When a developer for Borderlands 2 described a new skill-tree as 'Girlfriend Mode', the uproar was enormous.
What he meant was that the game was making an effort to allow new players to join experienced warriors in co-op mode.
But soon the off-the-cuff remark took on a life of its own - and sparked a debate on HuffPost and elsewhere about sexism in modern video games.
However, according to a new study, the developer involved might have actually been on to something.
Research agency SimpleUsability apparently asked a panel of gamers what they thought about the concept of allowing newer players to fight alongside experienced friends - and most said liked the idea.
It turns out that what Gearbox Software is going after in the new Borderlands game is pretty much spot on - and users to want to play co-op modes that allow mixed abilities. (At least according to the study).
What they didn't like - predictably - was the wording. Around 75% said that 'Girlfriend Mode' - which is not the official name of the feature - was "patronising".
Offensive it might be, but it's also eye catching. Most users said that term was more likely to catch their attention than terms like 'co-op design' or 'play with friends'.
So - there you are. Girlfriend mode isn't a good idea - but the idea behind it is.
Look out for our Borderlands 2 review soon.