Indeed, why can I have sex with any willing woman but not pa... oh... wait... we're talking about something else... /shiftyeyesImthatguy said:
Eurogamer Expo Bans Booth Babes
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
This is exactly how thing should be. It always shocks me to see how gamers in foreign countries are exploited in such methods. It feels kind of demeaning that companies believe that having scantily clad women available will help push sales, and worse that it probably works.
Cosplay is an entirely different kettle of fish. It's perfectly fine for them to dress how they please because they're doing it for fun and not to sell a product.
Cosplay is an entirely different kettle of fish. It's perfectly fine for them to dress how they please because they're doing it for fun and not to sell a product.
Do I smell a petition starting?Frankster said:+1 Have buff guys with just a belt of ammo covering their privates for advertising shooter games to balance it all out.Oskuro said:I'm with the idea of, rather than banning, enforcing an equal amount of booth-studs.
We need to make this happen as soon as possible.
Way to grab a pic that is of/looks like it is of a cosplayer.
Otherwise it is well within their rights to say they do not want their convention to be a place where you just get pretty girls half naked to sell your product. It is about making gaming look like something for people other than horny teenagers and making sure the audience gets the information and experience they are there for.
Cosplay is completely different since it is not about selling something with slutty looking girls. It is about people that want to dress like their favorite characters to show their love for them and share their skills at making costumes. I actually think it is great that some of the people wanting to do this are women and that some of them are willing to dress revealing if that is what they want or it is the look of their character of choice. Though it is fine to draw a line of what the show should be like. You dont want exposed boobs, ass, pussy or dick at a show kids can get into. That is just not OK.
Otherwise it is well within their rights to say they do not want their convention to be a place where you just get pretty girls half naked to sell your product. It is about making gaming look like something for people other than horny teenagers and making sure the audience gets the information and experience they are there for.
Cosplay is completely different since it is not about selling something with slutty looking girls. It is about people that want to dress like their favorite characters to show their love for them and share their skills at making costumes. I actually think it is great that some of the people wanting to do this are women and that some of them are willing to dress revealing if that is what they want or it is the look of their character of choice. Though it is fine to draw a line of what the show should be like. You dont want exposed boobs, ass, pussy or dick at a show kids can get into. That is just not OK.
I think that this personally for the best. While i think most claims that women are treated unfairly in gaming is just a bit blown out of proportion (a man saves his captured girlfriend? Oh, the insanity!) i will admit that when it comes to booth babes, there's a legitimate argument that they are being alienated from these things. If i went to a convention and saw a bunch of underdressed guys, i'd be out in a heartbeat. Even with scantly clad women more prevalent in society than men, it's still something that shouldn't be encouraged. So yah, i'm all for this on Eurogamer's part.
I find the concept of Booth Babes offensive, but unfortunately they work in drawing publicity to your booth in other expo's. I saw many moving from Booth to Booth in a car expo, posing with the cars with the swarm of photographers following them. That's what the Booth owner wants, photos of their car on internet articles or best case, newspapers covering the event. And its a sad fact of humanity that i saw this method was used to get the most photos.
But this doesn't translate very well into gaming and i don't see the point of them being at a gaming expo in the first place (correction, i know why they're there and it offends me that they're there for that reason). It won't really attract me to head over to a booth to check out its contents, i already know what games i like and am open to looking at new ones but having a hot chick dressed scantily clad beckoning me in just makes me feel uncomfortable and won't make me check out, say, gears of war 3 (for example) because i'm not interested in that game. it doesn't feel right in the context and is degrading for the medium to have them at an expo.
By contrast, scantily clad cosplay, when done right, is fantastic for the medium as the people dressed like that want to be there and love the game they're dressed as. Its fantastic that they have the confidence to dress like that where they might get frowned on in public, but at an expo where everyone is on the same wavelength, its a chance for them to unleash their inner geek and show support for the games they love.
They made the choice to dress like that for their own benefit, to emulate a character they love. But Booth Babes were hired by a company to tantalize potential consumers over to their product and i personally find it offensive that companies think so low of their consumers that they don't have enough braincells to look at their product on its own merit and instead because attractive woman are hanging around it.
TLR -
Kudos to Eurogamer in my opinion, its the right move!
But this doesn't translate very well into gaming and i don't see the point of them being at a gaming expo in the first place (correction, i know why they're there and it offends me that they're there for that reason). It won't really attract me to head over to a booth to check out its contents, i already know what games i like and am open to looking at new ones but having a hot chick dressed scantily clad beckoning me in just makes me feel uncomfortable and won't make me check out, say, gears of war 3 (for example) because i'm not interested in that game. it doesn't feel right in the context and is degrading for the medium to have them at an expo.
By contrast, scantily clad cosplay, when done right, is fantastic for the medium as the people dressed like that want to be there and love the game they're dressed as. Its fantastic that they have the confidence to dress like that where they might get frowned on in public, but at an expo where everyone is on the same wavelength, its a chance for them to unleash their inner geek and show support for the games they love.
They made the choice to dress like that for their own benefit, to emulate a character they love. But Booth Babes were hired by a company to tantalize potential consumers over to their product and i personally find it offensive that companies think so low of their consumers that they don't have enough braincells to look at their product on its own merit and instead because attractive woman are hanging around it.
TL
R -Kudos to Eurogamer in my opinion, its the right move!
It's what make the world go round. Food advertisements attempt to make you hungry. Beer commercials often tug at the pants of men. Advertising is exploitation. What's your target demographic and what are they interested in?Imthatguy said:
I have a hard time sympathizing with people who choose to spend money on things they don't need for ridiculous reasons; booth babes, plastic surgery, homeopathy, etc. Why does an authority need to step in and prevent a fool from parting with his money?
Besides, banning booth babes actually saves the companies money from hiring them, and preventing the consumer from realizing the shoddy business practices said company would use to advertise their business, while simultaneously cutting into the working wages of your local model. You're harming the wrong target, since it's the company you're pissed at. Letting them waste money on a tactic that will gain them only negative press while financially supporting the models business is a win win for everyone; minus the twisted company that seeks to steal your money by offering you visual stimulation in exchange.
A model being paid to dress a certain way is no more advertising a product than a cosplayer who dresses a certain way to support something they love for the hell of it. The product is still receiving advertising. What's the difference? A few dollars changed hands? I was going to advocate that cosplayers receive a reduction in attendance costs because they're advertising various products, but I can't now because that's exploitation.
But only if they're cute? Only if the only thing they offer is visual stimulation? So if I got a hot piece of ass to wear skimpy clothing that actually knew what the fuck she was talking about, no one would take offense? Or if I paid an uglier than sin female to stand around in skimpy clothing who didn't know shit it would be OK? A chip and dales model painted like the ghost of sparta?
Well, it's a private run show and can make it's own rules. Can't wait to see the verbage on this cockeyed guideline.
I think there's a difference between someone choosing to go to an expo dressed as a character, and girls being paid purely for the purpose of attracting lusty young men to their respective games. I think there is something a little seedy about using booth babes, but then, basically everything uses sex to advertise, so does it matter that this just happens to be a bit more "in the flesh" as opposed to a billboard or TV ad?Andy Chalk said:
What I thought was more weird was the random people asking some of the cosplaying girls for photos. I saw a girl cosplaying as Cammy from whatever fighting games she's from, and random dudes were getting photos. Same dudes ignored the more conservatively dressed cosplayers, or cosplayers of the male persuasion. I just think it's pretty creepy to snap a picture of a random girl on your camera phone, even if you have permission.
I like this but they need to take it further, the only convention I have been to is a car one but even then it's weird ... I'm here to see cars not a stripper/hooker.
I think there should be a kind of "think of the children" dress code line, for example would you feel comfortable going to a 5 year olds party dressed like the main girl from lollipop chainsaw? I highly doubt it but would it be ok to go dressed as Chel (is it?) from portal? Yeah, that's totally fine.
I'm sure there are plenty of female geek icons to go dressed as that don't look like they stepped out of the local strip joint.
I only think this 'cos it's tacky and vulgar, I feel like the people hiring these women are being condescending towards me, like I want to be around barely clothed women like a rapper ... like "he's a red blooded heterosexual guy, of course he wants to be around beautiful women!".
I would go to these shows to look at up coming games or maybe consoles, if I wanted women I would go to a place that facilitates that.
How many of the pro booth babes/sexy cos players want them for the more mental images for the spank bank and how many want it 'cos "let people dress how they want". I think save the sexy cos play costumes for cos play events, which I am sure there are and if not I bet they will soon spring up.
I think there should be a kind of "think of the children" dress code line, for example would you feel comfortable going to a 5 year olds party dressed like the main girl from lollipop chainsaw? I highly doubt it but would it be ok to go dressed as Chel (is it?) from portal? Yeah, that's totally fine.
I'm sure there are plenty of female geek icons to go dressed as that don't look like they stepped out of the local strip joint.
I only think this 'cos it's tacky and vulgar, I feel like the people hiring these women are being condescending towards me, like I want to be around barely clothed women like a rapper ... like "he's a red blooded heterosexual guy, of course he wants to be around beautiful women!".
I would go to these shows to look at up coming games or maybe consoles, if I wanted women I would go to a place that facilitates that.
How many of the pro booth babes/sexy cos players want them for the more mental images for the spank bank and how many want it 'cos "let people dress how they want". I think save the sexy cos play costumes for cos play events, which I am sure there are and if not I bet they will soon spring up.
Won't someone think of the companies!?!
Now they will have to rely upon the product they are advertising to generate interest.
Woe is them.
Now they will have to rely upon the product they are advertising to generate interest.
Woe is them.
I was at Eurogamer and managed to sneak into the over-18 area. The booth babes there were ridiculous and frankly embarrassing. Some tried to pretend to have an interest in gaming by posing a toy assault rifle with people so they could take pictures but they were virtually only wearing a QR code on a piece of string and not much else.
About time someone did this, game expos are for games, not for scantily glad women. Got enough of that at motorsport events.
As has been pointed out, cos-players are dressing up as a character, and are not simply "boobs for boobs sake" as it were. And the women above is clearly cos-playing for Lollypop Chainsaw, I could tell that and I haven't even played the damn game.
As has been pointed out, cos-players are dressing up as a character, and are not simply "boobs for boobs sake" as it were. And the women above is clearly cos-playing for Lollypop Chainsaw, I could tell that and I haven't even played the damn game.
This is probably a small step in the right direction when it comes to helping more female gamers come out of their hidey-holes and reveal their faces in the public more often. I heard a few women expressing their dislike for attending these cons because booth babes turn them off. A woman selling products based on sexual appeal is ESPECIALLY irritating to other females who are standing in the crowd...yes I've seen the kind of looks that women in the crowd give booth babes, it's ice cold and pure evil
I saw some statistic claim 42% of gamers are female but to all the conventions I have been to, even a BLIND person would be able to tell that nowhere near 42% of the crowd is female. More like 10-15%, that too a good chunk of them simply tagging along with their male partners/friends. Given the sample sizes I have seen, it's fair to say either that statistic was garbage or most of the females gamers living nearby just don't feel like coming.
However I would be equally supportive of hunky oiled-up males showing up to these cons. Booth babes tend to attract the male crowd, so perhaps booth-hunks will attract the female crowd? In theory maybe, in practice I reckon booth-hunks will only kill all potential sales of the product
I saw some statistic claim 42% of gamers are female but to all the conventions I have been to, even a BLIND person would be able to tell that nowhere near 42% of the crowd is female. More like 10-15%, that too a good chunk of them simply tagging along with their male partners/friends. Given the sample sizes I have seen, it's fair to say either that statistic was garbage or most of the females gamers living nearby just don't feel like coming.
However I would be equally supportive of hunky oiled-up males showing up to these cons. Booth babes tend to attract the male crowd, so perhaps booth-hunks will attract the female crowd? In theory maybe, in practice I reckon booth-hunks will only kill all potential sales of the product
I'm confused by the confusion in the article. One group is hired models advertising a product, one group is fans having fun.
I vaguely recall some controversy when a company paid a cosplayer to advertise their game at a PAX some time back, which admittedly brings up some grey-ish areas.
But "what's the difference between a 'booth babe' and a cosplayer"? Really?
I vaguely recall some controversy when a company paid a cosplayer to advertise their game at a PAX some time back, which admittedly brings up some grey-ish areas.
But "what's the difference between a 'booth babe' and a cosplayer"? Really?
There is a very firm difference between booth babes and cosplayers. Booth babes are the ones posing alongside the game boxes, attempting to promote or sell the game - basically they are getting PAID to be there, that is the most obvious difference I can think of.FelixG said:
Meanwhile cosplayers don't get PAID to cosplay (BlizzCon seriously makes me wonder sometimes though), cosplayers aren't standing alongside game booths and not trying to sell/promote the game, they're just there in kind of a "Look at meeee, I'm a game character! Put hundreds of hours of lot of work into this costume, you people damn well appreciate it!".
Regarding what you said about a female game developer...I say allow her. It's literally her game, she was part of the creative process, she's a developer who needs all the funding/etc she can get, she's allowed to promote it.
But booth babes are nothing more than pin-up dolls for the sake of promoting the product while having no actual relation to the product (no offense to any anybody here who happens to be a booth babe <3), like those motorbike babes.
I don't mind cosplayers but using a woman,s body to sell a product is insulting to both women and men. Especially when it's not a beauty product or clothing.
I;m glad they have made this decision.
I;m glad they have made this decision.