Booth babes may be banned from E3 this year.

I’m not sure to what extent this “ban” will actually be enforced, seeing as there has always been a rule against partial nudity and sexually provocative content, and well, there has always been partial nudity and sexually provocative content.

But what if it were true? Personally, I don’t find booth babes offensive, and indeed I enjoyed some of their dance numbers last year. I think they add color, action and glamour to the experience. But I wouldn’t be at all sad to see them go, or at least be replaced by “very pretty women wearing clothing”. If an industry is aiming to mature and appeal to a more widespread and diverse segment of society, there comes a point when it has to grow up and make hard changes. Not to mention paying more than lip service to the idea of welcoming women to gaming and the game development industry.

But really, is E3 truly going to dare fine Ubisoft, Namco and EA? And how would a no-babes policy change the face of E3?