Am I the only one who is starting to get offended by all this?

The new trend of videogame sites putting thumbnails of women and cleavage on their clips to get more views. I mean it's not entirely new, but it is becoming so blatant that even if I want to see the video, I am now less likely to watch it because I don't want to advocate this kind of BS.

I am the type of dude who hates booth babes, and in general women (or men) being hired based on appearance alone in fields where that should really not even be a factor. I hate it because I feel that it's presumptuous about who I am (or the target audience), I hate it because it is unfair, and sexist, but I hate it most of all because it makes "nerd culture" look like a bunch of slobbering sad men, who desire intimacy so badly, that they're wiling to get any attention that they can from attractive females (In the case of booth babes) that they will some how be more likely to by a game because of this ploy, or that we simply need breasts in any form in order to maintain our attention for more than 5 minutes.

I don't mean to imply that I dislike attractive females in the game industry or something, I just don't like their cleavage being used as a tool for views.

These are some of the reasons that I love Giantbomb even more, maybe I am spoiled.

Yes

Ok. I admit it. I like beautiful women. I also happen to like video games. I'm not against combining the two. There. I said it.

It is pretty lame, but I wouldn't say that I'm offended by it. If I want to see boobs online, I'll just go to a porn site.

@big_jon:

I don't feel one way or the other about sex being used to sell a product. The bottom line is how much money a product makes regardless of creative aspects and if a product has to rely on sex to sell that product then so be it (though the product can't be that good if that is what needs to be done to sell it). But I hadn't noticed this trend. Where have you noticed it?

@BraveToaster said:

It is pretty lame, but I wouldn't say that I'm offended by it. If I want to see boobs online, I'll just go to a porn site.

That's kind of my point though, I don't need that sort of thing plastered everywhere.

We know where to get it, Youtube is not that place.

@Funkydupe said:

Ok. I admit it. I like beautiful women. I also happen to like video games. I'm not against combining the two. There. I said it.

You're clearly sexist then.

@TheDudeOfGaming said:

This is far from a new trend and something that goes well beyond video games but yes, you're right. It is lame as hell.

If you wanted to check out a game at some expo and a pretty girl was standing there, would you avoid that booth?

They should just do what GB does and have the thumbnail be the weirdest/ most stupid part of the video.

@JasonR86: Youtube, I resently I have been noticing my sub box filled with this stuff from IGN, Machinema, and a few other places, but it has increased more and, more to the point where it is now often not even remotely relevant to the videos, like not even loosely.

@Funkydupe said:

Ok. I admit it. I like beautiful women. I also happen to like video games. I'm not against combining the two. There. I said it.

@BraveToaster said:

It is pretty lame, but I wouldn't say that I'm offended by it. If I want to see boobs online, I'll just go to a porn site.

these above are essentially my opinion.

also, i obviously dont know which sites you visit, but i really havent seen any videogame website do the whole "hot girl thumbnail" trick, thats more delegated to youtube now, and even then youtube is implementing a thing to combat this stuff.

so itill go away in due time.

booth babes though i cant see eye to eye with you on, as there are definitely chicks out there dressing up that do play games and do know their stuff, and do the cosplay thing cause of a general love of cosplaying.

@big_jon said:

@JasonR86: Youtube, I resently I have been noticing my sub box filled with this stuff from IGN, Machinema, and a few other places, but it has increased more and, more to the point where it is now often not even remotely relevant to the videos, like not even loosely.

It's what those sites have to do I guess. I guess I can't be that offended by it because I don't go to those sites and I guess thumbnails for videos are unimportant to me. Also I don't really care how things have to be sold to get an audience because it has no impact on me and what I consume.

@Funkydupe said:

If you wanted to check out a game at some expo and a pretty girl was standing there, would you avoid that booth?

If she was paid to stand there? And dressed in nearly nothing? I wouldn't give her any extra attention, and if she was leading to a big group standing around her, then yes I would avoid her, and the booth, because I don't think something like that should create more lines or in general lead to making the game I want to see harder to see.

Anything to get more clicks.

Sex sells, if a dude sees a hot chick HE WILL NOTICE in some way

@Cloudenvy: Feminist!

@DaMisterChief said:

Sex sells, if a dude sees a hot chick HE WILL NOTICE in some way

They'll replace us with androids soon.

@TheDudeOfGaming said:

I don't see why you wouldn't be offended, they're insinuating that your entire gender just wants to look at hot women in skimpy outfits and that you don't care about what they're actually selling.

Yeah bro, why cant everyone accept that we're all asexuals, and anything that has boobs is disgusting. Or maybe we can swallow a sliver of truth that guys like girls and girls like guys and sex sells now and then. Its not sexism, it's common sense. People can respect women and still find their physical state appealing. Thats not a crime, it's not a sin. It's humanity. Its how our brains and bodies work. Also I like sexy girls in front of cars in magazines and think attractive people are nice to look at. Cue the stoning I suppose

Breasts are fantastic.

I'm intelligent enough to not need them on page three to recognize the value in reading the news.

Pretty faces are amazing.

I'm mature enough to not need them to tell me what media I should purchase.

On an unrelated note, but one that has been brought up in this thread: what the deuce makes Stephen Fry an arbiter on social proprieties? People on the Internet are very fond of calling on celebrity as backup for their position. It's called the Appeal to False Authority.

@Funkydupe said:

Ok. I admit it. I like beautiful women. I also happen to like video games. I'm not against combining the two. There. I said it.

Yup, women in games don't have to be attractive but it's certainly nice when they are.

But I suppose thinking like that makes us horrible people and we should be ashamed.

@TheHumanDove said:

Yeah bro, why cant everyone accept that we're all asexuals, and anything that has boobs is disgusting. Or maybe we can swallow a sliver of truth that guys like girls and girls like guys and sex sells now and then. Its not sexism, it's common sense. People can respect women and still find their physical state appealing. Thats not a crime, it's not a sin. It's humanity. Its how our brains and bodies work. Also I like sexy girls in front of cars in magazines and think attractive people are nice to look at. Cue the stoning I suppose

Clearly you actually read what I wrote, and are not being over the top contrary to what I'm saying.

I like attractive women as well, that does not mean that their presence will make me buy a product, or watch a video, and I don't like the assumption that it will. I also don't like when women who know nothing about what they are talking about, or interviewing about are hired based on their bra size over their knowledge or their charisma.

Clearly that equates to asexuality though, "bro".

What video game sites are you talking about? Names dammit!! I NEED THUMBNAIL BOOBS!!!! I AM A GAMERRRRR

Sigh. Who gives a flying fuck?

Quick, nerds, worship this! WORSHIP IT!

@big_jon said:

@TheHumanDove said:

Yeah bro, why cant everyone accept that we're all asexuals, and anything that has boobs is disgusting. Or maybe we can swallow a sliver of truth that guys like girls and girls like guys and sex sells now and then. Its not sexism, it's common sense. People can respect women and still find their physical state appealing. Thats not a crime, it's not a sin. It's humanity. Its how our brains and bodies work. Also I like sexy girls in front of cars in magazines and think attractive people are nice to look at. Cue the stoning I suppose

Clearly you actually read what I wrote, and are not being over the top contrary to what I'm saying.

I like attractive women as well, that does not mean that their presence will make me buy a product, or watch a video, and I don't like the assumption that it will. I also don't like when women who know nothing about what they are talking about, or interviewing about are hired based on their bra size over their knowledge or their charisma.

Clearly that equates to asexuality though.

Well, look at any commercial then. 90% are aimed at the lowest common denominator. We should be insulted when the guy on the screen flips his dinner tray over while trying to answer the phone, but we chalk that up to shitty advertising, Theres people in the ad business that think people will believe that's effective. Yes it's dumb. No, it doesn't add anything to the selling of the product. But neither of these kinds of ads are new. I'll admit I came off a little strong in my reaction, but that was mostly in frustration with how everything is considered sexist, when human beings are sexual people and often times objectification is really quite debatable. Anyways, this isn't an issue with video games. This sort of thing is found anywhere, and it shouldnt bother you. Those attractive people starring in that latest movie, those recent sexy books, paparazzi shit, it's everywhere. People can focus on videogames for this because its still the common misconception videogames are for virgin males, but look at a car magazine for the last 20 years. Its not us, its everyone. And thats ok

Two Broke Girls

@TheHumanDove: I am definitely not meaning to imply that everything is sexist, this is just something that has been on my mind as of late, I figured I'd see if I was alone in the thought. In fact Patrick's article about that Dead Island thing rubbed me the wrong way because of his inability to actually express what was wrong with the situation, it came of as pretty shallow and I found his argument to come off as more sexist than what the actual was about. It was like these are women, so it's wrong!

And yes commercials are horrible for this, but that is part of why I gave up on cable a long time ago.

@Animasta said:

@TheDudeOfGaming said:

I don't see why you wouldn't be offended, they're insinuating that your entire gender just wants to look at hot women in skimpy outfits and that you don't care about what they're actually selling.

It's not about being offended, it's the way people deal with it nowadays. I mean what purpose does this thread serve?

"Hey guys, I'm offended by this, are you offended by it too? Lets be offended by it together." If you're offended by something then please, either do something about it or keep your mouth shut, because I really don't give 2 flying fucks about what offends you. Saying that something offends you accomplishes absolutely nothing.

As for the booth babes and thumbnails, it wouldn't be offensive but stupid, that is if its purpose was to make you buy the product. It's just there to get your attention. It's the reason why youtube videos with tits on the thumbnail can have up to 50 million views.

@Funkydupe said:

Ok. I admit it. I like beautiful women. I also happen to like video games. I'm not against combining the two. There. I said it.

You need a nobel prize dude ... for truth :D

@TheHumanDove said:

Or maybe we can swallow a sliver of truth that guys like girls and girls like guys and sex sells now and then. Its not sexism, it's common sense. People can respect women and still find their physical state appealing. Thats not a crime, it's not a sin. It's humanity. Its how our brains and bodies work. Also I like sexy girls in front of cars in magazines and think attractive people are nice to look at. Cue the stoning I suppose

ur right, cause at the end of the day it is humanity, it is straight up hormones, its how SOME people's brains and bodies work.

like removing the sexism angle and just looking at it from a schlocky business perspective, stuff like "hotgirl thumbnails" i think isnt really the target of the 21+ crowd (lets skew that a bit older, lets say 23+), that type of tactic usually skews to the under 21 active hormones crowd which to the people viewing said site with thumbnails like that, usually will click on it.. and us older ppl will constantly complain and generalize like the older ppl we are do.

to peel it back all the way, its essentially people using the same style tactic that playboy does by having their chicks pose up the front cover to entice people to pick up the magazine.

and also (just making a general statement here) not every chick that cosplays up in skimpy outfits are completely brainless and shallow. ive met and chatted with a few at PAX and they do know their stuff and they do love games and they do just straight up love to dress up.

but like you said though "Cue the stoning I suppose" ima be a bit cynical and say that i wouldn't be surprised if this thread gets crazy by the time morning rolls around as this is a super divisive topic on GB

I honestly, have no idea what you're referring to; which websites are we actually talking about here?

Edit: I see nothing like this on IGN, GameSpot or Kotaku - and there's obviously nothing like this here either...

@TheDudeOfGaming: The point of the thread is for me to see if I am on the same page as other people. What purpose does your comment serve by that logic? For that matter what purpose does any question about opinion, or expression of your own serve? What purpose does does expressing yourself at all serve?

It was a question, don't like it? Don't comment about it.

@BeachThunder said:

I honestly, have no idea what you're referring to; which websites are we actually talking about here?

IGN, Gametrailers, and Machinima mainly. But it is a general youtube trend as of late.

@big_jon: His image doesn't serve the purpose, despite the relevance of the message. Instead, let me try:

Tom's hardware guide has been slipping downhill for quite a while now and one of the big things they've been doing is having videos about hardware news that are hosted by a variety of different big breasted models. it's pretty offensive on the level of what they assume their audience is interested in and that their audience is that dumb. It's the same problem with booth babes at conventions. It's not that I have a problem with them inherently or object to it on some feminist charge. It's merely that the way they present it is as if to say "hey you're a man you are stupid you'll come over and give us business because we showed you boobies".

@TheDudeOfGaming: what does any topic serve, with your criteria?

and I assume he is already doing something about it by not watching it? this is why we are here, right, to watch dudes play video games and not trying to attract people by putting boobs up front?

@Mirado. That's pretty obnoxious.

@Branthog said:

Tom's hardware guide has been slipping downhill for quite a while now and one of the big things they've been doing is having videos about hardware news that are hosted by a variety of different big breasted models. it's pretty offensive on the level of what they assume their audience is interested in and that their audience is that dumb. It's the same problem with booth babes at conventions. It's not that I have a problem with them inherently or object to it on some feminist charge. It's merely that the way they present it is as if to say "hey you're a man you are stupid you'll come over and give us business because we showed you boobies".

Yes, well said.

I want to be treated like an intelligent consumer.

@Mirado said:

@big_jon: His image doesn't serve the purpose, despite the relevance of the message. Instead, let me try:

I'm the only one who thinks inside my head, damn it now im worried im not. Gimme my tinfoil hat

@mlarrabee said:

Breasts are fantastic.

I'm intelligent enough to not need them on page three to recognize the value in reading the news.

Pretty faces are amazing.

I'm mature enough to not need them to tell me what media I should purchase.

On an unrelated note, but one that has been brought up in this thread: what the deuce makes Stephen Fry an arbiter on social proprieties? People on the Internet are very fond of calling on celebrity as backup for their position. It's called the Appeal to False Authority.

I agree with everything this post says. I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter, sir.

I hate the phrase "Am I the only one that..." NO YOU ARE NEVER THE ONLY ONE! But yes the practice of using cleavage to increase hits is rather disgusting.

Eh, I don't think its worth getting all bothered over.

@big_jon: Well, at least you didn't use the word offensive, or @TheDudeOfGaming 's image would have twice the relevancy it already does.

Look, I'm not sure what answer you wanted, outside of people agreeing with you. You are clearly not "the only one" in just about anything; the same goes for myself and everyone else on the planet. Even if you were, Stephen Fry's got it right on the money; so what if you are offended? And even assuming either of those aren't already completely valid answers, we've already got the perfect topic for this.

The only obnoxious thing I see here is the amount of these threads that float around from time to time. As Fry said; being offended doesn't afford you any rights, including a ward against easy answers to an easy topic.

Hopefully that clarifies my position.

I feel like this "trend" has been less and less apparent over the years.  I remember when YouTube videos just had thumbnails of half naked women that had nothing to do with the video and a bunch of suckers would click it thinking that porn was promised to them on the other side.(Unfortunately those videos still exist)  I love women but I find booth babes and those thumbnails stupid as hell.  I dont think theyre disgusting, I just think its all stupid and it shows that companies/sites assume that men are stupid enough to fall for all of it (which they are).   
 
Unless men actually smarten up, this all wont go away.   
 
And I dont actually think that women like Jessica Chobot are all that bad.  Sure, theyre attractive and websites may have hired them instead of someone else who may be able to show that they are more qualified with a degree, but obviously they had to work hard to get to where they are.  Its not like she doesnt write articles and just sits around half naked with a sign that says "click on the advertisements!" Also nothing else is essential towards a business that revolves around media other than charm.  As a website that focusses on visual media, IGN has to hire people that can gravitate others towards their content.  Good looking people usually have confidence and confidence is key towards this kind of business.   
 
So sure, some guy who may have played games longer than she has but that doesnt mean she shouldnt get the job.  Shes probably works hard, has confidence, knows how to talk in front of a camera and on top of that, she knows how to write articles!   
 
And in no way am I "white knighting" people like Jessica, in fact I dont think I know what she looks like.  Im assuming just as some of you are assuming that some women dont deserve that spot that theyre at.  Everyone works hard in the industry. 
 
 
Oh and hey big_jon!  For some reason I dont think Ive seen you around this site for a long time or maybe I havent been looking through enough the forums lately.  

I don't remember if it was some random youtube channel, IGN, or Gametrailers or something, but they said any given video they post with a "normal" screencap will get X amount of expected views.

If they have tits, ass, or anything like that, they literally get at least triple the amount of hits they would have gotten otherwise.

@the_OFFICIAL_jAPanese_teaBAG:

Jessica Chobat is an example of someone with some charisma, but I'm sure you've seen those good awful gametrailers interviews with the botoxed up models acting videogame developers questions while trying to look interested, and act like they have any idea what they are talking about. Bottom line is that I want to be treated like an intelligent consumer when I see some of this stuff it makes me feel like I am not seen as one.

And I'm around, just posting more now then I was I guess. ;)

@TheDudeOfGaming said: