I propose rather than having the OPs picture, maybe the topics could be latest topics by category, and each category could have a picture?

So hae the top two newest posts from sales with a chart? Top two newest posts from gaming with a joystick image.

I don't know, just my thoughts on how it could be made bteter but with a similar concept.

I like the pics next to the top fives, but i think they should be a bit bigger.

I don't care for the pics next to the thread titles, but i can live with it.

VG's new layout reminds me too much of 

http://answers.yahoo.com/

i can get used to it though

I think it achieves the exact opposite.  It's less accessible, and less professional.  Websites are about useful content.  These pictures are totally useless - there is absolute no worth to them being there, in all honesty.  The first webpage I ever made when I was 10 was full of cool looking gif movies and random midi music - Obviously you haven't done this, but in regards to professionalism, I feel your objective is sort of the same as mine when I was 10 - lets jam a bunch of random cool looking crap on a webpage so it looks cool.  This is my FAVORITE site in regards to discussing the video game industry, so when I tell you how I feel, I state it honestly because I care about this site.  Please don't take it as an insult when I criticize your decisions, as I truly admire this community you have constructed.

well ioi, I'd say you've done the opposite, it looks messy and amateurish, cluttered. I appreciate your effort but this is just going to scare off people not already familiar with the site. The new set up is intimidating and floods the viewer with too much visual stimulation, you've made the site about as easy to navigate as a pop up porn gateway site.

simple works better: easy to navigate > complex illusion of profesionalism.

simple = professional, this looks more like a fansite that they made in the 8th grade...

I like the new one.

The change is interesting, but the old way for the top games was better.

It's messed up for the reasons the ppl above already said, sorry, have to say it.

Switch back, it was way better.

I preferred the console pix instead of the game pix, because I thought the color coding was convenient, but I support ioi in EVERYTHING HE DOES EVER. Even if it's baby raping.