In the 1980s and early 1990s, Penthouse magazine's sales were strong across North America and Western Europe, but its circulation declined after that point due to increased competition from internet pornography and softcore magazines like Playboy, Hustler, and Mayfair, which offered more variety in content. In 2016, following a change in ownership, it was relaunched as an online digital magazine with limited print versions available at newsstands worldwide.
Penthouse is well known for featuring explicit pictorial photography of nude women, including actresses, singers, dancers, models, and athletes. Its coverage has also included celebrity interviews, humor pieces, investigative journalism, and political satire. The magazine's most famous regular feature is "Pet of the Month", highlighting a model who becomes Pet of the Year, then a full spread in the January issue.
The magazine's history goes back to Canada, where it was originally published under various titles since 1965. It became Penthouse International in 1969 and moved to the United Kingdom in 1970, where it began publishing monthly until 20015 when it ceased publication altogether. The US edition had multiple editions (European, Australian, Latin American, Japanese, Russian) during this time, all of which featured different covers and articles.
Following the death of founder Bob Guccione in 2010, Penthouse was acquired by FriendFinder Network Inc., an internet company specializing in adult entertainment websites such as AdultFriendFinder.com and iCams.com. Under new management, Penthouse returned to print in 2016 with a focus on erotic fiction and non-nude photography but without nudity or sexually explicit content.
In some conservative states or military bases, Gent was sold with a black polybag or alternate cover (e.g, swimsuit pose instead of nudity), These editions are now rarer and collectible. Some have argued that this practice discriminates against those who want to see more risqué material; others claim it protects children from viewing pornographic images while shopping with their parents.
Overall, Penthouse has been both praised for its high quality production values and criticized for objectifying women through its sexualized imagery. While it remains popular among some readers, its influence on culture may be waning due to changing attitudes towards sex and the rise of online pornography.