Microsoft Hosts Party at GDC with Schoolgirls as the Entertainment

[6souls]

And Shit is hitting the Fan

Spoiler: show

Video

Some tech and gaming companies have left behind a shameful history of objectifying women in major promotional venues, but Microsoft's behavior at the 2016 Game Developers Conference this week was a surprising reversal of progress. Attendees of Microsoft's GDC party were greeted by women dancing on platforms — a choice made not by the venue but by Microsoft.

Originally reported by Crave, several attendees spoke out about the event on Twitter. "This is the first fucking time I've felt this unwelcome at a games event," one attendee said on Twitter. "Thanks for pushing me out of this party, Microsoft." The event took some Microsoft employees by surprise; head of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg said on Twitter that he was "very disappointed to see this."

Conferences like CES and E3 were notorious for many years for using "booth babes" to promote their brands and products by baiting the male gaze, and while representation of women has improved, it's clear that even major companies like Microsoft haven't fully evolved. It's simple: hiring women as sex objects to sell products or promote your brand is alienating and unprofessional. It's also hypocritical if your company holds a "women in gaming" luncheon every year at GDC.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/18/11...gdc-2016-party
http://www.craveonline.com/entertain...cers-gdc-party

Phil Spencer Responds

At Xbox-hosted events at GDC this past week, we represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was not consistent or aligned to our values. It was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated. I know we disappointed many people and I’m personally committed to holding ourselves to higher standards. We must ensure that diversity and inclusion are central to our everyday business and core values. We will do better in the future.

Today, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer sent an email to the Xbox organization to address unfortunate events at this week’s Game Developers Conference 2016. These events did not reflect the core values and beliefs of Xbox, where we believe in respect – for the gamer, the medium, the industry and for Microsoft – as something that impacts every single person who loves games as much as we do. The full email has been reprinted below:

How we show up as an organization is incredibly important to me. We want to build and reflect the culture of TEAM XBOX – internally and externally – a culture that each one of us can represent with pride. An inclusive culture has a direct impact on the products and services we deliver and the perception consumers have of the Xbox brand and our company, as a whole.

It has come to my attention that at Xbox-hosted events at GDC this past week, we represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was absolutely not consistent or aligned to our values. That was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated. This matter is being handled internally, but let me be very clear – how we represent ourselves as individuals, who we hire and partner with and how we engage with others is a direct reflection of our brand and what we stand for. When we do the opposite, and create an environment that alienates or offends any group, we justly deserve the criticism.

It’s unfortunate that such events could take place in a week where we worked so hard to engage the many different gaming communities in the exact opposite way. I am personally committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion is central to our everyday business and our core values as a team – inside and outside the company. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards and we will do better in the future.

http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/18/a-me...-phil-spencer/

[tyven]

Sony would have had male and female dancers

[BerenTebogo]

Looks like they didn't bust the bank on the girls either.

[6souls]

Sony would have had male and female dancers

[Karbuncle]

Looks like that old Patriarchy strikes again, always up to no good, objecitivifying ma womyns

[arus2001]

Are we sure someone didn't confuse it for some St. Patrick's Day party?

[Blubbartron]

Go-go dancers are really common for encouraging people to dance and have fun at these high end parties, aren't they? Pretty big difference between having dancers to set the mood for a party, and having hot chicks stand around while some douche makes a sales pitch.

[6souls]

5 years ago this wouldn't even be blip, but now it's a press disaster. It's fun to watch the fallout.

[Melena]

Sony would have had male and female dancers

Several years ago my friend was at Sony's E3 after party and they had bikini sushi girls there.

[tyven]

5 years ago this wouldn't even be blip, but now it's a press disaster. It's fun to watch the fallout.

Several years ago my friend was at Sony's E3 after party and they had bikini sushi girls there.

i mean this is a great fucking point. I remember when Nintendo debuted the 3ds. didnt they have pretty women bringing them down the aisles? Like is that suddenly going to be a major faux pas? what the frick you guys stop trying to take away my titty balls

[Aerin]

Lol... I have to say, I think this is such a big deal for 2 reasons (aside from the obvious). It's Microsoft, and because earlier in the day they had a session about women in gaming.

I go to GDC almost every year, Microsoft is far from the only ones to throw such a party

[Churchill]

i mean this is a great fucking point. I remember when Nintendo debuted the 3ds. didnt they have pretty women bringing them down the aisles? Like is that suddenly going to be a major faux pas? what the frick you guys stop trying to take away my titty balls

jezebel did it

[dasva]

I like how these peoples ideas of helping these girls is basically to protest their jobs even existing. I'm sure they are quite grateful for attempts to destroy there way of making a living

[Galkaeater]

came here expecting actual schoolgirls

[Niiro]

Seriously, none of them even look slightly underage.

[dasva]

Clearly they are working their way thru college

[Salodin]

came here expecting actual schoolgirls

Glad I wasn't the only one.

Clearly they are working their way thru college

These poor unwashed diminutive victims of alternative job deprivation.

[6souls]

They are girls and could still be in school. But those are schoolgirl outfits.

[zoobernut]

Are they going to ban booth girls next? What about booth girls in other industries? This whole thing seems pretty silly to me but maybe that is my male privilege.

[Salodin]

My question is if the working girls are joined by working men, does it make it ok? Or are we supposed to be against all kinds of gogo dancers?