Dogpatch Press

I don’t often see outside companies actively reaching out to the small but thriving Furry subculture.  Not directly.  If I had to guess where it would happen, I’d guess for Second Life users.  But there are signs that Furries count as modest but valued audience, for some game media like Furvilla aimed right at them.

One of these companies, IMVU, reached out:

“IMVU is the world’s leading 3D social network with over 130 million registrants… IMVU’s users seek and create new connections, lives, and lifestyles in a completely user-generated world that combines custom avatars, chat, community, content creation, commerce, and anonymity.”

It was cool of them to search my blog to talk about their plan for Further Confusion:

“I’m writing to connect with Dogpatch Press and let you know that Mountain View-based IMVU will be at the show to embrace the furry community, many of whom are a part of IMVU’s 3D, avatar-based social network. As a company, we meet “furries” every day on IMVU but look forward to meeting them in real-life at FurCon 2015.

If you plan to be at the show, stop by and see us at FurCon – we expect out “fan table” to be in an area outside the Dealer Marketplace – 2nd floor of the San Jose Convention Center in a walkway/hallway leading to the adjoining Marriott hotel.”

Let me bring you more than a press release.  I asked the rep: “Can you help me add a little story?  Do you have any personal stories of furry users, or notable things about them like user stats?  Do you have any goals for attending Fur Con? Has any of your staff been there? What made you decide to go this year?”

I got the word from IMVU CEO Brett Durrett:

Do you have any goals for attending Fur Con?

Meeting IMVU users in real life is our biggest objective at FurCon 2015. We also want to welcome new users who are not yet a part of the IMVU community.

We are awed by our users’ creativity inside IMVU on a daily basis.

Every time we meet an IMVU user, we are amazed by their stories.

Has any of your staff been there?

We have missed the opportunity to attend a FurCon event before, however, have attended other such user meetup events hosted by us or IMVU users.

What made you decide to go this year?

The timing for FurCon 2015 was perfect as our the furry community inside IMVU continues to grow. Plus, the event is right here in IMVU’s backyard.

***

Here’s quotes from the furry community inside IMVU:

Do you have any personal stories of furry users?

Snow: “I became a furry on IMVU and IMVU is part of the reason I got into the fandom.”

VampirePrincessRia: “Seeing as how I own both a furry on IMVU and in real life, I absolutely love that the FurCon is happening. And especially that IMVU is supporting it. I will definitely be attending with my furry. Super excited!!!”

RicoCChet: “My kids got me into IMVU and Furries. Love them. Long Live Furries. Wooot XD And this is my daughter’s first FurCon. She’s so excited.”

(Those link to a forum topic all about their FurCon appearance.)

Hope you have a good con, guys.