VIA Technologies, together with VIA Chrome Ambassadors the girlz 0f destruction, today announced an exciting new contest: “Get the Girls into the Game,” with the winning girl spending a weekend at the Home of Chrome in Sweden with a friend, learning how to play PC games like a professional while visiting beautiful Stockholm. Since the professional PC gaming scene is largely male-dominated, the “Get the Girls into the Game” contest asks gamers of either gender to nominate a female friend as a potential winner, explaining why she would benefit from a weekend of practice with pro gamers. The winning nominee and one companion (also female) will win a weekend trip to Sweden, travel and accommodation expenses paid, and receive free gaming tuition from the girlz 0f destruction plus US$250 pocket money. “The Home of Chrome benefits a lot of professional gamers and promotes the industry, but we wanted reach out to those who might never have had this kind of experience,” said Eliane Hofmann, VIA Marketing Manager. “Everyone who loves gaming knows someone who they’d like to share that experience with, and what better way than during a free weekend holiday in Sweden with real pro gamers.” The “Get the Girls into the Game” contest runs until 10th September at the Home of Chrome website: www.girlzgaminghouse.com To enter, gamers should submit their nominations at the website, and answer a few short questions and provide a description about why they feel their girl friends deserve the trip to the Home of Chrome. Entries will be judged on the basis of humor, originality and genuine gaming need by a panel composed of VIA staff and girlz 0f destruction team members. The contest closes on Thursday 10th September, with the prize weekend at the Home of Chrome taking place on Friday to Sunday, 22nd to 24th September 2006.
Sexist. How comes they don't have a boys one too? Ok, so games are PERCEIVED to be a male domain, so, what, girls steer clear? That'll solve the problems, ladies. And you get to take a mate along too! that'll be nice. Then you can go to the bathroom together...(?)
This just seems all wrong to me. If we want females to start playing, all we need to do surely, is drop the sexism and "OMGZ gurl on teh intarweb". It's not even done seriously anymore, it's done because it's expected to be done, but it's surely offputting for the fact that one's a female to be made a huge deal of. Of course, the smart thing for females in gaming to do is just not announce that they're female. Some girls do this, and of course, get zero attention. Positive discrimination is stupid, and it'll put off the people who are put off already by the sexism. Let things happen the way they will, and ensure that these things have a level playing field for both sexes. The worst way we could end up would be having girls and guys tournaments. Gaming and the Internet in the 21st century should be able to get past all this.
