EA says sorry over booth babes compo

By Ellie Gibson Published 27 July, 2009

Winner won't actually get "Night of Lust".

Electronic Arts has apologised for any offence caused by a competition which encouraged entrants to "commit acts of lust" with booth babes.

As shown on Kotaku, the "Sin to Win" competition is being held at Comic Con to promote Dante's Inferno. The winner is promised "a night with the hottest girl at Comic Con, dinner, booty and more". The implication of "more" being obvious but the actual meaning probably being an EA-branded beachball and USB stick.

To enter, Comic Con visitors must "commit" the aforementioned "acts of lust" with any booth babe and post the pictures on the internet. Without getting arrested, presumably.

Some people have found the idea of encouraging teenage boys to photograph themselves simulating sexual acts with hired women a bit offensive, and complained.

Take actual booth babe "Iola", who writes on the Ars Technica forum: "A Con does not suddenly suspend personal rights for anyone with breasts. Gals who go there to dress up and have a good time get sexually harassed, NEVER MIND the "booth babes" who "signed up for it" and then have their employer put them out for a contest.

"I've been a "booth babe" at many comic, sci-fi and anime Cons for the last several yrs... I have a four-yr degree and my day-job is in the comic industry. But I guess I'm ASKING to be groped because I'm one step up from a hooker, right? Even if I WAS a f***ing hooker, that gives no one the right. I can walk around in a thong and pasties and it's nobody's license to touch."

She concludes, "Why aren't you guys p***ed that EA thinks gamers or con-goers are all socially-inept virgins anyway? Way to p*** on ALL of your gaming audience." Perhaps EA reckons they'd enjoy that. EA Watersports Active, anyone?

They've apologised anyway, via a Twitpic statement (spotted by Negative Gamer).

""Commit acts of lust" is simply a tongue-in-cheek way to say take pictures with costumed reps. Also, a "Night of Lust" means only that the winner will receive a chaperoned VIP night on the town with the Dante's Inferno reps, all expenses paid, as well as other prizes," the statement says.

"We apologise for any confusion and offense that resulted from our choice of wording, and want to assure you that we take your concerns and sentiments seriously... Keep watching as the event unfolds and we hope you'll agree that it was all done in the spirit of the good natured fun of Comic Con."

Dante's Inferno is out for PSP, PS3 and Xbox 360 next year, though that isn't really the point here is it.

Eurogamer is currently ordering 38 sets of "thong and pasties" for staff members to wear at this year's Expo - get your tickets now.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (54) 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LHH #1 3 years ago

    Wow, can't stand women like that. Dress in next to nothing then expect to get treated as such.

  • comedian #2 3 years ago

    I think the point was she didn;t expect to get treated as such.

  • RexRunti #3 3 years ago

    @LHH

    Dress in next to nothing and you should expect to get oggled, not groped. Look don't touch is a rule of much seedier establishments than Comic-Cons and game fairs.

  • paul_haine #4 3 years ago

    I always imagine they're talking about Cornish pasties when they use the word 'pasties'

  • peterfll #5 3 years ago

    If someone can get Johnny Minkley in a thong at said Expo then you've sold yourself another ticket.

  • metalangel #6 3 years ago

    She's got a good point, and the whole 'night of lust' thing just sounds sleazy (and not in the good way) that EA come across as idiots for even writing it.

  • b00n #7 3 years ago

    EA's marketing department needs some people with brains, experience, some insight into their target group and actual marketing sense.

    This was just asking for it, especially if the promo actually insults all the unsuspecting booth babes AND women in general at the event, as well as every gamer out there.

  • smoothpete #8 3 years ago

    If they're Gregg's pasties, sign me up

  • LHH #9 3 years ago

    Fair play on the touching side of things but if you dress provocatively then people will expect a show.

  • LOLLERS #10 3 years ago

    "EA's marketing department needs some people with brains"

    isn't that all marketing departments?

  • PearOfAnguish #11 3 years ago

    First comment is a gem. Bet you're a hit with the ladies, LHH.

    "But she was ASKING to be raped officer, the dirty whore let me see her legs!"

  • DFawkes #12 3 years ago

    "Eurogamer is currently ordering 38 sets of "thong and pasties" for staff members"

    /cancels tickets and purchases Mind Bleach

  • jonsaan #13 3 years ago

    Far out. What a stupidly over sensitive world we live in.

  • Moonprince #14 3 years ago

    lol LHH what a cock!

  • jaxon58 #15 3 years ago

    Surely a 'twitpic' apology can't be classed as an official apology can it? That's like a half-hearted 'yeah soz'.

  • SG #16 3 years ago

    Epic fail.

  • LHH #17 3 years ago

    Probably a better hit then most :)

  • DutchDemons #18 3 years ago

    kinda stupid promotion, tho the girls response immediately made me think of this:

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=5ZRflz-93JA
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=5ZRflz-93JA
    [/link]

    watch from 3:50

  • penhalion #19 3 years ago

    EA Marketting screw it up yet again! You have to wonder whether the heads of EA cry every time their marketting department open their mouths. They try so hard to change their image and then their marketting department revert right back to crass idiotic tactics for publicity.

  • PearOfAnguish #20 3 years ago

    "Probably a better hit then most :)"

    Yes, literally a hit. You hit them over the head and drag them down a dark alley.

  • TheTingler #21 3 years ago

    You go girl, that was an incredibly stupid bit of marketing. Not quite as bad as that sacrificial ceremony Sony set up for God of War II, but still dumb.

    And I'm with jaxon58 here, Twitter doesn't count as... well, anything. Official apology please.

  • beastmaster #22 3 years ago

    Will there be booth babes at EG Expo? Just asking.

  • DanWhitehead #23 3 years ago

    EG Expo will have booth babies - newborns dressed up as game characters, rolling around soft padded areas, gurgling and defecating for your amusement.

  • RexRunti #24 3 years ago

    Proper apology AND either cancellation or re-wording of promotion is the only thing that'll be sufficient now. Perhaps the industry should also have look at the entire concept of booth babes as well. Don't get me wrong if I was at an expo a half naked woman would likely draw my eye to a particular booth, but gamers aren't just hetrosexual males, besides I think half naked muscley men covered in oil and listening to show tunes would be more appropriate for a game like Gears of War than any woman.

  • riz23 #25 3 years ago

    Most Eurogamer readers won't actually get a "Night of Lust" either. Ever.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #26 3 years ago

    The thing is the marketing team have gonna stuck on the one idea of 'going to hell' - this is the second time they've marketed the game poorly..

    Perhaps making the 'get of of hell/'save the maiden' angle qwould be better looked at, yes it's set in 'hell' but it's not like Blizzard have gone all nuts with the idea with Diablo did they or Capcom with DMC.. Perhaps just sticking to showing more about the game and not comming up with gimmiky PR events would be better press hmm?

  • OllyJ #27 3 years ago

    cheapens the game doesn't it.

  • Eraser #28 3 years ago

    I think the whole concept of booth babes is rather childish to begin with. They should stop with it if the gaming industry wants to lose the image of their customers being spotty teenager boys.

    The one booth babe in the article that's complaining should think about what she's doing at those cons first. She's there for the size of her tits and the shape of her butt. Nothing more, nothing less. Oh yes, rank think post -50 as well, but there's truth in the statement that if you dress up like these booth babes do, then you -are- placing yourself a few notches down the social ladder and yes, that puts you a few notches closer to "prostitute" indeed. Not all the way there, but you are walking on that showfloor to flaunt your body, sell it for attention which publishers hope to divert to their games.

    That opinion doesn't mean I (or probably anyone that replied to this article) think a woman that dresses provocatively should be treated as dirt, a hooker or ultimately be raped. It's madness to imply such a thing.

    However, you reap what you sow. If you dress in a slutty way, don't expect people to ask you about your degrees before showing a profound interest in your boobs. If boothbabes complain about comic-con attendees showing a lack of respect to them, then they should start pondering about how much respect they have for themselves.

    And ofcourse EA went way too far with their competition. That's obvious enough.
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/09 @ 11:16

  • Beige_Alert #29 3 years ago

    Honestly, doing stupid things and then apologize must be EAs current marketing strategy.

  • kangarootoo #30 3 years ago

    A stupid idea by a stupid person. Is it any wonder it got complaints?

    Regardless of your feelings about boothbabes, none of us should be encouraging actual stupidity.

  • dllord #31 3 years ago

    Mmm Pasties!

  • riz23 #32 3 years ago

    @CountFapula
    It's self-deprecating humour. Way to miss the point Kid.

  • influenceuk #33 3 years ago

    Personally i think EA's marketing did their job fine, just not how they intended. They have still had press about the game which is what they would want.

  • kangarootoo #34 3 years ago

    "Personally i think EA's marketing did their job fine, just not how they intended"

    Surely any good marketeer should at least know the outcome of a marketing campaign. If you don't get the result you intended, that is incompetance by degrees isn't it?

    Getting lots of people talking by happy coincidence, even though response to your campaign was negative, falls a way below my own definition of doing a "fine" job.

  • skillian #35 3 years ago

    Agreed with Eraser - maybe I'm just a prude, but the whole concept of "booth babes" is terribly embarrassing.

    They perpetuate the stereotype of the sad and lonely gamer, but unfortunately as the success of booth babes and big-titted gaming heroines have shown, perhaps the stereotype isn't far off the mark.

  • PearOfAnguish #36 3 years ago

    So, pasties, eh? Is that actually a word used to describe clothing? Is it not a typo for 'panties'?

    [link url=http://en.wikipe dia.org/wiki/Pasties
    ]http://en.wikipe dia.org/wiki/Pasties
    [/link]

    "adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples" apparently

  • Daryoon #37 3 years ago

    They probably get more press coverage from "fucking things up" than they would have done otherwise. Wouldn't be surprised if they anticipated this, and the backlash to the faux protesting.

  • beastmaster #38 3 years ago

    Didn't they used to (perhaps still do) have these kind of things at Motor Shows?
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/09 @ 13:36

  • skillian #39 3 years ago

    Yes, they do.

    And when I went to Internet World this year - along with all the search engine optimisers, hosting companies, social marketing gurus etc., the first thing you saw when you came in the entrance was girls in hotpants and tiny vests dancing to some Europop music to promote a specialist CRM company.

    It was fucking tragic, and those near me that I asked agreed.

  • suicida #40 3 years ago

    "Agreed with Eraser - maybe I'm just a prude, but the whole concept of "booth babes" is terribly embarrassing.

    They perpetuate the stereotype of the sad and lonely gamer, but unfortunately as the success of booth babes and big-titted gaming heroines have shown, perhaps the stereotype isn't far off the mark. "

    Sex sells everything these days though. As someone said they have these "costumed reps" (lol) at motor shows. Half naked women are used to sell just about every product in existence... (well the ones bought by men anyway)

    I do agree with you though, this competition is just embarrasing.
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/09 @ 13:51

  • smoothpete #41 3 years ago

    "[link url=http://en.wikipe dia.org/wiki/Pasties
    ]http://en.wikipe dia.org/wiki/Pasties
    [/link]

    "adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples" apparently "

    Christ, you definitely do NOT want to try that with a Gregg's Steakbake, you'll burn the nipples off

  • hiddenranbir #42 3 years ago

    Dress like a hooker, one will assume you are. That works with any uniform out there.

  • schnide #43 3 years ago

    Pete, can I have the steakbake when you're done? They taste great. I can peel off the nipples.

  • the_mtfr #44 3 years ago

    @hiddenranbir

    Yeah man, she was expecting to be looked at as something close to a hooker. It's in her job description that she signed. But if you pass by a hooker on the street you just eyeball her, not jump on her and start groping as a right that you have.

    Don't they have a fucking ethics committee over there in the US, the most advanced country? That could squeeze a fine out of EA's marketers since it's a public event.

    And yeah, way to say sorry on fucking Twitter.
    Edited by 2 at 27/07/09 @ 14:56

  • sneetch #45 3 years ago

    @PearOfAnguish
    "adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples" apparently

    Ahh, thank you, I was confused as hell, I thought it must have been a typo or something.

    Unless she was really wearing pastry goods. Which would be an odd costume, I'll admit.

  • sneetch #46 3 years ago

    @suicida
    Half naked women are used to sell just about every product in existence... (well the ones bought by men anyway)

    Yep, however sex isn't just used to sell to men: "Diet Coke break" anyone?

    More often when advertising to women they're selling the idea that a product will make you more desirable than the more brute-force and obvious "hey, half-naked chicks like this car, you should own this car then half-naked chicks will like you!" style directed at certain portions of the male population.

  • jambo74 #47 3 years ago

    Awwie - Dude looks like a lady!
    Awwie, Awwie - Dude looks like a lady!

  • Ryze #48 3 years ago

    Poor choice of words - definitely.

    Boxing and F1 also use attractive girls, as do sports with Cheerleaders.

    Women have their equivalents also, so I can't really see the problem with Booth Babes, as long as things don't get out of hand. I've not been to many games Expos, so I can't say that I can judge how things have been over the past few years.
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/09 @ 23:36

  • 8bitMofo #49 3 years ago

    I can just picture the geeky motherfuckers that actually thought they were finally going to get laid. haha.

  • metalangel #50 3 years ago

    Surely if you're that desperate then either go to a club and wait for the leftover slags at chucking out time, or just hire one of the many Chechnyan prostitutes found in every town in the UK?

  • BabyJesus #51 3 years ago

    Thongs and PASTIES?

    Sounds like Peter Kay's wet dream to me.

  • davisorle #52 3 years ago

    "Even if I WAS a f***ing hooker, that gives no one the right. I can walk around in a thong and pasties and it's nobody's license to touch."

    Way to go. Cause if it wasn't for women that manage to be sexy, respectable ( to themselves cause im from the ppl that dont give a f**k what you think as long as I know i respect myself and i act on it ) and get paid to look good for other than porn most of the retards ( old known as geeks and/or looser kiddos ) would get porn with lowest class chicks which would still be too good for them. It's like you tell me you want your mom or wife to look like a f**king nun cause she is married and shoulld have no life than you and her job/house. Learn how to respect the looks if you wanna learn how to not be a drooler and choose instead of be chosen. @LHH a chick like this would spit and walk all over you simply cause you have no clue what you are talking about...

    Yeah, glad this happened. Shit came out in the open in EA's face and its a digi-scandal. Not many around nowdays. Next should be who Bill Gates has slept with and how many have actually "played" with a Wiimote...jk .

    Cheers

  • Lamb #53 3 years ago

    Winner won't actually get "Night of Lust".

    Thats is a shame maybe just have open fondling booths. LOL.

    E A Sports! Its in the booth babe! :p

    Too funny. Never happen though because of hygiene and diseases unless there was testing beforehand but then it would lose its geek.

    Or maybe not if you look at the third definition.

    [link url=http://di ctionary.reference.com/browse/geek
    ]http://di ctionary.reference.com/browse/g...[/link]

    Anyway thanks for the laugh Ellie.

  • SEVQA #54 3 years ago

    They should stick to giving away what was it £10,000 of fuel in central London to push a shit game!

    As far as hookers go, If I've paid for one I'll do what I please with them! That's the evil of money with EA and every company looking to sell something dancing the line of what is acceptable in regards to using sex to get peoples attention! Male and female alike!