The head of Microsoft's Xbox division apologized for a party hosted during this week's Game Developers Conference featuring dancers dressed as scantily-clad schoolgirls.
Photos and details posted by attendees surfaced on social networks including Twitter.
In an email sent to employees, Xbox chief Phil Spencer denounced the event, saying the party "did not reflect the core values and beliefs" of the Xbox division.
"It’s unfortunate that such events could take place in a week where we worked so hard to engage the many different gaming communities in the exact opposite way," said Spencer. "I am personally committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion is central to our everyday business and our core values as a team – inside and outside the company."
As multiple outlets have reported, the day Microsoft hosted the party, the company sponsored a "Women in Games" lunch during the conference.
The tech industry -- and video games in particular -- have received intense scrutiny for failing to offer a welcoming environment to women, despite nearly half of video game players identifying as female, says the Entertainment Software Association.
According to a survey from the International Game Developer Association, 22% of game developers are women, more than double since 2009.
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