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scifantasy ([info]scifantasy) wrote in [info]unfunnybusiness,
@ 2009-07-24 15:19:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Current mood:Pissed
Entry tags:oh john ringo no, sure we don't need no feminism

Someone at EA Better Be Fired for This...
From Ars Technica:

EA puts sexual bounty on the heads of its own booth babes

EA is running a contest related to its upcoming Dante's Inferno, and it's encouraging Comic-Con attendees to "commit an act of lust" with booth babes and take a picture. (NB: According to the official rules, it's "any costumed spokesperson at or outside Comic-Con," and the picture is the "act of lust" in question. Not that this makes it any better.)

Contestants could win "dinner and a sinful night with two hot girls, a limo service, paparazzi and a chest full of booty."

The booth babes at Comic-Con--or any convention--are already being objectified...they really did not need this on top of it. I expect lawsuits. I hope for lawsuits. Big ones, that take EA to the cleaners.

Thankfully, the comments at Ars Technica are not generally full of fail. Oh, there are a few real princes--mostly, variations on "it just means taking pictures, it's not that bad" or "they knew the job was dangerous when they took it"; a few are worse--but many commenters are as disgusted with EA as I am.
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[info]cygnia
2009-07-24 11:40 pm UTC (link)
OK, which cockbib over at EA thought to make their business plan based on the Open Source Boob Project?!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]plazmah, 2009-07-24 11:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]aliaras, 2009-07-25 12:20 am UTC
*headdesk*
[info]cirisse
2009-07-24 11:42 pm UTC (link)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

Re: *headdesk* - [info]cat_mcdougall, 2009-07-24 11:52 pm UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]underwaterowl, 2009-07-25 08:53 am UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]mary_mac, 2009-07-25 03:26 pm UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]deadwood, 2009-07-25 01:46 am UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]coffeebun, 2009-07-25 04:04 am UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]sarracenia, 2009-07-25 05:00 am UTC
Re: *headdesk* - [info]evilsqueakers, 2009-07-25 09:30 pm UTC

[info]_goblin_
2009-07-24 11:46 pm UTC (link)
Funny, all the little stories I've heard about how EA sucks as an employer. Looks like they're not getting any better with time.

(Reply to this)


[info]innocentsmith
2009-07-24 11:55 pm UTC (link)
Epic fail, EA.

"they knew the job was dangerous when they took it"

I like this phrasing of it much better than what I was actually reading in comments, because it makes me imagine that really, the booth babes are Alias-style secret agents engaged in thrilling hijinks trying to recover some kind of ancient artifact currently being displayed as a prop from an upcoming blockbuster, and that the "sinful night" will actually involve a lot of gunfire.

Needless to say, I would so watch that movie.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-24 11:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]gardnerhill, 2009-07-25 09:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ruslan, 2009-07-25 09:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bubosquared, 2009-07-25 10:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 07:07 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bubosquared, 2009-07-25 07:11 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 10:17 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 11:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bubosquared, 2009-07-26 12:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-26 04:52 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2009-07-25 09:34 pm UTC

[info]etcetera_cat
2009-07-25 12:04 am UTC (link)
Oh, EA, full of class as usual. All of it third.

(Reply to this)


[info]aliaras
2009-07-25 12:23 am UTC (link)
I thought we, as a society, were past giving away women as prizes? Because women are, yanno, a bit different from cars? They like, have thoughts and things.

I seriously might just never buy anything from EA ever again.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]aliaras, 2009-07-25 12:36 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]realbooted, 2009-07-25 01:06 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]aliaras, 2009-07-25 01:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]risha, 2009-07-25 01:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lil_miss_stfu, 2009-07-25 01:42 am UTC

[info]finchbird
2009-07-25 01:14 am UTC (link)
Stay classy, EA.

(Reply to this)


[info]caito
2009-07-25 01:16 am UTC (link)
I can't- I w- th-

GGGRRRRRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRR

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]honorh, 2009-07-25 05:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]deliciouschaos, 2009-07-25 05:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]risha, 2009-07-25 06:30 am UTC

[info]tehrin
2009-07-25 01:24 am UTC (link)
Understatement, but: That is DISGUSTING.

(Reply to this)


[info]shinga
2009-07-25 01:35 am UTC (link)
The most horrifying part is that people out there though this this was a good idea. Not one person, not two, but SEVERAL people at EA looked at this and went "what could possibly go wrong? :D"

I just... oh my God.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]shinga, 2009-07-25 01:35 am UTC

[info]greenling
2009-07-25 01:54 am UTC (link)
...Not only their employees, who conceivably could have agreed to this, but the employees of random other people who have nothing to do with them, and for that matter, any costumed girl who looks like she might be associated with a booth or another corporate product outside the Con.

There's just something about the part where they're foisting this on what could essentially be random passersby that makes the mind boggle.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]rosehiptea, 2009-07-25 02:27 am UTC
(no subject) - ealusaid, 2009-07-25 02:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 02:33 am UTC
(no subject) - ealusaid, 2009-07-25 03:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sarracenia, 2009-07-25 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2009-07-25 02:39 am UTC

[info]shadwing
2009-07-25 02:09 am UTC (link)
Anybody wanna bet that SDCC was picked because they are one of the few (if not ONLY) large comic con that doesn't have a Sexual Harrassment Policy? Cuz I cannot see a contest like this happening at Dragon-Con

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]finchbird, 2009-07-25 02:26 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2009-07-25 02:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]finchbird, 2009-07-25 02:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2009-07-25 02:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]finchbird, 2009-07-25 02:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cygnia, 2009-07-25 03:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2009-07-25 04:28 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]finchbird, 2009-07-25 04:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]adevyish, 2009-07-25 04:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2009-07-25 09:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sparkysrevenge, 2009-07-27 01:48 pm UTC

[info]notjo
2009-07-25 02:44 am UTC (link)
Well.

I wonder if they're expecting that no women would be interested in EA. No fangirls allowed at SDCC?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]deadwood, 2009-07-25 04:27 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]greenling, 2009-07-25 10:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lady_ganesh, 2009-07-27 07:34 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sqbr, 2009-07-25 04:13 pm UTC

[info]jedi_dwh
2009-07-25 02:50 am UTC (link)
Why, why, WHY am I not surprised at this. Why am I not surprised that enough people thought this was a good idea? This is extreme, I will grant you, but objectification of women is so typical in this business!

Two years ago I went to SIGGRAPH (read: ginormous computer graphics conference, with presence from visual effects, animation, and video game folks, including our pals at EA). I was a student volunteer, so one of my jobs was handing out programs at the animation theater. In these programs were ads for lots of different types of programs and equipment specific to the industry. There were no less than three fully/partially nude women in it. One was kind of cute because it was for a clothing program (though really, did it have to be a naked woman trying to cover herself back up?). Another, though, was for a giant object scanner. Like, you put an object in its path, it would scan the thing, and then render it in 3D on the computer. Including... a topless model. Sure. What else would you use a giant object scanner on?

I pointed it out to one of the male volunteers (who now works professionally in games, though not for EA), and he hadn't even noticed that there might be something kind of skeevy about putting so many half/fully naked women in the program (with the naughty bits strategically covered, of course).

This is just a ridiculous extension of that. I really, really hate my industry some days.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]adevyish, 2009-07-25 04:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jedi_dwh, 2009-07-25 05:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2009-07-26 12:04 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jedi_dwh, 2009-07-26 04:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2009-07-26 01:26 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]silrana, 2009-07-26 04:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-26 04:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]silrana, 2009-07-27 04:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-27 04:54 am UTC

[info]lostmahmarbles
2009-07-25 02:54 am UTC (link)
I'm saddened that I just looked at this and rolled my eyes. I expect shit like this from EA apparently. :/

Wasn't there recently something else with EA and the advertising for this game? They faked a protest or something and it ended up causing a real one?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]rosehiptea, 2009-07-25 03:16 am UTC

[info]deliciouschaos
2009-07-25 04:03 am UTC (link)
It's starting to seem like their cunning plan is to make the advertising so horrible that the game actually seems playable in comparison.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]bigbigtruck, 2009-07-25 06:15 am UTC

[info]cygnia
2009-07-25 04:59 am UTC (link)
And now I'm half-expecting EA to reveal their Special Guest of DisHonor judging everything being Harlan Ellison.

(Reply to this)


[info]honorh
2009-07-25 05:06 am UTC (link)
I foresee lawyers. With chainsaws.

(Reply to this)


[info]thebratqueen
2009-07-25 05:10 am UTC (link)
EA "apologizes" for not realizing what a MASSIVELY STUPID, DANGEROUS, AND OFFENSIVE idea this was:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brinstar/3754109578/

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 08:15 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]thebratqueen, 2009-07-25 12:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 06:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]thebratqueen, 2009-07-25 08:46 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]rosehiptea, 2009-07-25 02:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bigbigtruck, 2009-07-25 06:04 pm UTC

[info]kita0610
2009-07-25 05:17 am UTC (link)
Dear EA.

Fuck. and I mean this with all my heart. You.

No love.

(Reply to this)


[info]radiotrash
2009-07-25 08:33 am UTC (link)
It's sad that there's fail about this topic at the girl_gamers community on LJ.

Aaaaaan I quote:

"selling your body, which is what booth babes do, is just as bad as marketing the booth babes bodies. You have to start somewhere and if chicks weren't so willing to stand around dressed like skanks and take pics with nerds then they would't have a marketing strategy would they???"

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]miss_padfoot, 2009-07-25 10:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]radiotrash, 2009-07-25 05:46 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]adevyish, 2009-07-25 11:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]rosehiptea, 2009-07-25 11:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]radiotrash, 2009-07-25 05:44 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]aliaras, 2009-07-25 04:50 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ecchaniz0r, 2009-07-26 04:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lollercoaster, 2009-07-26 04:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]eilan, 2009-07-26 11:35 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]fern_on_fen, 2009-07-26 11:50 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sparkysrevenge, 2009-07-27 01:57 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]lady_ganesh, 2009-07-27 07:36 pm UTC

[info]portkey
2009-07-25 08:58 am UTC (link)
I was skimming Kotaku before I had to get ready for work earlier. It is extremely rare that I feel anything approaching 'outrage'. This pulled the trick.

How stupid do they have to be to think that this wasn't a dumb idea, seriously?

(Reply to this)


[info]miss_padfoot
2009-07-25 10:28 am UTC (link)
Well... there goes my idea of buying The Sims 3.

What an assload of fail.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2009-07-25 09:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2009-07-26 12:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]miss_padfoot, 2009-07-26 12:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2009-07-26 12:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]fern_on_fen, 2009-07-26 11:51 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]lady_ganesh, 2009-07-27 07:38 pm UTC

[info]nostariel
2009-07-25 12:42 pm UTC (link)
Inviting predatory assholes and nerds who lack social skills to sexually harass/sexually assault (guys, if you touch them inappropriately, THAT IS ASSAULT) costumed women? CLASSY.

Offering them "Dinner, Booty, and More" (AKA "You will be allowed to have sex with them whether they want it or not")? PRICELESS. As in, there is no number high enough to measure how much this is going to cost you in lawsuits.


Thankfully, the comments at Ars Technica are not generally full of fail.
Fully half the comments to that article are failtastic, wtf.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2009-07-25 04:51 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 06:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]nostariel, 2009-07-25 10:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]scifantasy, 2009-07-25 06:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]nostariel, 2009-07-25 10:09 pm UTC

[info]dejana
2009-07-25 01:24 pm UTC (link)
Intentionally or not, they've set themselves up for a huge disaster. According to the "apology" linked above, "act of lust" is just a fun way to refer to "pose for pictures"... but I guarantee that's not how a number of fanboys are going to take it. Those girls are going to be groped and assaulted at every turn, and if they - or even the EA higher-ups - object, the fanboys will rage about false advertising. Same goes for when the winner expects "more" on his fun night out and doesn't get in anyone's pants.

Scenario 1: EA's "apology" is BS lip service, and the contest is exactly what it appears to be. They are remembered as scumbags for all time.

Scenario 2: It's s badly-worded, innocent event intended to result in a million identical pictures of guys standing harmlessly beside pretty women. How do you choose a winner, then? Total superficial popularity contest, i.e. a lame waste of time for any average-looking fanboy.

Also, I love that it just happens to be "Lust" month during Comic-Con. Of course that's just coincidence.

(Reply to this)
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