Well, technically they never left, but last year there was a disturbing guideline.
After last year's show, the ESA was concerned that the exhibitors had gone a bit overboard with the scantily clad women. In addition, the video game industry is rather sensitive about criticism related to sex, in no small part due to the infamous Hot Coffee episode with GTA: San Andreas. As a result, they issued new guidelines requiring them to wear more clothes.
"Material, including live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited on the Show floor, all common areas, and at any access points to the Show. ESA, in its sole discretion, will determine whether material is acceptable."
Yet after strolling around the floor at E3, Ben Kuchera tells us that the booth babes are still in evidence. They're wearing a bit more clothing—no bikinis this year—but not that much. Much like video game vixen Lara Croft strains the buttons on her shirt, video game publishers appear to be straining the boundaries of the ESA's dictum, even though the ESA could hit them with a US$5,000 fine for violations.
Are booth babes really necessary at a trade show like E3 (which is closed to the public)? Your typical E3 attendee is a journalist or industry player, likely male, and probably a big fan video games. He's also into technology and consumer electronics. Yes, it's the same demographic that likes to look at attractive women in skimpy outfits, but is a gamer going to ignore the EA or Rockstar exhibits because there are no women to objectify there? I don't think so.
Ultimately, booth babes are there because show-goers expect them to be there. After all, it's a video game expo, and scantily clad women (usually with unrealistic proportions) are a fixture of video games, so why not dress women up to look like the characters?
Exhibitors also believe they help traffic. According to Susan Corben, VP of marketing for Nyko Technology, it's cost-effective, too.
"I think publishers recognize that [they are cost effective]. Your (return on investment) is infinitely greater...I think a lot of people think the whole (policy) stunt was a joke."
After a couple days of E3, it looks as though the ESA's crackdown on booth babes is much ado about nothing.
I'd provide a link to the gallery, but maybe it would be considered indecent
Anyway, it's easy to find.
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