Booth babes banned at E3 2006?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 23, 2006 2:42 pm PT

Source: The "sex & games" page of the International Game Developers Association Web site. The official story: See below. 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...

Source: The "sex & games" page of the International Game Developers Association Web site.

The official story: See below.

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 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.

304 Comments

  • k-diddy66

    Posted May 22, 2006 7:39 am PT

    noooooooooooooo booth babes

  • minaeve

    Posted May 17, 2006 8:31 am PT

    I dunno, I think it's cool of them to do this. Honestly, I think it's a marketing ploy that a good game shouldn't need. If it's worth your time, and it's got a great story or great gameplay, then it shouldn't feel the need to use cheap tactics like relying on it's target demographics raging hormone-induced stupidity to make them buy the game. I think taking steps away from sexual content is taking steps in the right direction. Maybe the Hot Coffee mod ordeal was just the thing we needed, so we don't get anymore POS games like Red Ninja...

  • tenpeny

    Posted May 15, 2006 5:08 pm PT

    dammnit

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted May 14, 2006 7:47 pm PT

    Well i'm not even going so I dont really care

  • Serious5417

    Posted May 13, 2006 9:23 pm PT

    Well this is bad and good for one the booth babes on some stages
    where just nasty, others had weak costumes.
    So this may get the models into character buy this will screw up advertising
    I mean think of EDIOS that just got that new model or how all the people
    that get paid for making the outfits will lose on profit.
    Well this is just more Lay offs that the republicans have made so Walmart
    can have more bluse collar jobs. Way to go ESA.

  • JoeCrook

    Posted May 10, 2006 10:10 pm PT

    why do we care? it's not like we can go.

  • TheSaelor

    Posted May 1, 2006 7:51 am PT

    Scantily clad women could only enhance E3.

    E3's fun factor went down 50%.

  • JimmyCos

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 3:57 pm PT

    no need to go to E3 06 T.T

  • ShadowGryphon

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 11:00 pm PT

    "yboucher
    well, any self-respecting adult that is not a one-track mind and is at ease with him being a sexuated life form will appreciate BOTH the games AND the babes. Not only that, but E3 babes are already so so so much worse than TGS ones, so please, it's the least we can have."

    1:
    O_O wtf is "sexuated" ?! (hint this word does not exist)

    2:
    what does a gaggle of slag in barely any clothing have to do gaming?
    nothing. if you say you aren't going because E3 is alledgedly going to ban scantily clad stick chicks with artificially inflated boobs, you have GOT to re-evaluate your lives. these kinds of shows aren't about chicks, they are about games and gaming tech. Personally, I'm glad they are possibly going to shut the crap down. Besides.... who wants to look at skinny chicks with fake racks anyway ?! *shudder*

  • liljoo

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 5:01 pm PT

    ok theyre not naked so wats the big deal

  • DFTricks

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 12:32 pm PT

    I say that it's a good advance for the woman but it was entertaining to see on how some company where dressing up their boot babe. What I don't get is why now?

  • cloudstrife75

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 5:21 am PT

    whether gurls are a part of E3 or not is debatable... but they have been there for as long as i can remember...its like girls posing on cars in mod magazines... and dont say its different cause it ain't.

  • erwin80

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 9:40 pm PT

    I believe every businesses especially "entertainment business" would involve some women in it (whether they are hot or not). So, if this news is true and really happens someday, then it's just simply greed of money and hypocrisy from the authority.

  • hanzoro5

    Posted Jan 31, 2006 8:10 am PT

    Anyway I don't think I want to go to E3 because of boothbabe
    , so I don't care about this. The thing I care of the most is what will be
    in E3 2006 (if I have a chance to go). XD

  • onaled515

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 3:29 pm PT

    Look I am not flying 3000 miles to try and have sex with a booth babe making 5 figures, but i also dont want to fly 3000 miles and only see a bunch of hardcore male gamers for three days. I am hardcore but sooner than you think reality will hit and any real man will want some type of female interaction, whether it be a girlfriend that enjoys games with you or booth babes. and lets face it, without booth babes how many females do you think there woudl be at e3. there arent enough hardcore female gamers out there that would go to e3(especially nice looking ones). and you know most of us guys would love to find a female that loves games(i know i do). also do you actually bring your digital camera to e3 to take still pics of game screens? that is what your camcorder is for. booth babes are there for advertising pure and simple. I am glad the rumor is bogus but if the do hender them, e3 will be less exciting. I am glad 05 was my last year going. Seen plenty of good games and plenty of pics and video to last me a lifetime.

  • onaled515

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 2:49 pm PT

    What are you kidding me. are you guys gay? yes e3 is about the games but you cant sit there and tell me that you bought doa extreme volleyball for the deep gameplay. I have been to e3 eight times and booth babes do help the show but they dont make it. if the women dont want to be looked at as objects then dont apply for the modeling job. I love video game to death but i love women more. booth babes are there to advertise the game, magazine, or just to bring spectators to the booth. it is the same thing at car shows. it is good that they dont ban them but you really have to think about who video games cater to. MEN!!! and what do men like WOMEN!!! so what better way to advertise video games than to have beautiful women dressed up as characters in the game to bring men to the booth. also if they were to somehow take the booth babes away, you mean to tell me that you would get just as excited having prizes thrown by game executives and marketing staff? come on. Think about how different e3 is now, since they stopped giving away as many t-shirts and other good prizes because of jack@sses fighting over them. it will suck much worse than that and attendance will go down if they censor the booth babes.

  • Ninjitsu_Gamer

    Posted Jan 30, 2006 1:06 pm PT

    Guys! Why the hell are you freaking out?! It's not like most of you are going to go anyways.

  • Dark_Synphonian

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 8:40 pm PT

    noooO!!! i still havent gotten to go to e3 i cant go for three years
    they cant do this!!!! dont bann the girls! i've been wanting to go
    to e3 since i was 11 or 12 we need to stand up!

  • kaust111

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 8:28 pm PT

    hmmm ! but uts not that bad i say ,

  • snyper16

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 8:07 pm PT

    Whatever, this totally sucks-I mean this really does help with the sale of games though, so just watch for a sale drop in the less explicit game booths. By the way, if you want to check out those females on a video game site-just go to IGN ya perverts.

  • mr_killer_man

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 6:33 pm PT

    How many of you guys have taken one of these girls home with you for a night of pleasure? I don't think it has happened and it want. Most of you probable spent your last on a video game or would be to busy playing when the when you do get the girl to come over. Our young kids don't need to be exposed to sex earlier than they are learning it already.

  • 35mmfilm

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 4:02 pm PT

    No booth babes you say? ........ * goes upstairs and jumps out window *

  • brainmachine44

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 5:56 am PT

    its another strange example of american censorship ...
    you have one of biggest porn industrys in the world yet they censor half naked women in games.

  • desemberna

    Posted Jan 28, 2006 3:20 pm PT

    I can live without them...
    I'd prefer to drool over new technogies and next gen consoles over those booth babes...

  • Zlim

    Posted Jan 28, 2006 9:13 am PT

    Ok this is just way too much for me to handle. I'll have to stop playing games now I think.

  • YakumoWarZ

    Posted Jan 28, 2006 8:55 am PT

    Have you ever seen the DOA body sized pillows!!! That is hilarious!! I guess you will need those at the DOA booth now.

  • Robboninja

    Posted Jan 27, 2006 8:54 pm PT

    grow some god damn nut's ESA

    foo's

    -Robbo

  • IVANdaGUY

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 6:33 pm PT

    that is kind of sad, but then again not.

  • HugoFromBoss

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 2:26 pm PT

    #1

    LoL too true

  • PolokTheLegend

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 1:43 pm PT

    car shows and every other kind of show have teh women. why on earth should video games be prosecuted when dumb guidos can crash three fast three thurious cars into trees with asian girls on the hood? it's a showing of awesomeness that E3 is known for and all other shows of awesomeness that exploit other things exploit women as well. it isn't stopping anytime soon.

  • DarknessOfFate1

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 12:18 pm PT

    man i dont get it this is about games who cares? if you want women simpley surf the net or i dont know take your girl freind out. I wish theyd ban them totaly its a very very shallow form of tryingto get things noticed.

  • h2887

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 10:16 am PT

    BOOTH BABES MUST LIVE ON!!!! HUZAAAHH

  • Aragorn33

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 9:26 am PT

    There's going to be a lot less people at E3 next year…

  • Agente_Rolf

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 9:25 am PT

    Bogus?
    Then I can breathe now... hehehe

  • kith_kat

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 9:15 am PT

    hahaha its funny how some people like oh man thank god blah blah blah... wat is the harm anyway? its like goin to a car show or a race... they got models and stuff.... does that mean car shows cater to human's lowest denominator?wat would happen if they do the same thing to car shows.. i just think the whole idea is dumb this is like some joe liberman/hillary clinton conspiracy... they'll probably want old doods working at hooters next

  • Doctorfeelg00d

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 7:57 am PT

    Who cares? Get a life, you nerds!! It's as close as some you you can get to a girl that's not you sister.

  • Edvin76

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 7:17 am PT

    Booth babes, why not? Who disturbed by them? Only jealous people despise booth babes. Actually they are mostly pretty which means its good to see them esthetically, only the way as well as you view any ohter beautiful creation, like Scottish scenery, the Grand Canyon or a beautiful waterfall. Whats wrong with that. Not only sexual curiosity exist, you can find yourself watching a babe because of the visual pleasure too. Stop prejudicing!

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 5:48 am PT

    It's a shame they're not banning booth babes entirely. It's senseless, exploitative, and enforces the "boys club" stereotype. I say they should all be gone.

  • xpdude

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 5:48 am PT

    One word: LOL. =p

  • mitchjryan

    Posted Jan 26, 2006 12:13 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • jackodawhacko

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 11:18 pm PT

    ahahah its all about voting number three !! Quote "its the closest thing the attendees can get" but don't worry it was bogus and you guys who need it go to E3 and have one apple of a time sooo have yourself a HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!

    [I are a proud 14 year old virgin and whatever attempt to make fun of me because of this comment is probabably the truth (you can't get any).. So you've been warned (P.S. If it is true, Its better your the only one who knows and not give it away =D)]

  • cashmonkey78

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 10:43 pm PT

    While banning booth babes shouldn't be such a huge deal as it is being made out to be, I for one, can't understand why it's being done.

    Yes, "booth babes" are in essence completely unnecessary and irrelevent when it comes to gaming, one must also understand that they are needed for means of promotion and marketing. Yes, the gaming industry is having a hard time getting the recognition it deserves as a legitimate form of art and entertainment, but at the same time what other forms of mass-media doesn't incorporate the use of "pretty faces & hot bodies" as a form of attention? All facets of popular media uses attractive women: music, movies, television,sports, magazines, books, commercials, etc etc. Why should the gaming industry feel the pressure to be subserviant to the whims of policy creators and politcians who don't even understand the industry themselves? By obeying these new guidelines, the gaming industry is only setting themselves up to be the whipping boy for all forms of future legislation.

    I could care less about the booth-babes, if nothing, they should at least be allowed to remain in expo but only if they're dressed with some sort of reserve; there is such a thing as being attractive and classy without having to expose nearly everything that they were blessed (or surgically) given. Keep in mind that these people, as well, have to earn a living.

  • randy915

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 10:02 pm PT

    I dunno what ya'll trippin about. If you go to E3 for the booth babes you're not a gamer, just go clubbin if you wanna see girls. Losers.

  • cvaniadude

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 8:34 pm PT

    not cool

  • 504Cp3

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 8:16 pm PT

    damn they're pretty hot too... check out the one in the article

  • 504Cp3

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 8:16 pm PT

    damn they're pretty hot too... check out the one in the article

  • soul_motor

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 3:39 pm PT

    Those complaining are most likely ths same kids who got excited there was a filthy scene in GTA:SA. Yippee. If you're old enough to go on your own, then you can get other forms of adult entertainment in the privacy of your onw home, or at a gentleman's club. Please quit whining and do what the rest of us did as kids, wait and grow upl

  • tsferro

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 3:16 pm PT

    looks like some lesser-known company will definitely find it too irresistible (no pun intended) to get some relatively cheap promotion by breaking this rule.

  • TonyBlazza

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    I would go to E3 to drool over Link
    It would be better if these girls KNEW what they were advertising...but they don't, so let's save the woody factor for something other than games.

  • quikrick

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 1:27 pm PT

    I need my hot E3 babes, less clothes the better.
    There just went half of my interests.
    E3 itself is never fun, standing in long lines til my five o'clock shadow goes full beard, but the booth babes gave me something to look foward to, and at, while waiting to play a dissapointing demo.
    For shame.

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