Virtual Goods News

Today IMVU announced the launch of a special storefront selling custom-designed virtual goods branded with celebrity rapper Ice-T and his wife, model and actress CoCo. The store will primarily sell 3D avatar fashions, "street weapons" including switchblades and bazookas, and some special avatar animations. Generally the Ice-T items are themed for male avatars while the CoCo items are themed for female avatars (including a line of lingerie only available to players over 18). 

Prices on the Ice-T and CoCo line range from 600 to 2500 credits. One US dollar buys roughly 1000 credits in IMVU. This line appears to be the first line of virtual goods based on Ice-T or CoCo's personal brands available in any virtual world and may be the first line of officially endorsed celebrity virtual goods available in IMVU. The line appears to have been directly licensed by IMVU, rather than negotiated by a celebrity master licensor like Virtual Greats. 

IMVU's catalog of virtual goods is ordinarily driven by contributions from individual users, somewhat similar to how virtual goods are bought and sold in Second Life. In the past IMVU has reported revenue over $1.7 million monthly, generated by users purchasing credits that are in turn used to buy virtual items from other users. Typical virtual items bought and sold in IMVU include avatar animations, fashion items, interaction objects, and themed areas.