Hey everyone,

I just wanted to share my thoughts on IMVU because, like a lot of you, this game has been a part of my life for a long time — even if it's in a weird on-and-off kind of way. I've been using IMVU since my teenage years, and despite all the breaks I’ve taken, I somehow always find myself coming back. There’s just something about it that keeps calling me, even when so much about the platform has changed.

Let’s start with the good stuff. IMVU was my escape when I was younger. I spent countless hours customizing my avatar, making friends from all over the world, and exploring different chat rooms. It was like stepping into a virtual world where you could be whoever you wanted to be, and that kind of freedom meant a lot during those awkward teen years. I made some unforgettable memories on here — late-night chats, virtual parties, random drama (lol), and even building up my dream rooms and outfits. IMVU gave me a creative outlet and a sense of connection I couldn’t always find in real life.

But now… let’s be real. The game has changed a lot, and not always for the better. Everything has gotten insanely expensive. It used to be that you could buy a decent outfit or decorate a room without completely emptying your credits. Now, it feels like even a basic outfit costs a fortune, and don’t even get me started on houses. The prices are so inflated that unless you're constantly buying credits or have VIP, it feels impossible to really enjoy the platform the way you used to. I understand that the platform needs to make money, but it’s starting to feel like they’re prioritizing profit over community experience.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how different the vibe is now. Maybe it's just nostalgia talking, but the energy isn’t the same. A lot of the old rooms I used to hang out in are either gone or empty, and it feels harder to meet people who just want to chill and talk. There's a lot more focus on flexing expensive items and status symbols now, and less on actual interaction and fun.

Despite all that, I still come back every few years. Maybe it's curiosity, maybe it’s that tiny sliver of hope that the old magic will still be there. Or maybe it’s just that IMVU holds a special place in my memories, and logging in feels like stepping into a time capsule. Whatever the reason, no matter how long I stay away, I always end up re-downloading it, fixing up my avatar, and poking around just to see what’s new.

So yeah — IMVU frustrates me, but I still care about it. I wish it would go back to being more community-centered and less about flashy, overpriced content. But I’ll probably still be here, taking my little breaks and always eventually coming back.

Anyone else feel the same way?

I just had to reply to this because honestly, I really felt what you said — it’s like you put into words exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. It used to be fun, but now it’s full of those “too cool” or mysterious types who barely say anything, give dry one-word replies, and bring zero energy. It’s just not the same vibe anymore, and that’s honestly the main reason I stopped room hopping.

Then there’s the whole thing with the older crowd — both men and women — who are either trying to start some sex chat or offering services, and I’m definitely not into that.

And yeah, what you said about prices is true too. I mean, I get it — creators want to make a decent profit, so they raise prices — but at the end of the day, it really comes down to what people are willing to pay.

I feel the same, I absolutely concur. I actually made a recent Reddit post about the ongoing issue of people being silent protagonists. I know it's been bad for a while, but going into a room of 4 other people, only for every single one of them to be silent was surprising even for me and I genuinely can't fathom being that socially inept. I feel like you've royally fucked up if someone with autism has better social skills than you.

But I digress, I've never let other people ruin it for me, as much as I'd enjoy pushing the person who got my first account banned off a bridge. I've always held a soft spot for IMVU and never actually left it. The downside to that is I regret that I didn't get into SL sooner and enjoy it in it's prime, but I don't regret IMVU in the slightest and still have some long-standing friends from it, with many other friends I still think about and miss here or there.

I strongly believe AP+ will be decide IMVU's fate. I don't think it's going anywhere for a while, but I definitely think it's dying between IMVU themselves and the primary user base left on the platform - namely the younger crowd and aforementioned silent types.

the truth is I've been on imvu since 2013 and the truth is that it has changed a lot over the years, but not because of the game, it's true that they added NFT and you can demonstrate a status more than another person and so on, but I think that currently many people within imvu are closed in their circle, let's say they already have a group of friends or even families and they don't leave there, or if they do, the consequences are problems (although it sounds absurd, I saw a lot of people who go through this)... and then on the other hand you see that many people offer, as the comment above said, sexual services or etc., just to have more clothes or a little money in real life... it's literally like going to a strip club in real life, if you don't have money, talking is useless with these people.
Although all this is negative now, in 2016 - 2018 it was the time when I enjoyed imvu the most, having friends, conversations, etc. there weren't so many closed groups and etc. But currently I'm only on IMVU for the black market and creating products for the store. I'm just making money without being there. I still have some friends from my time, but we'll talk to each other through a social network other than IMVU.