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2K Games and Playboy Enterprises announced today that “vintage covers and centerfolds” from Playboy magazine will be featured in the upcoming open-world crime title, Mafia II The magazines can be found throughout the game and are taken directly “from the archives of the world’s best-selling men’s monthly magazine.” While we’re sure the iconic media, if used sparingly, could enhance the setting through “era-evoking atmosphere,” its overuse might simply smack of 21 st century product placement. Below you’ll find a couple of screens of the magazine in action.
Playboy on the slob’s coffee table… I can buy it
Playboy on the car seat next to the suave goombah… Out of place Press Release: New York, NY – March 8, 2010 – 2K Games announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Playboy magazine for a unique in-game integration to use more than 50 of their vintage covers and Centerfolds in Mafia® II, this year’s highly anticipated epic mobster game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC. Set in the fully realized and immersive 1940s and 1950s American urban cityscape of Empire Bay, Mafia II will enable players to collect virtual copies of the iconic magazine, which has served as the definitive guide to lifestyle and culture for men since December 1953. “While most mob-inspired games’ emphasis is solely on action, Mafia II features a deep and compelling narrative that is embellished with a sophisticated, era-evoking atmosphere,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “In partnering with Playboy, we are able to add a unique element of authenticity to the game by using vintage images from the magazine that illustrate the power of Playboy’s influence on the attitudes and culture of that generation.” Mafia II is a beautifully crafted look into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia where clothing, cars, music and advertising are meticulously created to replicate an American city in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Players will easily become engaged in the game’s cinematic, Hollywood-style experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing city that transports them to a time when rock-n-roll first strummed its guitar and chrome-plated hot rods roared down boulevards. “For more than 55 years, Playboy has been a part of America’s pop culture landscape, engaging its readers with insightful features, interviews and fashion spreads, as well as pictorials of some of the world’s most beautiful women,” said Playboy magazine’s Editorial Director Jimmy Jellinek. “Mafia II is set when Playboy first came into vogue and features characters whose style and attitudes mirror content from our early issues. We’re excited to bring an element of authenticity to the game that is unmatched in the men’s publishing category.” Mafia II is currently in development by 2K Czech, the same creative team behind the award-winning, genre-defining Mafia®, which captivated millions of gamers around the world. By fusing high-octane gunplay with white-knuckle driving and an engaging narrative, Mafia II looks to be the industry’s most compelling Mafia title to date. For more information, please visit www.mafia2game.com. 2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). About Take-Two Interactive Software Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, iPhone™ and iPod® touch. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com. About Playboy Enterprises, Inc. Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. Playboy Enterprises, Inc. is a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and abroad and creates content for distribution via television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 150 countries as well as retail stores and entertainment venues. Microsoft, Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders. |
