In a statement issued on Friday, tech giant Microsoft apologized for having scantily-clad female dancers performing at the company's official Xbox party at the 2016 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco on Thursday night.

The official Xbox party was hosted by Microsoft within a few hours of its annual 'Women in Gaming' luncheon at the GDC on Thursday. The company hosted the party at a local club in San Francisco, and tried to entertain the attendees by having half-naked girls -- attired in tight bra-like tops and fishnet tights -- dancing on raised platforms.

Some of the attendees at the party, watchdogs and even Microsoft's own officials, were disgusted by the company's appalling entertainment effort; and said that Microsoft's hiring of half-clothed dancers for the party was a complete contrast to its 'diversity and inclusion' claims, as well as its supposed attempts to help elevate women in their careers in technology.

Microsoft has not disclosed any details about who had hired the dancers for the Thursday night party. Even the company's Xbox games marketing head Aaron Greenberg has said that he had no clue about the dancers' performance at the party.

In an apology for the shocking incident, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said in the Friday statement: "We represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was not consistent or aligned to our values. It was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated. I know we disappointed many people and I'm personally committed to holding ourselves to higher standards."