Booth babes banned in E3 2006?

[Leper]

Excerpt from http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24247233

What we heard: Each year, the industry struggles to show that, like films in the early 20th century, games are a legitimate, cutting-edge art form struggling to overcome misunderstanding. And, each year, industry critics trot out the stable of "booth babes" at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), to prove games cater to humanity's lowest common denominator. Stories like last year's widely reported account (http://www.ukresistance.co.uk/2005/05/man-in-wheelchair-gropes-e3-booth.html) of the so-called "E3 groper" didn't help the issue.

So when rumors spread today that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the industry lobby that puts on E3, had banned scantily clad models at exhibits, gaming insiders reacted with a combination of shock ("Whaaa?!") and "Awwww!" ("No booth babes? Cancel my ticket!"). The mostly unattributed Internet reports stemmed from a post on the "sex & games" blog of the IGDA, the self-described "definitive news source for sexual content in games."

According to the IGDA page, the ESA had imposed "de facto censorship" on E3 exhibitors, saying that "material, including live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited on the Show floor, all common areas, and at any access points to the Show." Judging by previous E3s, that would all but mean an end to models on the show floor, as they are not known for their modesty.

GameSpot contacted the ESA regarding the nascent controversy. An E3 staffer said that the rules regarding attire have always been in place and that they have long not been enforced. "People largely ignored us," said the staffer, saying that booth babes would merely relocate to other parts of the show floor when asked to dress a little more modestly. The rep said the $5,000 fine was introduced this year to add some teeth to the regulation.

But does that mean there won't be models hawking publishers' latest wares at E3? In a word, no. Like at virtually every other trade expo, E3 exhibitors will use attractive women to help make inroads with mostly male E3 attendees. But are they on notice not to be as risqué as in past years? Given the still-simmering fallout from last year's "Hot Coffee" Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sex-mini-game scandal, the answer appears to be "yes."

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that they are banned, not bogus that they won't be able to undress to excess.
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Personally, I think its a good idea...

[jankoM]

material, including live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited
Good thing that violence is so brain-healthy.

[papillon]

Other discussion on the same subject has wondered if they're going to censor the *games* available as well.... an awful lot of games feature women in such outfits, after all. :)

Personally I don't care either way about 'booth babes'. The decision to have them or not does have a big effect on what general atmosphere you want. And if they are tired of the giant party and the outsiders cramming in just for the spectacle, then ditching the girls makes perfect sense. If they want to cancel their ticket because there won't be girls to pose with - they weren't very interested in the REAL purpose of the show, were they? :)

[Bmc]

I don't really see a problem with the sexual aspect of booth babes... but it seems logical, that if they are trying to attract more female gamers, to nix them.

It really should be about the products anyway, if you want to see babes go to a strip club.

[steve bisson]

I agree that they should tone it down. Maybe its just me but having a stripper promote your products ? very sleezy and unsophisticated.

[soniCron]

Maybe its just me but having a stripper promote your products ? very sleezy and unsophisticated. Maybe it's me, but have you seen the games they're selling? ;)

[Anthony Flack]

If E3 is anything like the Tokyo Game Show (and I'm assuming it is, only more so) - I think they could use a bit less of the loud noises and flashing lights, too.

No, I'm serious. I want to see the games and hardware, but all the extra crap designed to get my attention just makes me feel really irritable. I'm metamorphosising into a crotchety old man; I can feel it.

[turbo]

I agree that they should tone it down. Maybe its just me but having a stripper promote your products ? very sleezy and unsophisticated.

Indeed, very unsophisticated. (if not just plain funny and a social comment too.)


If E3 is anything like the Tokyo Game Show (and I'm assuming it is, only more so) - I think they could use a bit less of the loud noises and flashing lights, too.

No, I'm serious. I want to see the games and hardware, but all the extra crap designed to get my attention just makes me feel really irritable. I'm metamorphosising into a crotchety old man; I can feel it.

Yes. I went last year and believe me the noise and smoke machines were extremely invasive.
My mission was 10 x the work it needed to be due the stress and physical discomfort caused by all that.

Unless it changes I doubt I'll go again.. It seems more about who's got the most money to spend on hype than anything else.. :p

[Pyabo]

Is it just me, or is the prudish U.S. the only country that really has a problem with this?

[Andy]

I want go back into 2005. I just like to try what that awesomes were doing there if they were even porhibited after all.

In our purist's 90s we haven't noticed anything terrible with that nice girls. :)

[Savant]

The trouble with booth babes is that they distract eyes from games that matter and they clog up already congested hallways with drooling nerds trying to snap pictures of them. They become like nuclear war heads: they have theirs, so we have to have ours.

If they go away, E3 will become something I wouldn't mind attending again. The games would have to stand on their own 2 feet and draw traffic because they're actually good, not because the girl in front of their booth has big tits.

And I agree about the noise. I could put up with the booth babes and their associated problems if they would regulate the damn noise. You have to shout the entire show and you're almost deaf after the first day.

[Leper]

For me, I do not want to be lusting.. period. I don't want to be distracted and I don't like looking at women like they're sex objects. Sex is a very sacred thing for me, and yes this is my personal belief, and I'm not pushing it on anyone.

Because of my nature, it's easy for me to be distracted by half-naked women. Because I do not want to get myself into trouble, I wouldn't go.

Now if they have pretty women there I think that's no big issue, but if they put women in dressing like prostitutes it will be a hard time getting those images out of my head.

[arcadetown]

If booth babes go away will be better but they should ignore my opinion as I probably won't go back to E3 anyhow, even though I live 20 minutes from it. E3's fun first couple years but after a while the booth babes and the content seem the same, not much substance.

[Savant]

That's what I'm hoping will change. The booth babes being banished (or, at least, clothed) will be, hopefully, the first step in making the event more about the games and less about the noise & lights & distractions.

The next thing to address will be the idiots on the stages yelling every half hour about giving away free t-shirts and "giving it up" for whatever game they're shilling for.

[Pyabo]

Because of my nature, it's easy for me to be distracted by half-naked women.

I'm sure 50% of the population of Earth can understand where you're coming from.

Now if we could just make the other 50% come to grips with this...

[Ricardo C]

More like 60% ;)

As for me, I'll be glad to see "booth babes" gone simply because they're so tacky. There's excess and then there's excess.

[Robert Cummings]

I love booth babes. You're a bunch of Prudes...

For me, I do not want to be lusting.. period. I don't want to be distracted and I don't like looking at women like they're sex objects. Sex is a very sacred thing for me, and yes this is my personal belief, and I'm not pushing it on anyone.
Sex with someone you love is sacred. Casual sex isn't, why are you blurring those? Women and men are sex objects - always... it's called the opposite sex.


Because of my nature, it's easy for me to be distracted by half-naked women. Because I do not want to get myself into trouble, I wouldn't go.
This is NORMAL dude. It's normal... but what do you mean... trouble? forgive me if you are a devout catholic.


Now if they have pretty women there I think that's no big issue, but if they put women in dressing like prostitutes it will be a hard time getting those images out of my head.The booth babes aren't dressed like prostitutes. Yes they aren't wearing much, but they certainly aren't naked. You will see a lot more on the beach.

If you are "full up" down there then yes you will have a hard time forgetting them, that is normal but if you've sort of relieved yourself in the past few days then sure, I think they will be just cool...

A lot of anti-booth babe stuff imho is just a knee-jerk reaction from people who cannot handle their own responses or women like this :) just be sociable everyone, it's not gonna kill you.

[Savant]

From my point of view, it's got nothing to do with the women and more the distraction they create. I don't want to have to work myself through crowds of frothing nerds trying to get my next appointment or having to find an alternate route. I'd rather E3 be about the games, not about which company can hire the biggest tits.

[papillon]

They're THERE to distract people. It's their whole job. Which is why how good or bad they are depends on what you think the point of the show is. If the point of the show is to have a great party, bring on the girls! If the point of the show is to see and evaluate the new offerings - stop trying to distract me! :)

(Do American gaming conventions, and you will find girls who are walking around wearing nothing more than tape because they feel like it, not because someone is paying them to do it. It is EXTREMELY distracting even if girls aren't your thing. It's supposed to be. They want attention. But hey, it's a party!)

[Savant]

But E3 isn't supposed to be a party. It's about buyers evaluating games and developers trying to get press coverage. Sure, party after hours all you want, but the show floor SHOULD be about business. Unfortunately, the LCD has taken over the past few years and turned it into a circus.

[Robert Cummings]

Sorry to burst you bubble but E3 *is* supposed to be a party. It's a grand product launch show.


E3 isn't about networking and making business. ECTS (which I attend on occasion) and E3 *used* to be about this...

Now it's about press and exposure. The real business grinds on day by day. You don't need E3 for this. E3 is about product launches, press and exposure.

That is why removing booth babes is a silly thing, it's just totally pointless. Lets remove the sports cars, the billboards and giant advertising screens then?

The real biz happens regardless of tits or not.

[soniCron]

And we're surprised nobody takes this industry seriously.

[Leper]

-----------ooops

[Leper]

I love booth babes. You're a bunch of Prudes...

I'm a Prude then.


Sex with someone you love is sacred. Casual sex isn't, why are you blurring those? Women and men are sex objects - always... it's called the opposite sex.

They're only sex objects if you let them be.

This is NORMAL dude. It's normal... but what do you mean... trouble? forgive me if you are a devout catholic.

Yeah of course its NORMAL, never said it wasn't... Well I am christian, and if you think its ok for a christian to lust with his/her eyes then please re-read Matthew. I mean.. Catholics have extra books in their doctrine, but the New Testament, and Old Testament are VERY clear on sex. If you ARE a christian and you disagree, then PM me and I'll reply with every scripture on this. Of course there are plenty of people that aren't christian that are on the internet, etc. Because I don't want to hijack this thread into a religious debate; I won't argue with anyone who wants to debate religion(sorry, but that was a mistake last time) - so if you feel the need to argue religion with me there IS a PM button.

The booth babes aren't dressed like prostitutes. Yes they aren't wearing much, but they certainly aren't naked. You will see a lot more on the beach.

Yeah, very true. except for the "aren't dressed like prostitutes" part.

If you are "full up" down there then yes you will have a hard time forgetting them, that is normal but if you've sort of relieved yourself in the past few days then sure, I think they will be just cool...

Yeah, that's partially true.

A lot of anti-booth babe stuff imho is just a knee-jerk reaction from people who cannot handle their own responses or women like this :) just be sociable everyone, it's not gonna kill you.
Look but dont touch, touch but dont taste, taste but dont swollow. I'm sorry but I can't handle my own response to half-naked women. It's not that they would notice, but more or less what I'd be going through for the next few hours after leaving. I know that there are men that can handle half-naked women and not worry about it, but I'm not one of them.

I was just applauding E3's decision because now I can actually go. It's not like I was standing outside E3 with a picket sign so don't get upset with me for simply being happy with their decision. If you want to take your aggression out against activists, dont take it out on me because I'm not an activist.

[Vorax]

They aren't banning booth babes, they are just dissallowing them wearing bathing suits or being overly sexually suggestive (pole dancing, etc.)

From a personal stand point, I don't care one way or another. I don't understand what the big deal is for either side of this discussion. It's prudish to get offended by bikinis, but conversly it's desperate to get to excited about them. It's just bikinis and....it's just bikinis!

From a general standpoint, If it makes people more comfortable attending without the skin, then I agree it's a good thing.

[Leper]

They aren't banning booth babes, they are just dissallowing them wearing bathing suits or being overly sexually suggestive (pole dancing, etc.)

From a personal stand point, I don't care one way or another. I don't understand what the big deal is for either side of this discussion. It's prudish to get offended by bikinis, but conversly it's desperate to get to excited about them. It's just bikinis and....it's just bikinis!

From a general standpoint, If it makes people more comfortable attending without the skin, then I agree it's a good thing.


Yeah, I agree with you.. It's just bikinis!! Heh no big deal to you and probably thousands of other Men on the planet, maybe even millions. I can handle "booth babes" if they arent being overly sexually suggestive.

For the record, I don't get "offended" by bikinis - I'm sure femenists do. Naturally I like bikini's - just like many many other Men. I just don't like lusting :) That's my own personal belief, and I respect others who disagree.

The b-babes probably do bring a lot of harny nerds with their digi-cams, etc. which only gets in the way . So yeah, the less distractions, and more focus on the latest games coming out, the better.

[soniCron]

It's just bikinis and....it's just bikinis! But it's not just bikinis. Just like the 120dB sound system pumping out earsplitting techno and Xbox propoganda isn't just a 120dB sound system. It's the fact that this show has come from the CES -- a respectable and responsible display of gadgetry -- to become this wild, obnoxious, pubescent masturbatory circus. They have whole displays showing off empty mockup cases of consoles and pre-rendered imagery. The show has become a damn joke.

[Vorax]

But it's not just bikinis. Just like the 120dB sound system pumping out earsplitting techno and Xbox propoganda isn't just a 120dB sound system. It's the fact that this show has come from the CES -- a respectable and responsible display of gadgetry -- to become this wild, obnoxious, pubescent masturbatory circus. They have whole displays showing off empty mockup cases of consoles and pre-rendered imagery. The show has become a damn joke.

I agree, and that I am for toning down.

[cliffski]

But it's not just bikinis. Just like the 120dB sound system pumping out earsplitting techno and Xbox propoganda isn't just a 120dB sound system. It's the fact that this show has come from the CES -- a respectable and responsible display of gadgetry -- to become this wild, obnoxious, pubescent masturbatory circus. They have whole displays showing off empty mockup cases of consoles and pre-rendered imagery. The show has become a damn joke.

excellently put. To be honest, I'd like the whole thing cancelled. I don't think it actually achieves anything as far as gamers are concerned. Game development comes to a halt a month before E3 so companies can patch together pre-rendered demos and pretend they wont miss their ship date, the press goes crazy trying to evaluate 100 games a day, and the people who spend the most on laser shows get the most attention. The scantily clad women are just one part of whats wrong with E3. Journalists who are drunk and surrounded by fake breasts are in no state to give a truly critical evaluation of the next big RTS or MMORPG. It makes for sloppy journalism and a general aura of patheticness around the whole industry.

[Savant]

I don't think it actually achieves anything as far as gamers are concerned.
But, again, it's not for the gamers. The fact that gamers want to pay attention and want to know what's going on at E3 doesn't change the fact that it's not for them.

[Vorax]

It's written mandate may not be for gamers (don't know, nor saying it should be), but it is most definetly for gamers. That's why it's gotten out of control. It's like a nuculear arms race of bigger and crazier to get the biggest crowds at your booth to get the most press coverage. Those crowds are largley gamers, so the efforts are for them, thus E3, purposeully or not is for them.

[arcadetown]

E3 seems more about press coverage than about doing real business. The teens buying up XBOX and PS2 titles will love the booth babe coverage and be sold a game at same time. G4 TV loves that stuff. E3 and casual games are different target users.

[Savant]

E3 seems more about press coverage than about doing real business.
It's about both. Maybe you haven't been to the private booths upstairs where it's much quieter and business/deals go on all day long but, trust me, it's there and it's very much a part of what the show is about.

[digriz]

I agree with Savant.

In fact most of the interesting stuff is usually behind closed doors at E3 these days.

When i've been there, i have spent a good part of 3 days sitting in meetings...quite upsetting really, i like to wander round trying to blag free stuff ;)