Playboy Does A Strip-Tease For Second Life
Check out the latest ad buy on the Herald (see the right sidebar, top) and you'll see that the inevitable is finally about to happen: Playboy Magazine is entering the virtual world of Second Life. Always the tease, there's no word yet on what form Playboy's presence there will take, but you can begin to imagine some possibilities. After all, constructing a sexy avatar for yourself is just an extreme version of the airbrushing that often goes on in the pages of higher-end skin mags like Playboy. So what'll it be? An in-world girlie mag to compete with Marilyn Murphy's Players? A Playboy mansion where a virtual Hef and the bunnies will hang out? (Residents won't have any trouble finding things to do in the Grotto.) If there are virtual bunnies, will Playboy take as good care of them as they take of the real ones? RL Playboy Playmates are pretty much set for life; Playboy offers them jobs (albeit they're usually jobs as professional cheesecake) and often does stuff like help pay for their education. In return, the organization gets a steady supply of buxom women to decorate their parties and functions with. Working as a virtual fleshpot is already a popular pursuit in Second Life; why not get paid a decent wage for it? And while it's still exploiting the female image, you can't say it's exploitative of the women being photographed or hired, since you don't know whether there's a woman behind that curvy female av. The ad says Playboy won't hit SL until June, but you can already sign up for email updates. The shape of things to come? We'll see. [Published in conjunction with 3pointD.]
aha - so herald stories are up for purchase? good to know.
Posted by: JimBean | May 10, 2007 at 10:40 AM
3pointD as well.
things that make you go "hm".
Posted by: JimBean | May 10, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Good sir, our corporate ethics policy is on record. Boiled down to the essentials it is this: WWHD
(What would Hef do?)
Posted by: urizenus | May 10, 2007 at 11:03 AM
What the fuck.......
Posted by: Daekar | May 10, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Yes, this is newsworthy. Though the mind has to really stretch to come up with something that hedonistic Playboy could add to SL, something not yet accomplished in some club somewhere on the grid. Other than its brandname being present inworld (big hairy deal) what interest could Playboy have here? Is there anything in VR that Hugh can't afford to place in his RL mansion? Except for the ability to fly and teleport, I can't think of anything. And this will probably be one of the few places in SL where the inevitable penis-bombing will be met with applause.
But I have to wonder - will the bunnies be real bunnies now? There are several AV vendors in Luskwood who would be happy for the extra business. :)
Posted by: shockwave yareach | May 10, 2007 at 11:17 AM
And if it's set Adult, the unverified will not be able to go there. That will likely be the majority.
Posted by: Obscure Doodad | May 10, 2007 at 11:36 AM
What could be different in SL with a Playboy presence? How about they would be the only Playboy presence? How about a stop to all the infringing uses by other designers and club owners? Maybe, while there is a difference between how a RL club and a SL club is run, maybe a Playboy SL club will be a wholly different experience than other SL clubs, for either good or bad. I would be really interested in seeing what they would bring to the table.
Posted by: Jessica Holyoke | May 10, 2007 at 12:29 PM
I need to develop a female av whose nose doesn't touch the wall first and apply for a job.
Posted by: Big Dave | May 10, 2007 at 01:25 PM
"What could be different in SL with a Playboy presence? How about they would be the only Playboy presence? How about a stop to all the infringing uses by other designers and club owners? Maybe, while there is a difference between how a RL club and a SL club is run, maybe a Playboy SL club will be a wholly different experience than other SL clubs, for either good or bad. I would be really interested in seeing what they would bring to the table."
Hehe yeah, I think there's like 3 clubs and escort services that are going to be in copyright infringement land.
I'll be interested to see how this turns out
Posted by: Artemis Fate | May 10, 2007 at 01:29 PM
Oh dear.
All the work we're trying to do to prove that SL isn't just about sex... then this happens.
Lewis
Posted by: Lewis Nerd | May 10, 2007 at 05:07 PM
Great, now a bunch of dorks pretending to be in the millitary and fighting fake wars with other dorks pretending to be in the millitary can now talk to fake playboy playmates who fake having interest in dorks who are in the fake millitary! Its WIN WIN
Posted by: BrunoPuntzJones | May 10, 2007 at 06:31 PM
eeeek! this makes me sooo glad i named it players. ha ha.
Posted by: marilyn murphy | May 10, 2007 at 07:31 PM
http://www.patrioticnigras.com/
You can't fuck it up just yet!
Posted by: Anonymous | May 10, 2007 at 09:28 PM
oh, YAY...
Posted by: Tenshi Vielle | May 10, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Strip SL off furries aswell, join the Patriotic Nigras today and halp us against the furfag pollution on SL!
http://www.patrioticnigras.com/
Posted by: Your Motha | May 10, 2007 at 10:47 PM
Hmm... having to alter your avatar to get sexiness appeal... but shouldn't that means all the ladies in RL are boring for Playboy this time?
Comparing between a real one and a fake one... I'm sure the ladies at Hef's would find it offensive. ;)
Posted by: Nacon | May 11, 2007 at 06:10 AM
Who cares about Playboy in SL? Does anyone care what the women they meet look like in real life?
http://www.secondlifedeals.com
Posted by: chris | May 11, 2007 at 09:46 AM
Everyone knows people in SL only want little boys and dogs, playboy wont last long
Posted by: NigrasOnMyLawn | May 11, 2007 at 04:41 PM
Oh I can't waite great Idea
Posted by: Ziggy Cagney | May 11, 2007 at 05:14 PM
and no people are not just into dogs lol
Posted by: Ziggy Cagney | May 11, 2007 at 05:16 PM
And yes it will last Langer Than What is there already
Posted by: Ziggy Cagney | May 11, 2007 at 05:17 PM
I'll be sure to disguise as Ron Jeremy and smash those places with my ginormous penis.
www.patrioticnigras.com
Posted by: Pops | May 11, 2007 at 05:19 PM
Yaaaay softcore, airbrushed pixelated hotness. Wake me when Marquis Magazine opens up a sim. Actually I'm curious to see what Heff has in store. Seems like they're getting desperate over at the grotto. They've been losing dough since the advent of video tape.
Posted by: HoJo Kilda | May 13, 2007 at 12:25 AM
Why is everyone so es tactic over the inclusion of real world brands into second life . If they aren't successful everyone will disparage over the difficulties of viral advertising. IF they do succeed second life wont be second life there would be such a huge rush for advertisers to get a spot in second life that you wont just be buying clothes at an adidas shop signs in second life will be bought advertising porn sites. Youd be paying for a game built around billboards . Youd be paying for advertisements! Isnt supposed to be the other way round ?
Posted by: zaki | June 01, 2008 at 07:43 AM