Jeff Grubb’s Shameless Theft of the BioWare/Corinne Busche Story Highlights Mainstream Media’s Lack of Integrity and how in the end, it's one big media circle jerk.
This is all getting pretty gross... Trust in mainstream games journalism is at an all-time low (and somehow seemingly plummeting even further as the days pass), Jeff Grubb has provided everyone with yet another glaring example of why that trust has been eroding. Hours after Grummz and I broke the news via X and followed up with an article and video detailing the departure of Corinne Busche, former director of Dragon Age the Veilguard from BioWare, Jeff Grubb conveniently swoops in to pass off the scoop as if it were common knowledge or a generic conversation.
Without referencing anything or QT any source (nice journalism there, buddy), Grubb tweeted at 8:41 PM PST on January 16, 2025:
"Corinne Busche, director of Dragon Age, really is leaving BioWare. But I don't think EA is closing BioWare Edmonton. Was told there is nothing solid about that part of the rumor."
This came a full four hours after our initial report. A report that Grummz and I has been working tirelessly on for days to get it right. We knew this was huge news - if true, but credibility is paramount in this industry.
It almost feels as though he's trying to be coy and own the bad boy role to redirect the situation, as he continues:
He decided to double down after being called out for the theft by taking even more credit:
Yet somehow, Grubb’s initial vague tweet was somehow immediately elevated by the mainstream gaming media as the definitive source.
Publications like Eurogamer, PC Gamer, VG247, IGN, and so many others originally credited Grubb as the source, completely ignoring the hard work and verified sourcing done by Grummz and myself. Eventually, the game of telephone turns into sourcing Eurogamer, instead of any actual source. This is fascinating to see it in real time. Imagine if I didn't have a website, a voice. That thing any of these folks have tried to take away from me for years... But I digress. Let's get to the articles talking about it:
Eurogamer:
PCgamer:
VG247:
GamesRadar:
TheGamer:
GamesIndustry.biz then sources their own sister site instead of anyone:
IGN referencing Eurogamer, the game of telephone continues, as now Eurogamer somehow becomes the source:
...and PushSquare takes a similar approach:
It goes on and on and on. We knew this story was big. That's why we did everything we could possibly do to get it right on our end... Only to see the mainstream gaming outlets once again fall victim to it's own in incest.
A Pattern of Opportunism
Let’s be clear: Grubb didn’t corroborate the story, provide sources, or even credit any of the original reporting. Those of us in the know have witnessed the obvious connections mainstream games journalism has behind the scenes to create a narrative how they want, and make themselves look more important than they really are. It's one big club. Grubb opted for the classic mainstream move—cherry-picking the narrative to fit his agenda while conveniently sidelining any of the actual journalists doing the real legwork. Even more infuriating, Grubb has me blocked on Twitter, meaning he likely knew exactly where the information came from, but decided nah... it was easier to pretend it didn’t exist so that he could try and take credit.
This isn’t just lazy journalism; it’s intellectual theft disguised as reporting. Shout out to JayViper for tipping me off on this insanity!
Mainstream Media’s Mafia Mentality
The bigger problem here is how mainstream gaming outlets seemingly all fell in line behind Grubb’s tweet, referencing him or Eurogamer as the story’s primary source despite his severe lack of evidence, information, or original reporting. The fact that these outlets didn’t even attempt to acknowledge Grummz’s initial tweet or my subsequent article exposes a deeper issue: a cozy echo chamber designed to protect their own while ignoring independent creators. This is why no one trusts mainstream games journalism.
This mafia-like behavior ensures that the same names get credit, no matter how undeserving, while independent journalists are silenced or ignored, no matter how hard they work. It’s a blatant attempt to gatekeep the industry and control the narrative. But here’s the thing: gamers aren’t buying it anymore... and we are winning.
The Death of Mainstream Journalism
This situation is Exhibit A in why mainstream games journalism is crumbling. Publications that once long ago prided themselves on investigative work have now devolved into glorified PR outlets for AAA studios. They're prioritizing clicks and narratives over truth. Meanwhile, real gamers on platforms like YouTube and Twitter are the ones doing the actual work—digging deep, asking tough questions, and delivering accurate information without corporate filters.
Grummz and I spent days corroborating the BioWare/Corinne Busche story to get it right. We contacted sources, verified facts, and ensured the story was completely airtight before publishing. Grubb’s opportunism and the mainstream media’s complicity in immediately propping him up shows everyone their complete lack of ANY integrity, credibility, and accountability whatsoever. It's genuinely disgusting, but is anyone really surprised at this point? Will these outlets all correct their source and admit to lazy reporting? Hahaha... Don't hold your breath on that one.
The Future Belongs to US - Independent Voices
This isn’t just about credit. It’s far more about trust. When mainstream journalists take credit for the hard work of independent creators without acknowledging the actual source, they once again reinforce the belief that their industry is rotten completely to the core. Gamers see through the lies, and they’re turning to independent creators for news that’s honest, transparent, and free of the mainstream media mafia’s influence.
Jeff Grubb’s theft of the BioWare/Corinne Busche story is yet another nail in the coffin of mainstream games journalism. The future belongs to us - those who value truth over clicks—and we’re just getting started.
~Smash
