'Playboy' Shuts Down Magazine Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

Playboy magazine is shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The magazine will cease publication and instead focus on its daily digital growth, Playboy Enterprises CEO Ben Kohn wrote in a post to Medium on Wednesday (March 18).

“Last week, as the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic to content production and the supply chain became clearer and clearer, we were forced to accelerate a conversation we’ve been having internally: the question of how to transform our U.S. print product to better suit what consumers want today,” Ben wrote.

“With all of this in mind, we have decided that our Spring 2020 Issue, which arrives on U.S. newsstands and as a digital download this week, will be our final printed publication for the year in the U.S.,” he continued. “We will move to a digital-first publishing schedule for all of our content including the Playboy Interview, 20Q, the Playboy Advisor and of course our Playmate pictorials.”

“Over the past 66 years, we’ve become far more than a magazine,” he added. “And sometimes you have to let go of the past to make room for the future. So we’re turning our attention to achieving our mission in the most effective and impactful way we can: to help create a culture where all people can pursue pleasure.”

Playboy Enterprises says the magazine could possibly return in 2021 or later, though there are no plans as of right now.

Get more of the latest coronavirus updates here.