If you played games in 2010, you remember the buzz. Mafia II wasn't just a sequel to a beloved cult classic; it was a technical marvel for the time. But alongside the heavy-hitting narrative of Vito Scaletta and the brutal winter streets of Empire Bay, there was this specific, somewhat controversial collectible that everyone talked about: the Mafia 2 Playboy magazines. It wasn't just some random "collect the hidden package" mechanic. 2K Czech actually partnered with Playboy to put real archival centerfolds from the 1950s and 60s into the game world.
Honestly, it’s a weirdly effective piece of world-building. Even if it feels a bit dated by today's standards, it grounded the game in a specific era of Americana. You’re walking through a gritty, rain-slicked alleyway in 1951, and there it is—a vintage magazine sitting on a crate. It fits the vibe of a young guy like Vito. It makes the world feel lived-in, even if the "treasure hunt" aspect gets a bit tedious when you're trying to find that one elusive issue hidden in the back of a shipyard.
Why Mafia 2 Playboy Magazines Are Still Such a Topic Today
Most collectibles in open-world games are forgettable. Think about the feathers in Assassin’s Creed II or the hidden packages in GTA. They’re just icons on a map. But these magazines? They were high-resolution scans of actual history. Because of that, they’ve remained a point of discussion for completionists and historians alike.
There are 50 of these magazines scattered throughout the main story. What’s tricky is that Mafia II isn't a traditional open-world game where you can just drive around and grab everything at once. The game is strictly linear, divided into chapters. If you miss a magazine in Chapter 3, you can’t just drive back there in Chapter 5 and pick it up. The world changes. Doors that were open are now locked. This creates a genuine "missable" anxiety that haunts every trophy hunter.
If you’re playing the Mafia II: Definitive Edition released a few years back, the locations are mostly the same, but the stakes feel different with the updated lighting. Finding a glossy page in a dark basement is a bit easier when the textures aren't from the Xbox 360 era.
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The Logic of the Hunt
You’ve gotta realize that the developers placed these things in spots that actually make sense for the characters. You aren't going to find a magazine in the middle of a high-speed chase on the highway. They’re in the break rooms. They’re on the bedside tables of the apartments Vito stays in. They’re tucked under the desks of the federal buildings you're supposed to be infiltrating.
Take Chapter 2, "Home Sweet Home," for example. This is our introduction to the real Empire Bay. You’ve got two magazines here. One is sitting on Joe’s coffee table. It’s impossible to miss if you have eyes. But the second one? It’s tucked away in Mike Bruski’s scrap yard, specifically inside the little office on a shelf. If you just rush through the mission to crush your first car, you’ll walk right past it. That’s the pattern. One "easy" find, one "search the corners" find.
A Breakdown of the Toughest Finds
Not all chapters are created equal. Some are absolute nightmares for collectors.
- Chapter 3 (Enemy of the State): This is the one where you sneak into the Office of Price Administration. There are three magazines here. One is on the floor in the security room. Another is in the basement. The last one? It’s in an office upstairs. If you trigger the alarm and start a shootout, trying to grab these while federal guards are blasting at you with Magnums is... not ideal.
- Chapter 6 (Time Well Spent): Vito is in jail. You’d think there wouldn’t be much to find, but there are three here too. One is hidden behind a fence in the yard. Another is under a bunk. It’s a somber chapter, but the developers still managed to cram the collectibles in.
- Chapter 14 (Stairway to Heaven): Late game. High stakes. You’re at a construction site. There are three magazines here, and the verticality of the level makes them a pain. One is on the top floor behind some crates. If you finish the firefight and trigger the cutscene without grabbing them, you’re replaying the whole thirty-minute combat sequence just to get them back.
The Cultural Context and the Definitive Edition
When the Definitive Edition dropped, people wondered if the Mafia 2 Playboy magazines would be censored. They weren't. Hangar 13 kept the original 1950s and 60s issues intact. It’s a snapshot of a different time—a time when Playboy was at the height of its cultural influence, featuring interviews with people like Miles Davis and Ray Bradbury alongside the photos.
It’s also worth noting that the DLCs (The Betrayal of Jimmy, Jimmy's Vendetta, and Joe's Adventures) added even more magazines. If you're going for the full 100% completion across the entire trilogy package, you’re looking at over 100 magazines total. Joe’s Adventures alone adds about 15. The locations in the DLC tend to be a bit more "random" since those missions are more open-ended and less cinematic.
Common Misconceptions
People often think you can collect these in any order. You can't. You have to be in the specific chapter. However, once you pick one up, it’s saved to your profile permanently. You don’t need to reach a checkpoint for the game to "count" it. If you grab a magazine and immediately die, you still have it in your collection menu.
Another thing? There is no "map" in the game that shows these locations. Unlike modern Ubisoft games that clutter your HUD with icons, Mafia II expects you to actually look at the environment. This is why most players end up using a guide on their phone while playing. It’s almost impossible to find all 50 on a blind first playthrough unless you have the spatial awareness of a private investigator.
Practical Steps for the 100% Run
If you’re serious about clearing the list, don’t just wing it. It’ll lead to frustration.
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1. Use the Chapter Select Menu
If you finish the game and realize you missed the magazine in the hotel (Chapter 10), don't restart the whole story. Go to the main menu, hit Chapter Select, and jump straight to "Room Service." You can grab the magazine and then quit back to the menu. It saves a massive amount of time.
2. Check the "Gallery" Frequently
The main menu has a "Playboy" section. It’s organized by number. If you see you have #12 and #14, but #13 is missing, you can easily look up which chapter #13 is tied to. This is the only way to track your progress without pulling your hair out.
3. The "Point of No Return" Rule
In almost every mission, there’s a moment where a door locks behind you or a cutscene teleports you to a new area. Usually, this happens when you reach a yellow objective marker. Before you step onto that marker, do a full sweep of the room. Look behind bars, under tables, and on top of shelves.
4. Pay Attention to the Year
The game is split between 1945 and the 1950s. The magazines reflect this. The first few chapters feature issues from the early 50s (even though the game starts in '45, which is a slight historical anachronism, but we'll let it slide). As the game progresses into the mid-50s, the magazine covers change style. It’s a cool touch.
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Is It Actually Worth It?
For the average player? Maybe not. But for the Platinum trophy or the 1000 GamerScore? Absolutely. It’s one of those rare collectibles that actually feels like part of the world’s history. It’s not just a shiny object; it’s a piece of 1950s media that Vito would actually have been interested in.
If you’re starting a fresh run of Mafia II today, just take it slow. The game is short—maybe 10 to 12 hours. The magazines are a good excuse to stop sprinting from objective to objective and actually look at the incredible art design of Empire Bay.
Next Steps for Players:
Open your "Collectibles" menu right now and see which numbers are missing. Cross-reference them with a chapter-by-chapter list. If you're missing more than five in a single chapter, it's worth replaying that specific chapter on Easy difficulty just to speed-run the collection process. Focus on Chapter 3 and Chapter 14 first, as those are the easiest to mess up during the heat of combat. Once you’ve cleared the main 50, you can decide if you’re brave enough to tackle the extra 19 found in Joe's Adventures.