Vee: Generally I steer clear from the flooded market of video game comics, but I can't leave this one alone- if only because it is EVERYWHERE.
For those of you living in a connectionless box, E3 is getting a bunch of flack for having ladies promoting new titles. These ladies (or 'booth babes' as they prefer to be called) are scantily clad models meant to lure men over to have a look at their wares.
And also maybe try the game.
The main issues that keep being brought up are:
No, it's not. There's nothing shameful about sexiness.
These ladies obviously put a lot of time and effort into looking good. Why is that somehow less noble than spending your time becoming the best in-game sniper, or drawing the perfect pair of tits (both things that would be lauded at E3, incidentally).
This bizarre mentality that nobody is supposed to look at the results of dedication to fitness and fashion has got to stop. If they didn't want you looking, they would not wear booty shorts and spend their weekends as booth babes.
FFS, these girls aren't idiots, they know where it's at.
And there's nothing wrong with looking. That doesn't make you a pervert!
Sure, if you ran up and full out groped them then hid under a display to jerk it, THAT would make you a pervert.
Looking at a sexy lady if you enjoy curves is totally natural.
It's an unfair way to sell a game.
Considering that one of the primary complaints was TOO MANY babes, I'm not seeing how the playing field wasn't level. If every booth has an entourage of costumed women, the games are STILL standing on their own metaphorical legs. You just happen to be surrounded by literal legs while you try it out.
It's belittling to women.
Firstly- it's not. Nobody coerced them into coming to E3 dressed in latex. That was their own choice, and when you start a) defending people regarding things that don't need to be, and b) assuming they don't have the wherewithal to make their own choices, it gets really patronizing really fast.
If the real concern is the disproportionate number of lady promoters not catering to the booming female gamer demographic, hell, just throw some BOOTH BOYS in there.
I'm sure you wouldn't have any complaints from those who like a cute butt in a Tetris themed speedo.
Everybody just needs to reel it in and relax for a minute. For the most part, we're mammals with an inherent sexual drive, and that will always be used to sell stuff. If you want to mix up the types of sexiness that are used to do this, fine. Variety is the spice of life.
But don't pretend it's something vile and dirty when it's the most normal thing in the world.
Jaime: She's already said just about everything I could think to say on the subject, but I will add that I find it unimaginable that anyone genuinely believes that men will purchase something just because an attractive woman is standing next to it. I mean, sure, it'll grab their attention, but actually 'forcing' them to buy it? No one is so suggestible or dimwitted for that to be the case.
