Are male gamers being exploited?
"Booth-Babes". Problem or good marketing?
"Booth-babe" is the
term for the attractive ladies employed to help push merchandise or promote a
new game or product. Most gamers probably don't mind, given that an estimate
60% of the gaming community is male. At PAX , one of the largest gaming
conventions in the world, they believe that "booth-babes" are against
the 'spirit of the convention' and I agree. When attending a gaming convention
I would rather chat to a developer who can tell me about their product than a
pretty lady who has memorised an advertising spiel.
Where
is the line however? What if the pretty scantily clad lady can tell me about
the game and is employed by the publishing company to represent a particular
character? Enter the ever lovely Jessica Nigri, semi- professional cosplayer,
interviewer and face of Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw at conventions
around the globe. At this year's PAX Jessica was asked to 'cover-up or leave'
the convention floor when cosplaying as Juliet Starling. She consented and
covered up. I can see two clear sides to this story. On the one hand with a
neckline stopping at her pelvis I can understand how it is seen to be against
the 'spirit of the convention'. On the other hand she isn't just a model who is
hired to smile at people, look pretty and a repeat sales pitch ad nausea She
knows about and plays the games that she is hired to represent, she is a keen
cosplayer and advocate for general gaming culture. So can she be considered a
"booth-babe" if she is not just hired because she is a babe? If she
is promoting the game and, particularly in the case of Lollipop Chainsaw,
shares a striking likeness to the character she is physical representing?
I
suppose this case throws into light deeper issues in gaming culture. Despite
the growing numbers of female gamers the industry is clearly still a very male-centric environment. From Lara Croft to Gill Valentine we are inundated with
sexy female heroines who never seem to dress appropriately for the adventures
we take them on. Are we simply being providing with what we actually want to
play? Or are we, as gamers, still subject to the stereotypes that we are
uncomfortable around attractive girls and fantasies about just being able to
talk to them? Should, and will, these policies change or evolve? Will
cosplayers be affected next or will there be loop holes for exhibitors to
exploit? Ultimately the question is as a gaming community are we above the
overtly sexual nature of marketing? Or are we doomed to be subject to the
stereotypes set in place for us?
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to forward any feedback be it positive or negative to the address below:
stormscast56@gmail.com
Jp of TheStormscast
