Booth babes update: E3's response
by Jennie Lees 
{ Jan 24th 2006 at 8:00AM }
Yesterday we brought you news that E3 would
be censoring its exhibitors this year, with a
prohibition on nudity, partial nudity and even bikini bottoms. Gamecloud has obtained a statement from the director of
E3 concerning this policy, and it seems that it's not a new development:In fact, it is the same as it has been for the past several years, and the vast majority of other major tradeshows have the same or similar policies. What's new in 2006 is an update of the enforcement policies, which simply allow show management to better enforce the long-standing dress code.
The enforcement policies involve a verbal warning followed by a $5000 fine. Since the rules on decency haven't actually changed, we don't need to say goodbye to the booth babes just yet; there should be plenty of them, as always. This is a shame for those of us who welcomed the development as a step in the right direction for the games industry, but good news for anyone lamenting their loss.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kuroshi @ Jan 24th 2006 9:19AM
It's a shame that you think the state of booth babes is a step in any direction for the game industry.
Matt @ Jan 24th 2006 9:28AM
kuroshi said: "It's a shame that you think the state of booth babes is a step in any direction for the game industry."
No doofus, they mean that being able to fine those who break the rules of decency is a step in the right direction. The direction being that "booth babes" have nothing to do with games and their presence at E3 is completely without merit. Read more carefully next time before you criticize.
Jay @ Jan 24th 2006 9:30AM
They could at least have good looking girls. The one of the left is screaming "I tried to look Scandinavian but ended up looking like a steak and kidney pastie" and the one on the right just looks like a bloke. No offence like.
I'm very happy with my girlfriend anyways so I'm not arsed what E3 does with booth babes... its funny how the game industry is resorting to babes and has this obsession with attempting-to-look real graphics. how lower can we go?
Sibilisibili @ Jan 24th 2006 9:46AM
kuroshi: I don't understand. That people at these trade shows wake up to realize that the inclusion of booth babes at their shows is frankly demeaning and pretty archaic at that is, beyond any doubt*, a sign of a more mature and inclusive video game-world. One could only hope that this is a sign of a general trend in the industry.
Frankly, if this means that 12 year old boys with misogynist stances to women are confined to 4chan and stay the hell away from my favorite pastime, then all is well.
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* Reading the excerpt from the exhibitor's handbook, I realize that the censorship stems more from puritan values than from any sympathy with women's rights issues. This is, of course, less good, but when the result is less sexual exploitation of the female gender for the benefit of the male and the capital frequently associated with the him, well I'm still happy (Though I suppose the question of (doing good - for bad reasons = good) is one worth discussing).
Moonraver @ Jan 24th 2006 10:01AM
Honestly what prude decided that sex doesnt sell. It's not like their running around the showroom floor flashing their naughtybits at everyone. Its just eyecandy same reason they have babes at car shows and sporting events *sheesh* lighten up.
Zsavior @ Jan 24th 2006 10:38AM
The thing is sex is always the defining line on what is some how right and or wrong. Never mind that Alot of these Urban gang bang games are blantaly racist, never mind that the game themselves are sexist towards women in general, never mind the massive amounts of homophobia, that goes on with characters. IF we take the half naked women out then every thing will be ok. I am tired of this crap. People that really want to make a change stop trying to look at sex and women as your primary attack, because it doesn't work. All it does is created a band-aid on a far bigger problem.
When you look up the word misyogyny this definition appears, Hatred of women. I am tired of people linking booth babes, or porn or any sort of male enjoyment of the female body to Hatered of women. Then seeing magazines like people, or US, calling women Fat and telling them what they should look like to be attractive. Booth Babes is a bs topic on a Much more complicated problem that nobody wants to handle. The thing is I notice that sexism and bigotry is ok in America mostly, as long as you can hide it some where and act like you can't see it. GTA, 25 to life, and others are fine as long as you can say it is about game play, Tomb Raider, DOA beach Vollyball no problem now all of a sudden it is your "Choice". But when the cold ugly truth stares you in the face all of a sudden it is misongynistic and wrong, because you got to look at it. Want to change the Industry don't pick up GTA with the blantant violence against women, how about that not becoming a millions seller? What to fix the mysongynistic views, how about we stop buying these magazines that tell normal women they are ugly for being their size.
By the way When we do things like this Doesn't it Lend itself to jerk offs like Jack Thompson being right? IF a twelve year old boy is misogynistic shouldn't we be blaming his parents for his hate of women, not the video game show? Doesn't that lend itself to Mr Thompson's arguments that video affect our childrens mind and need to be governmently regulated?
nightshadow97 @ Jan 24th 2006 10:42AM
if your a hardcore gamer and your going to E3.... odds are your really not gonna pay attention to the booth babes anyway.... a quick glance and on to the games... its not like im going to gawk all day at them....whats funny is that they think there gonna sell more of there product this way or what.....oooooo look at that hot chick over there.... hey lets go play that game....lol
kuroshi @ Jan 24th 2006 11:33AM
sorry matt thet might be what they meant, but it's not what they wrote. The "developement" was the removal of booth babes. The "good news" was for anyone lamenting thier loss. I am many things, but with 3 college degrees, I don't believe doofus is one of them. Sorry sibilisibili, my point was that booth babes play no relevance to the game industry at all. E3 is a Marketing event. This is not the GDC. It is all about marketing (one of my degrees). This is still America and sex sells. No game company or E3 is going to change that. As a game company, you can make a social statement and be ignored or you can make a splash and create buzz for your upcoming projects. The flashy lights, pre-rendered video, music, and booth babes are all tools used to attract attention to projects that companies spend millions on and hope will sell. Personally I think it's stupid and distracting, but it works. Besides he porn convention is just down the hall and the prostitutes are in the hotel and just outside vegas. E3 is flash little substance. If you want that, try the GDC. Thanks for the "doofus" though. I had to look that one up. Good one.
Johnny5000 @ Jan 24th 2006 11:55AM
nightshadow97: could you try that again, but include the apostrophes? My eyes are bleeding from trying to read your comment.
Actually there is an interesting issue here, and it connects with the whole Hot Coffee GTA mod from last year. The furore was over sexually explicit material in a game which was incredibly violent. Making babies more offensive than killing women? I don't think so. If the aim were to prevent the objectification of women then they'd be doing the right thing. But a prudish attitude and a fear of sexuality won't help anyone out.
jennie @ Jan 24th 2006 11:55AM
kuroshi~ The "development" referred to is the crackdown on the square acreage of flesh exposed at shows like E3. Although technically there are still restrictions, if last year's exhibits are anything to go by, there won't be much else to look at but girls, girls, girls.
Sex might sell, but it absolutely alienates certain would-be consumers, including myself. I may represent a fairly minor percentage of game buyers and an even smaller percentage of those working in game development, journalism and research, but even so; it's insane for the industry to clamour about how equal-opportunities it is being on one hand (cf the Women's Game Conference which I attended last year) and on the other hand have scores of weblogs and news sites lamenting the loss of bikini-bottoms at E3.
kuroshi @ Jan 24th 2006 12:23PM
thank you jennie. I was making an attempt to shorten "developement". As a male, I will not say I understand your viewpoint. I do see women as sexual objects, and I hope they see me in the same way. After meeting them, I hope that there is much more too them than that(nothing more annoying than a hot, stupid girl). Maybe as a developer you could give a shot at making change, but as a marketer I'm not really interested in changing society. This is a multi billions dollar business with big gains and big losses. I want to be on the gains side of that. Equal opportunity for women in the industry I'm for it. More womens voices in game making would be good even if it will not change overall content much. To have booth babes or not, well that's just stupid and has no bearing on the industry itself. It's a reflection of society and will not change with something as trivial as video games
WizarDru @ Jan 24th 2006 1:33PM
Yeah, Jennie...remember how those hot booth babes made Zelda the most talked about game of last E3? Oh, wait, scratch that. Remember how those booth babes made Majesco's games such a success...? Hold on, forget that one. Remember how WebZen's booth babes allowed them to break into the US market? Let's not forget how all those booth babes made True Crime:NY and GUN critical and sales successes. Darn, that didn't happen, either.
It's almost like watching a bunch of scantily clad models has virtually no effect on the quality of the games at all. Weird.
kuroshi @ Jan 24th 2006 2:05PM
Yea the flashy video, unquestioning media, and fanboy hype made zelda the most "talked" about game of last E3. We're almost to another E3 and still no zelda. That's much more substantive than scantily clad women. When did quality start to matter at E3. E3 is smoke and mirrors. Zelda was not going to make it's date. The rev was just a working concept. Killzone was not real. Starting to see a pattern? Ms made the mistake of bringing out a working machine with in progress games. For thier truthful effort they were sumariliy bashed by the industry and fans. "graphic not as good as killzone" etc. They could have shown a Halo 3 FMV, hit us with a spring/summer release date, and had us all praise them. "Did you see the H3 video". "Man that 360 is going to be amazing, it will change my life" We get smoke and mirrors because we respond to it, and the so called gaming press allows companies to get away with it. Both babes are part of the smoke. Look at the girl, the flashing light, smoke, shiny video. Forget that it's not real, that the game is in prototype stages. We love zelda but no virtually nothing about the game. A prototype demo meant to spark the imagination and keep the interest until they can actually create a game, but it worked on you and me too. Different kind, but smoke and mirrors none the less.
Fan @ Jan 24th 2006 2:05PM
I love watching scantily clad models.
If e3 doesnt want their booth babes any more i was thinking maybe they could move in with me? I could play games and they could just hold the covers, cheer when i do something cool and generally just look hot. I could like start a home for the homeless booth babes.
I love you booth babes, you represent everything thats good about women. Be strong.
Ryan @ Jan 24th 2006 3:52PM
Okay, #14, you're just asking for crap.
nizzy1115 @ Jan 24th 2006 10:00PM
maybe this is the wave of the future. I heard ford found the worlds hottest model after searching 39 countries to model on their new line of cars...
GenFX @ Jan 25th 2006 12:15PM
Kuroshi commented that this is a marketing event... hmmm I wonder what sells? The answer is of course sex.
Kuroshi also claims that having 3 college degrees makes not a dufus, however reading between the lines it makes them VASTLY superior. Education does not directly correlate to intelligence. I have known peopel without a degree that are incredibly intelligent. Conversely i have met over educated people who I would not trust with fry duty at a McDonalds.
Is this even an issue? This is a marketing event and sex sells. The goal is to garner attention at that place and time. Implying that booth babes mean anything in the long run is foolish. Making this an issue is liberal foolishness at its highest. These women are paid to do a marketing job, not forced. Heck it is good that they are using the assets they have to earn some duckets.
Brenda Brathwaite @ Jan 25th 2006 7:55PM
What's an issue to some developers of M and AO software is not so much the model issue, but rather the definition of "material" as mentioned in the rules. Can adult-themed video games be at E3 anymore? That's the potential censorship issue.
Last year, we had Playboy and Leisure Suit Larry and others. There are numerous games with sexual themes releasing this year, too. The Sex SIG has requested a clarification from the ESA on our blog:
http://www.igda.org/sex/archives/2006/01/esa_responds_to.html
Thanks Joystiq, for continuing to cover the issue.