Video game conventions have become a very big deal, with hundreds - nay, thousands of gamers packing convention halls & large hotel meeting rooms checking out the latest in electronic entertainment. And as with any type of convention, it certainly helps to showcase your product with a little eye candy.

But wouldn’t it be great if the pretty girls dressed up like Lara Croft & other onscreen heroines & villains actually had an interest in the games they were hawking? And you as a convention attendee could chat with the girls about their favorite “Final Fantasy” features or what really rocks about the latest “Rock Band” developments? It would be a geek’s dream come true!

Well, geeks, your prayers have been answered, thanks to Yvonna Lynn.

Yvonna (pictured above) runs an agency called Charisma+2, which offers models for gaming conventions but with a difference - the girls are also big-time gamers themselves. She got the idea while working a “Legend of Zelda” exhibit a few years ago. Lynn realized that “booth babes” like herself could really help the product they were pimping if they actually knew & cared a little something about it.

From CNBC:

Booth babes are typically a part of a convention’s scenery. They’re there to draw attention to the exhibitor — and perhaps pose for pictures — and not much more. Lynn, though, says she believes having a model that’s enthusiastic about the product can ultimately boost interest in the product.

“It’s hard to convey the fact to companies that it’s not just a pretty girl that matters,” she admits. “The gamers love the idea of a booth babe who actually knows how to play games.”

Beginning with using fellow gaming friends, Yvonna has built Charisma+2 into an agency representing more than 100 models. The only requirement, aside from good looks, is to be enthusiastic about the gaming industry:

“I ask them to tell me what their favorite games are,” says Lynn. “They don’t have to be good. They just have to know it and have a passion for it. … The girls who aren’t into [gaming] typically aren’t interested in being with Charisma+2.”

So what can vendors expect when calling for a Charisma+2 gal? Here’s a small sampling of the hotties for hire:

Power Up!

(Thinking about hiring some Charisma+2 cuties for your next party or box social? More info can be found here.)