I win:

http://pix.motivatedphotos.com/2008/7/17/633519250067556317-envy---it-wears-a-coat-and-hangs-out-in-hallways.jpg

http://www.pown.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/234.jpg

Ok. I'm sorry, but this is the dumbest article I've ever read on WoW Insider.

LOL @ Drow...

You couldn't be more right.

this article screams "BAAAAAWWWWW!"
there are many places for intelligent applications and discussions of feminism...this ain't fucking one of em.

This is indeed the stupidest article I've ever seen on this site. You really ought to know who your core audience are here and how poorly something like this would be received. This sort of hippie feminist crap just isn't taken seriously anymore and certainly shouldn't be.

It's just another instance of a group of people deciding to become offended and using that as an excuse to attack something they personally have a problem with. If you don't like it, don't participate. No one cares if you're offended. You're not important and your feelings don't matter.

This whole thing is simply for entertainment. It's totally harmless and for you creatures to twist it to be about your tender sensibilities is infuriating. No one gives a damn what you think nor should they.

Yes, the achievement is a thinly veiled Playboy reference. Get over it and get over yourselves. Playboy is a part of pop culture and Warcraft has always has pop culture references cleverly inserted into the game. That's one of the reasons why it's so good. Whether or not you think Playboy is degrading to your gender is irrelevant. No one cares.

@ Drow: Couldn't be more spot on.

I think there should have been an option in the survey that read thus:

"Girls don't play WoW. Now get back in the kitchen."

When I logged onto the site this morning and saw this article posted, I thought: great! WowInsider is acknowledging the fact that there might, y'know, be social implications to a game with such a large player population -- the largest in the world, last I checked.

But then I thought: now here comes the conjecture, name-calling, dismissiveness and general trolling that always accompanies said acknowledgement, especially when dealing with a subject that's still divisive so many years after feminism's first wave.

Before you wade into the comments here, I urge you to check out the article linked by WI:

http://community.feministing.com/2009/04/wow-thats-boring-lets-add-sexi.html)

In the comments there, you'll see that it's not only possible to have a thoughtful discussion regarding this topic, it should be mandatory.

Thank you, Robin, for this article.

@offday etc.

The majority of this entry was presenting opinions argued by others. The amount of editorializing by Robin was minimal. In fact, the title of the entry itself is a question, and included a poll with a multiple range of responses. Considering WoWInsider tries to present pretty much everything that happens in and about WoW, it was worthwhile for them to bring this debate up, and even contribute, in a limited way, to the discussion. This article was far more even-handed than not; to blast it as dumb simply because you disagree with some of the ideas is as misdirected as a hunter's aggro.

2 Questions...

Isn't WoW rated T for Teens?

Isn't Playboy actually run by a woman?

And a follow up... don't female models and adult actresses make about 4 times more than their male counterparts?

Please forgive me for what I am about to say...

Take my bunny ears!!!! Take it!!!! You know you want it!!!! You'll take my bunny ears and love it!!! Say my name!!! Scream for my bunny ears you dirty little level 18!!!

See, if you put it in that kind of context, then yes, that part of the holiday was a little sexist.

@ Adrian

That presupposes that there's a discussion worth having. The only discourse worth having about fembloggers who feel oppressed by having rabbit ears FORCED on their level 18+ wow characters is already taking place: relentlessly mocking.

That being said, I'm not sure why so many people are upset by the WoW Insider poster. The article didn't strike me as overtly anti-rabbit ears. It's not like I get mad at Jon Stewart when he's highlighting some hilariously tragic piece of news. It's the same thing.

Really, women should feel empowered by this achievement.

If we're going to take the analogy between 18th level and the Age of Consent seriously, then the fact that an overwhelming percentage of the female characters being bunnied are level 80 should be amazing.

80-year-old women being seen as SEXY? Wow, WoW. I, for one, am very impressed by Blizzard's ability to subtly remind us that ageism is a terrible blight, and that saggy skin should never be seen as a barrier to Super Sexy.

Go Blizz.

Also, I totally hope I'm as energetic as my toons are when I reach the 80th level.

After further reading through the original article I'd like offer up a quick apology. To Robin.

While I do think to an extent that even bringing up this subject on this site was just inviting a flame war I will say that she did give the old college try to present the subject in an unbiased manner. So if there is any way, in an unbiased manner, to start an emotionally-charged debate that any person experienced with the internet can tell is going to explode their site into a flame-fest Robin pulled it off.

So, just to clarify; my beef isn't with Robin. It's with the few feminazis trying to take a little fun out of an in-game holiday because some small part of it offended their tender sensibilities. If these are the things you have left to rail against then I think your battle may just be over.

As a feminist and a gamer i found it to be one thing to many in a game already overly sexualised, and i wish blizzard would take into consideration their female gamers and their integrity. I dont enojy playboy bunnies, in fact i thought them to belong to the past, and i find the whole idea to be demeaning and objectifying. I do think its important to not play on the idea of women as sexualised objects and definetly to not give them a choice in the matter, which was my greatest objection about this. I could walk around with my warrior in full plate gear and suddenly get turned into a parody of a figure from pornography. To say the least, i was not amused. I also think this is something that makes women eel alinated from the gaming world, and to not feel welcome. I think blizzard is loosing female players whith a stunt like this simply because there are a lot of women out there who dont want to play a game where they have to be sexual objects. There are also a lot of feminist gamers who feels this is yet another slap in the face from a industry who seems to believe their biggest audience is teenage boys.
All in all i feel this was a bad move. The gaming industry should help create a more equal enviroment, not play on gender roles that should have been obselete in the 50s.