2K Games has established a surprising licensing agreement with Playboy magazine. What does this entail? Well, 2K is now allowed to use more than 50 vintage covers and centerfolds (so these are the classy ones!) in order to add just a tad more realism to Mafia II, set in the 40s and 50s. In-game, players will be able to collect virtual Playboy issues (and, I assume, study the pictorial content as much as they wish).

“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,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K.

Personally, I think that this is a good decision and not at all an anachronism for the game. The game is set during Playboy’s heyday, and the older covers aren’t nearly as racy as even an issue of magazines out today, like Details. Back then, it really was a magazine people looked at “for the articles,” so this is just another nice design touch, albeit probably a very pricey one. It’s just a design choice, not something done to pander to men. At least that’s how I think 2K wants this to be seen.

2K could have done their own shoot, but it wouldn’t even touch the vintage feel they would get from these photos, and the Playboy name, especially back then, gives it ten times more class. If they had done this using only issues from the 1990s and 2000s, I think I would legitimately be upset, because at that point, the magazine had taken on a distinctly different voice and purpose. (Everyone probably doesn’t agree with my opinion. In fact, I might be a lone voice on this. Actually, duke it out in the comments.)

For more information on Mafia II, see the game’s website. (Going by what’s on there now, this game is going to be beautiful. Just saying.)