery (By: @face15)

A name that many of you have maybe have forgotten, but Face15 won Giant Bomb's E3 banner contest on 4 different occasions. They also dabbled with making posters and game covers based on Giant Bomb. Nonetheless, they are likely best known for the first image in this gallery. A work I would hazard to call the single greatest E3 banner the contest ever generated.

Kat Smith/TurboToaster's Ko-Fi Account (By: @turbo_toaster)

For those of you that do remember the early days of Giant Bomb, you may recall TurboToaster and their works of art dominating the site's long-defunct quest system. Here are some of the works of theirs I have managed to find and consider sending them a on Ko-Fi.

Giant Bomb Nighthawks Poster (By: Sam Filstrup)

It may seem odd to showcase an artist who is primarily attached to just one work of Giant Bomb themed art, but in Sam Filstrup's case, the fact that he's the creator of one of the most well known posters in all of Giant Bomb, I think we can all agree to let that slide. The Giant Bomb Nighthawks poster proved that it wasn't just t-shirts that the community wanted, and the fact remains that it opened up the floodgates to future projects and merch. That alone makes it one of the most "important" things to grace the site's merchandise store.

Humanity's Art Archive (By: @humanity)

Humanity is a another artist that has since gone on to pursue things great and impressive and they started out here on our humble forums. As you can see below, their painterly style made for some amazing posters, especially when it came to the PAX Rumble.

B0nd07's Image Gallery (By: @b0nd07)

B0nd07 has been behind almost every banner for the old TNT feature during the Whiskey Media days and a handful of winning E3 banners as well. They also created a fun "Seal of Approval" for the Moderation Team and did official artwork for Flight Club and Alex's Blue Bombin' feature.

Pickle Giraffe's Patreon (By: pickle_giraffe)

And finally we end with one of the most recent people to throw their hat into the ring of making works of art for Giant Bomb! Pickle_Giraffe's style made for some amazing animated videos but they also had their hand in making posters and fan arts as well that are just as memorable as their animated renditions of Blight Club.

Bluesky

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https://bsky.app/profile/aurahack.bsky.social/post/3lo7gp4fxnc2e

https://bsky.app/profile/ybbaaabby.bsky.social/post/3lo5b76dh6s2n

https://bsky.app/profile/transsalamander.bsky.social/post/3lo5swwjaxk2x

https://bsky.app/profile/foxkidsclub.bsky.social/post/3lo5oy4mfx22j

https://bsky.app/profile/trbucket.bsky.social/post/3lo5l6pjb4s22

https://bsky.app/profile/picklegiraffe.bsky.social/post/3lo5iggj6fc2r

https://bsky.app/profile/christilton.bsky.social/post/3lo5hes7vcc2s

https://bsky.app/profile/wadjeteyegames.bsky.social/post/3lo5hibhpec2l

https://bsky.app/profile/marinov1.bsky.social/post/3lo4yz7r4ck2t

Videos Throughout The Ages

Best of Giant Bomb 1 - Origins HD Remix + fire (By: Derek Stone/@turboman)

TurboMan deserves all the credit in the world in helping to popularize Giant Bomb on YouTube and elsewhere.

Derek/TurboMan's video series admittedly taps out at a certain era of Giant Bomb, but the point remains that his "Best of Giant Bomb" series still stands as the greatest primer on the most hilarious and iconic moments in Giant Bomb's long history. Also, we can't forget his other fun video efforts like how he highlighted Vinny's infamous "Firebolt" moment during the Shenmue Endurance Run.

Giant Bomb TV Show Intro Thingy (By: Manascrew)

An odd video for maybe those of you that are new, but a forgotten music video that marked a few firsts. "My Heart Belongs to Giant Bomb" has been used by a variety staff and community, sometimes lovingly and sometimes ironically, to highlight major milestones and events in the site's life.

Giant Bombstep (Giant Bomb Remixed) +

Small Business Man (Giant Bomb Remixed) (By: The Hamster Alliance)

Still maybe the best way ads have ever been used in a podcast.

Hamst3r was an early video and music-making Giant Bomb fan who made fun remixes of Giant Bomb moments as well as promos and promotional stuff to help support the site's Extra Life efforts. Many thanks to him for doing that and best wishes all around.

Oculus Rift in the Bedroom - GiantBomb Animated +

Long Knives And Sharp Bats - GiantBomb Animated Mini (By: Jack Saint)

Crazy to think about Jack's humble YouTube origin story.

It is still kind of bonkers to think that Jack Saint got their start on YouTube making silly animated Giant Bomb videos, but it is true. Here are what I consider the two most well known ones and without a doubt, if you want to watch them all they are still there even though Jack's focus has shifted.

Giant Bomb: The worst feeling in the world (By: AChimpKnockinAbout)

Definitely a fun video that uses Source Filmmaker to recreate the great "Poop Gambit" discussion during a now ancient Bombcast.

Giant Bomb Animated 001: Resident Evil 2 (By: vizualb)

vizualb's animated Giant Bomb series usually tried to recreate quick Giant Bomb moments, but their incredibly cute art style definitely made some of the moments they picked all the more hilarious. Over on bsky, their brother issued a huge thanks to the Giant Bomb community for the memories.

[GB Animated] Raise Your Hand (By: Axel Hunter)

Maybe one of my favorite styles of a Giant Bomb Animated feature.

This is maybe one of my favorite individual Giant Beastcast moments animated perfectly. Vinny pretending to be a host on Seasame Street, Alex as a puppet, and Dan as a chaotic force mockingly pulled from Drawn to Death.

Giant Bomb Animated (Kinda) - Chronic The Hedgehog (By: MINMOMINMO)

Man... the Sonic movie actually turned out to be good, but the Beastcast imagining it being a nightmare still is funny!

Giant Bombcast Animated 4 - My Farm (By: V)

Of the Whiskey Media days, this is maybe the Bombcast moment that I remember the best. Jeff reading from the Nintendo Downloadable games script and Ryan immediately jumping at the opportunity to point out overlapping shovelware. It still manages to make me laugh.

Giant Bomb THE RUNS: Dan VS Vinny +

Breaking Brad: Demon's Souls Supercut (By: Andy Guthrie)

Andy Guthrie was another early pioneer in making compilation videos about Giant Bomb features that involved a staff member doing a "run" or engaged in a quest to complete a game from start to finish. They started with Brad trying to beat Volgarr the Viking and crossed into doing the first version of "This is the Run!"

Manfred's My Friend (By: Gelatinous)

A quick one, but a lovely one still. It features, as someone who plays the Total War games, an interaction between Austin and Vinny that really warms my heart.

Every Time They Make A Bet in Steal My Sunshine +

Every Time They Murder a Kerbal and Yell "VINNY!" in Kerbal: Project B.E.A.S.T (By: Jeremy Medina)

The feature that was always a hilarious time on the Bombcast.

These two videos by Jeremy Medina really speak to the heart and magic of Giant Bomb East. Both show how closely knit the staff were there whether it be when Austin was there or when Abby and Dan were working together. The moments they had together felt organic and truly special.

Jeff Gerstmann is the Xbox One! (By: Lamplight Films)

Hi! I'm downloading an update, I hope you don't mind. Hey, hello. It's all good, we found the internet baby. It's all good in the hood yo! Inglewood always up to no good!

[SFM] Illegal Drugs (Giant Bomb) (By: Joey[MZ])

I sometimes find myself quoting this moment from time to time, like asking people to talk into my chest.

Giant Bombcast - 07/23/13 - "You're in Luck"+

Giant Bombcast - 02/23/16 - "#skate4" (By: bananas)

Skate 5

One Hour of Giant Bomb Almost Discussing Donkey Kong Bananza (By: Kone)

It is amazing how many videos would not have been possible without the Persona 4 Duders Project.

Kone was a Photoshop genius as well as a video editing machine. This video hilariously edits a more recent Giant Bomb clip and puts everyone in loop to be almost talking about Donkey Kong Bananza, but not quite. Be warned, this video is almost one hour long. If you get through it completely, you are made of stronger stuff than me.

Nu-Beast and the Saga of Fireboylt (Giant Bomb Animated) (By: Dustin Bragg)

Another fun one that animated Vinny's "Fireboylt" moment during the Shenmue Endurance Run.

Best of Giant Bomb's Persona 4 Endurance Run--01 (Parts 001 to 015) +

Mario Party Party: The End of Giant Bomb (By: MichZurek)

MichZurek's Persona 4 Endurance Run compilation series will stand as maybe the best way to relive the magic of the Persona 4 Endurance Run. They capture all the feature's best moments and also allows you to experience the Endurance without much of the grinding and filler episodes. They also made an incredibly hilarious compilation video looking at the Mario Party Party feature.

Giant Bomb's Real Time Fire Alarm(By: Chris Weed)

Another fun video that shows how the sausage is made. 9 years ago, Chris stitched together three Periscopes of Giant Bomb livestreaming a fire alarm and it is a goofy reminder of how much fun the staff have when they get to be together.

Flawless Victory - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (Episode 1) +

15 INCH PIPO - (Season 8 FINALE) - An Animated Giant Bomb Blight Club Series (By: Pickle Giraffe)

Pickle_Giraffe is a recent edition to the Giant Bomb community, but a cherished one nonetheless. Their art and efforts to animate every episode of Blight Club single-handedly revive the video section of the Community Spotlight and for that I am in his debt.

Giant Bomb Lockdown: Video Simulator (By: Calum McCall)

Summer Games Fest is going to be a lot different this year but that doesn't mean you can't lock me up and throw away the key.

Blogs

Hey Duders! More Than A Few Words I Wanted To Share (By: @zombiepie)

Many thanks to Alexis for the kind words!

At this point, I feel like you know more about me than I care to admit. In this essay I take the time to think about the present as well as future of Giant Bomb and also comment on why there truly are no sites on the internet that scratch the same itch as it. Also, you'll find a plethora of community members and even former staff here. I'm not sure why, but I managed to get Alexis to send some hearty thanks for all the years.

To Say Giant Bomb Has Been Special Is An Understatement For Many Of Us (By: @jared)

Giant Bomb Is Dead. Long Live Giant Bomb! (By: @remixrunixlp)

All Good Things (By: @schmollian)

Giant Bomb & A Relationship Coming To An End (By: @dukekaboom89)

All the love, friends (By: @sparky_buzzsaw)

Here are a handful of loving tributes to Giant Bomb from other community members. Again, I don't blame any of you for leaving or feeling like it is the end. No matter, I do want each and every one of you to know that in reading your blogs and write-ups you touched me and everyone else with your stories. To hear that this website touched you and had that great of an impact on you really speaks to what drove this community in the first place. Thank you so much for being part of that culture.

Mento's Month: April '25 (By: @mento)

Mento will always be the blogger who started out with an MS Paint web comic.

I would like to take some time to thank Mento for providing some of the most reliable community-created content on the site. No matter what, you always knew they would have something, sometimes two to three things by the time the weekend rolled in. That regimented professionalism for as long as they were at it simply was not seen by anywhere else.

If You People Were Really My Friends You Would Support My Desire To Play Haze Before I Die! +

Playing Gears Of War 3 Has Really Made Me Feel The Age Of 7th Gen Games (By: @bigsocrates)

bigsocrates has been another frequent flyer and whether it was a write-up about old games, breaking news, or, obviously, the Intellivision Amico their whit and humor mixed in with cogent and earnest points made everything they wrote a complete pleasure to read.

Demolishing Dick — How A Real Domestic Terrorist Spawned Rogue Warrior, One of the Worst Video Games Ever Made (By: @lostsol)

An incredible Quick Look but an equally incredible blog.

If one were to every ask me to point to what I consider the "best" blog ever written on Giant Bomb, I would likely point to this. LostSol came out nowhere and published what stands as a doctoral thesis paper that lays into Richard Marcinko and his downright fraudulent career. LostSol also looks into what led to the creation of Rogue Warrior a terrible game that has one of the greatest Quick Looks on the site.

Discussion Threads

GIANTBOMB STAFF - official photo edit thread - (By: @biffmcblumpkin)

Recently revived to give everyone another chance to have their hands at making and sharing staff photoshopped goodness. This thread is a treasure trove of Giant Bomb-based nostalgia and for anyone wanting to relive the early days of Giant Bomb's history, here you go!

Are Hamburgers Sandwiches? (By: @jeff)

The thread that essentially started it all. Though done in jest the "Are Hamburgers Sandwiches?" was a thread

Ryan Davis, 1979 - 2013 (By: @rorie)

The thread that basically started everything.

It is the tribute and obituary that I will return to whenever the anniversary of Ryan's passing comes up. As others have pointed out, while many staff from the start of Giant Bomb's history have gone on to pursue other things and have left their marks elsewhere, Ryan is someone who feels like their legacy is entirely felt on us, the Giant Bomb community and the culture surrounding us. For that, I think we will always honor Ryan's legacy.

that's million bucks (By: @trophyhunter)

Want a snapshot on what forum commenting culture was like fifteen years ago? Give this thread a read!

The Wrestling Discussion Thread (By: @turboman)

Stats that likely will never be matched again.

Many thanks to Giant Bomb's wrestling enthusiast community for authoring and maintaining what is likely bound to go down as the most used, commented, and viewed thread in the history of Giant Bomb. The Wrestling Discussion Thread, as of the writing of this blog, has over 45,000 comments and approximately 2,900,000 views! It even broke the site once! Many thanks to TurboMan for starting things and for silencing the doubters in the beginning.

Fuck, Giant Bomb <> (By: @csl316)

There have been some real characters on Giant Bomb.

Despite the title, this is the thread where the community has collectively come together to post <> in honor of the site. If you have yet to do so, feel free!

Jeff Grubb No Longer Works At Giant Bomb (By: N/A)

The title really says it all. Again, everyone is encouraged to share frustrations and disappointment, but please avoid encouraging violence against people and employees at Fandom.

How Has Giant Bomb Impacted Your Life. (By: @hizang)

I think we can all agree that Giant Bomb has had an influence on all of us. Whether it be a good laugh when you needed it the most, the podcast pushing you to pursue a career in a certain field, or the site's podcasts and video content leading you through some dark times, share away ways Giant Bomb has impacted your life.

I'm Ready To Speak My Truth (By: @bladeofcreation)

A bit of a joke thread, but to those of you leaving the site, this thread has become a hotspot for the community to share their deepest and darkest "confessions" about video games. Is there a game that you never got the appear of, or maybe there was a game you liked or loved and didn't understand the negativity directed at it. Share away your spiciest gaming takes!

And you all sure have made things that have given me nightmares.

A Suggestion Of Where To Go (By: @groupnebula563)

For those of you leaving, where are you going? Are you starting a WordPress? Is there a different gaming forum you plan to frequent? Where can your friend on Giant Bomb find you and remain in contact with you? Share away so we can all keep track of friends we have had for, in some cases, years if not decades.

Huge Xbox Price Hike ($80 Per Console) Coming (By: @bigsocrates)

It's simply wild to think that Giant Bomb has presided over the rise and what feels like the "fall" of the Xbox brand and the relevance of its hardware. The site started in 2008, the time in which the Xbox 360 was at its zenith. It was courting developers from around the world and getting big franchises that were once exclusive to play ball. Now, things feel just sad and the recently announced price increase seems like another blow to an already ailing platform.

Formula 1 2025 Video Game Reveal Trailer Is Here +

Codemasters Are Discontinuing The WRC Franchise (By: @gtxforza)

If you are reading this, I have give it to you GTxForza. Whenever there was a new racing game trailer, you always were ready to share it with this community. That's the kind of enthusiasm any website on the internet should welcome with open arms and

Polygon Sold To Valnet And Met With Mass Layoffs (By: @bigsocrates)

The hits keep coming. The news about Giant Bomb just so happened to coincide gut-wrenching news about Polygon being sold to Valnet, which led to the layoff of all unionized editorial staff at Polygon. If you want a summary about what has transpired or have thoughts, feel free to share!

Activities

Atomfall Is The 4th Game Of UUGPGC Year 4! Spoilers Now Opened! +

Mullet Mad Jack Is The 5th Game Of UUGPGC Year 4! Finish By June 1! Mark All Spoilers! (By: @bigsocrates)

For their continual efforts to try and drive up engagement, please consider participating in at least on final Game Pass Game Club with a single comment or two.

bigsocrates has been running the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club for years, and if there is something I think they are owed, it is at least some participation with their latest edition of the Game Pass Game Club for Mullet Mad Jack. If you have any thoughts about this rouge-like run-based game then share away!

Also, don't forget that spoilers are being allowed for the Game Pass Game Club's discussion for Atomfall! Did you like or hate how the game ended? Likewise, what do you make of the game's length? Share away where you stand with either question!

Reviews

@ryan's Rayman 2: The Great Escape (Nintendo 64) review may now go into the Giant Bomb history books as the highest rated user review on the site, and while short, you can see how much of a adept of words he was. A venerable master wordsmith.

@rorie's Horizon Forbidden West is another forgotten gem on the site. Yes, this is a user review from THAT Matthew Rorie! You know, the one that worked on Alpha Protocol! Regardless, if you missed them penning a long essay on why they loved Horizon Forbidden West, then give this a read.

@sbc515's Total Annihilation (PC) and Command & Conquer reviews were meant to spearhead their effort to start a new review series looking at "classic" RTS titles and seeing if their legacy translated into game still worth playing today. Regardless if they decide to continue, give their reviews a shot.

Wiki Pages To Last A Lifetime

Giant Bomb Reference

These Giant Bomb moments can never disappear

If there is one thing about Giant Bomb's legacy that will likely endure far beyond our imaginations, it is its presence in video games. To find fun and creative ways developers have snuck in references to the site and its staff over the years, check out our wiki page chronicling some of those appearances.

Giant Bomb Game of the Year Awards

The same can be said about Giant Bomb's decades of Game of the Year coverage. If you want a definitive page with every award and every game, character, or person to win an award over the many years Giant Bomb has given GOTY awards, look no further than the page linked above.

EverQuest

When I think about pages that truly stand out as better than any you will find on the internet I still turn to @marino's AMAZING work on the EverQuest page and the collective work done to the page for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The pages for these games not only act to inform people about how to play them, but they also paint fine brush strikes to paint the worlds they share and the people you meet. The depth of lore here is unmatched. Both show the power of the written word and how far it can take you.

Others

The are countless concept pages that examine video game mechanics or phenomenon that are known, bizarre, and very often, "too cool for Wikipedia." They are goofy and very much irreverent, but if anything they show that while many of us who worked on and maintained the wiki viewed it very seriously, we also were willing to let our hair down to embrace the chaos of video games from time to time.

Final Words By Your Author

To call the last ten years an honor and a privilege would be a massive understatement. Waking up every Saturday morning to cram as much as I could into every single edition of the Community Spotlight without fail has been one of the most rewarding exercises of my life. While it is no secret that the amount of content since the feature first graced the front page declined over the years, which forced me to get creative on how to justify some editions, I always knew every one of you that ever was featured on one completely and totally deserved it.

Maybe you don't get told this enough, whoever you are and wherever you are reading this, but you truly are special. You are a creative mind with more potential and power than you or anyone around you can imagine. I have seen so many of you grow, and I genuinely mean the following words. I believe in you.

Regardless of where you may go or where life will take you, I trust that you will use that time to do something that will better yourself and, hopefully, those around you. Looking at the works of art, editing, and writing this and every other edition of the Community Spotlight have shared gives me confidence that there's something more to each and every one of you than just the basics in life. I will not tell you what to do; that's not for me to decide, but I will ask that you never forget those who pushed you in the right direction, whether they be some of the iconic faces that graced this site or other people who touched your life.

So, I want to thank you all. Yes, all of you. This feature existed for you and was allowed to continue because of you. You made all of this possible and an absolute delight and I have nothing more to give you than my immense thanks and gratitude. There have been many tears shed as I wrote this feature, but maybe soon there will be more smiling involved.

I also want to thank my partner in crime, Marino. He has put up with me turning these Spotlights in well past reasonable deadlines and has been an immense resource in making sure their feature continued on for as long as it did. More importantly, Marino's work behind the scenes goes beyond the Community Spotlight. The thousands of trailers they have posted on the site as well as all of the GOTY lists would not exist if it were not for their tireless work throughout the years.

I don't know what the future will hold for me. When I have a better idea, I'll let you all know. I have put Giant Bomb in front of my face for almost half of my life, and I don't think I have given up on my promise to remain here to the bitter end.

Nonetheless, for the Community Spotlight at least, this is me saying goodbye and wishing you all well from here on out! Giant Bomb forever! Forever and always!