Playboy Plots Comeback … But Can It Survive In The Digital Age?

In its heyday, Playboy magazine was a cultural powerhouse. Beyond the pinup models that populated its pages, there were interesting interviews and articles that tackled many of the hot-button issues of the day.

As the internet began delivering all of that and more directly to our computers, however, the empire that Hugh Hefner built slowly started to crumble. By 2015, nude women were no longer featured on the cover of the magazine — and within five years, the print version was completely gone.

It’s time for a reboot

Hoping to trade on its world-famous name once again, Playboy is now in the process of staging a comeback that will retain its adult-themed focus while catering to a modern audience.

The magazine is back, but you won’t be able to pick up a copy at the convenience store. It’s going to be exclusively online and, while some of the content will be available for free, users can pay extra for some features that rival other sites like OnlyFans.

What you can expect

In keeping with its arguably more tasteful approach to nudity (at least compared to seedier publications like Hustler and Penthouse), the new Playboy aims to offer a little something for everyone.

One company spokesperson explained: “While we allow nudity, we do not allow explicit content/pornography.”

In fact, a number of the creators Playboy is working with “do not have nudity on their pages,” the source revealed.

It’s not an OnlyFans clone

While the general business model might sound like various other sites that allow content creators to charge for videos, images, and other perks, Playboy takes it one step further.

Instead of allowing amateurs to upload content directly to the site, the company will vet all prospective models and only allow approved individuals to participate.

Chris Agee March 16th, 2023

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