The Game 20 Years On: Where Are The Pickup Artists Now?
Neil Strauss released The Game: Penetrating The Secret Society Of Pickup Artists in 2005, 20 years ago. Much has changed since then, so where are the pickup artists from The Game now?
The Game is widely considered The Bible of pickup artists. It became a New York Times bestseller and the top seduction book of all time… A sensational and undeniable cult classic that continues to open many people’s eyes and introduce them to the world of pickup artistry even years after its release.
Where Are They Now? Pickup Artists From The Game
Xaneus
In The Game, Xaneus lived in a tent in the backyard of Project Hollywood.
It may be surprising for some to learn that Xaneus, the ‘short, stocky, fresh-faced college soccer player from Colorado who had begged to live in the house’, is Todd VanDeHey. Todd became an Instructor for Real Social Dynamics for many years, known as RSD Todd. However, he had a lengthy legal dispute with RSD and now runs his own seduction company, Todd V Dating.
Tyler Durden
Tyler Durden, whose real name is Owen Cook, ran Real Social Dynamics (RSD) for years until it closed down permanently. He used the pseudonym RSD Tyler and gained hundreds of thousands of subscribers on YouTube.
RSD shut down its RSD Inner Circle groups in 2018 and began taking many videos down from YouTube. Subsequently, Owen Cook started a new company called Self Mastery Co with some of the same RSD Instructors from before.
Mystery
Erik Von Markovik (Mystery), the trailblazer of the pickup artist scene and main character of The Game, continues teaching pickup after The Game. Following the success of The Game, he released his own books even created a TV show called The Pickup Artist, lasting 2 seasons from 2007 until 2008.
Erik Von Markovik (Mystery) was voted the greatest pickup artist of all time, and Best Pickup Artist 2024.
Papa
Nicholas Kho, known in The Game as Papa, continued as CEO of Real Social Dynamics (RSD) for over a decade. However, he eventually stepped down as CEO of RSD.
He started a new company called Real AI Dynamics (RAID) in 2023.
Ross Jeffries
Ross Jeffries, the godfather of the pickup artist community, continued running Speed Seduction after the book The Game, but criticized Neil Strauss for making unfair attacks in The Game against his students.
In recent years, Ross Jeffries has stayed involved with the pickup community but now mostly focuses on teaching sales.
Style
Neil Strauss (Style) stays distant from the pickup artist community, but still talks about it in interviews. In 2013, he held a token funeral for Style, the pickup artist version of himself, before getting married. He divorced his wife in 2018.
In 2024, Neil Strauss’s ex-wife had a baby with Neil Strauss by shooting a syringe of Neil’s semen into herself. despite being divorced for several years.
Other Characters From The Game
Badboy
Before The Game, Danijel Nesek (Badboy) was shot in the head as a child during the collapse of Yugoslavia.
Since The Game, Dan has kept running his coaching business and continues hosting bootcamps in Europe.
Gunwitch
Gunwitch, whose name is Allen Reyes, was arrested in 2011 for shooting a woman in the face at a party.
Herbal
Herbal, whose real name is Tynan, was mentioned hundreds of times in The Game.
He has been married for 7 years now, and runs a cruise agency.
Playboy
Playboy, whose real name is Stephen Nash, moved to New York after the events of Project Hollywood to run Cutting Edge Image Consulting.
All these years later, he is married and has his own family now. He started running Ownstream in 2017 with his wife, focusing on lifestyle.
Extramask
Extramask, whose name is Barry Kirkey, was a comedian before The Game.
These days, he works in finance.
David X
David X, whose name was David Rosenbaum, continued working as a dating coach after The Game until his death in 2020.
Steve P
Steve Piccus, known in The Game as Steve P, was introduced in The Game as a seductionist who had women paying him for sex.
He continued teaching sex techniques over the years, having been teaching since 1978.
Juggler
Wayne Elise, known in The Game as Juggler, continues blogging to this day. He runs Charisma Arts.
Courtney Love
Courtney Love, who lived in Project Hollywood with the characters of The Game, was hospitalized in 2020 with acute anemia and nearly died.
She has made a recovery since and continues to perform music.
Is The Game By Neil Strauss Completely True?
