Those of you out there with the October 2004 edition of
Playboy adorning your mantelpiece can rest easy in your bed this night (or… whatever else you might be doing in there.
We won't judge). CNN reports
that eight more polygonal beauties will be baring all for the gentleman's magazine come this October, hailing from such
games as Blitz: The League and God of War. According to Scott Alexander, the Senior Editor of
Playboy, last October's feature was an overwhelming success, which may very well have helped to boost sales of the
games represented. Many game developers have reportedly taken notice, as Alexander relates having to turn away as many
as seven publishers who lined up to submit their heroines for the October issue. How's that for some effective
supraliminal advertising?
Of course, as with so many other things in life, there's a slight catch. Playboy won't be portraying the buxom
beauties on individual pages, as per the usual. Instead, each babe will have her own removable trading card, making for
eight collectible cards in total. By their powers combined, the cards form
Captain Planet a ninth, larger collage. The hitch?
There will be two editions of the issue, each with four cards contained within. Although, if it's any consolation, I'm
assuming you won't absolutely need every card, if you catch my drift.
In any case, what does this chain of events foretell about the maturation of the gaming community? And how will
outsiders perceive yet another high-profile sexual stir in the industry, especially with the Hot Coffee scandal still
so fresh in everyone's mind? Scott Alexander states that GTA's scandalous sex mod had no bearing on the timing of the
issue, as Playboy has always been marketed solely to adults. However, what are the odds of a politician taking this
event out of context and running with it? Will the possible benefit offset any potential damage to the gaming industry
as a whole? Will gamers and parents alike finally come to claim responsibility for their behavior? Remember kids,
boobies are for adults only. And infants, I guess. And females in general.
