Nachdem ein potentielles Singleplayer-Add-On für Grand Theft Auto V weiterhin durch Abwesenheit glänzt, gibt es in diesem Jahr vor allem einen großen Titel, auf den sich digitale Ganoven freuen dürfen. Mit Mafia III entführt Entwickler Hangar 13 den Spieler in den US-amerikanischen Süden der 1960er-Jahre und damit nicht nur in gesellschaftlich und politisch turbulente Zeiten, sondern auch in ein spannendes Musikzeitalter. Dementsprechend hat sich dass Entwicklerstudio darum bemüht, einen möglichst imposanten Soundtrack für dass kommende Abenteuer von Protagonisten Lincoln Clay zusammenzustellen. Einziger Wermutstropfen: Anders als in vielen anderen Spielen wie der Grand Theft Auto-Serie, wird es keine Radiostationen geben, um den Soundtrack nach belieben genießen zu können. Stattdessen werden die Tracks dramaturgisch in die Spielszenen eingearbeitet.

Im Interview mit dem Rolling Stone Magazin, gewährte Haden Blackman, seines Zeichens Creative Director für das Spiel, einen Einblick hinter die Kulissen. Laut Haden Blackman, war es von Anfang an klar, dass man einen möglichst guten Soundtrack auf die Beine stellen müsse, um auch ein gutes Spiel aus dem Boden stampfen zu können. Oft würde es jedoch passieren, dass ein Entwicklerteam eine Art Wunschliste zusammenstellen würde, die dann den Realitycheck in Form von Lizenzrechten nicht bestehen würde. Diesmal hätte man jedoch zahlreiche Künstler im Soundtrack vereinen können, von denen man nicht gedacht hätte, dass die Entwickler auch wirklich grünes Licht bekommen würden. 

Das englischsprachige Interview in voller Länge mit vielen weiteren, spannenden Details findet ihr hier. Die komplette Soundtrackliste, wie im Interview angegeben, lautet wie folgt:

"Mother's Little Helper" by the Rolling Stones

"Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones

"Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones

"Street Fighting Man" by the Rolling Stones

"Chain Gang" by Sam Cooke

"Wonderful World" by Sam Cooke

"Bring it on Home to Me" by Sam Cooke

"Another Saturday Night" by Sam Cooke

"I'm Gonna Forget About You" by Sam Cooke

"Ninety-Six Tears" by Question Mark and the Mysterians

"Go Go Shoes" by Lonnie Youngblood

"Take me for What I Am" by L.C. Cooke

"I Let a Good Thing Go By" by Dewey Edwards

"Dance of the Hours" by Beethoven Ben

"Hang Ten" by the Fun Sons

"Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals

"Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"You" by Marvin Gaye

"Hold On, I’m Comin’" by Sam and Dave

"Pictures Of Matchstick Men" by Status Quo

"Chain Of Fools" by Aretha Franklin

"Respect" by Aretha Franklin

"Piece Of My Heart" by Big Brother & the Holding Company

"I Fought the Law" by Bobby Fuller Four

"The Letter" by Box Tops

"Time Has Come Today" by the Chambers Brothers

"Slip Away" by Clarence Carter

"Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five

"White Room" by Cream

"Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Born On The Bayou" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Palisades Park" by Freddy Cannon

"Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane

"Folsom Prison Blues (Live)" by Johnny Cash

"Shotgun" by Jr. Walker and the All Stars

"Nowhere To Run" by Martha and the Vendellas

"(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding

"Palisades Park" by Ramones

"King of the Road" by Roger Miller

"Soul Man" by Sam and Dave

"Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

"Desperation" by Steppenwolf

"You Keep Me Hangin’ On [#1]" by the Supremes

"Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by the Temptations

"Wild Thing" by the Troggs

"One" by Three Dog Night

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Vanilla Fudge

"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" by John Lee Hooker

"Good Times are so Hard to Find" by Blue Cheer

"Ay-Tete Fee" by Clifton Chenier

"You Belong To Me" by The Duprees

"Take Me for What I'm Worth" by the Searchers

"What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" by The Tams

"Black Ghost Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins

"Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Walking the Dog" by Rufus Thomas

"I Got My Mojo Working" by the Shadows of Knight

"You Belong To Me" by Misfits

"Bad Moon Rising" by Mourning Ritual ft Peter Dreimanis

"Tramp" by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas

"On The Road Again" by Canned Heat

"Don't Go To Strangers" by Etta James

"Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard

"Running Scared" by Roy Orbison

"Crazy" by Patsy Cline

"Runaway (1967 version)" by Del Shannon

"Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire

"Knock on Wood" by Eddie Floyd

"Help Me, Rhonda" by Beach Boys

"Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf

"I Wish It Would Rain" by Temptations

"Heroes and Villains Beach Boys

"Reach Out, I'll Be There" by Four Tops

"White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane

"G.I. Blues" by Lightnin' Slim

"Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow The Sun)" by Del Shannon

"Love Child" by Diana Ross & the Supremes

"You've Really Got a Hold on Me" by the Miracles

"Baby Love" by the Supremes

"Son of a Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield

"Wouldn’t It Be Nice" by Beach Boys

"Get Up and Get Down" by the Dramatics

"Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae

"Ring Of Fire" by Johnny Cash

"Kicks" by Paul Revere and the Raiders

"We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" by the Animals

"Needles & Pins" by the Searchers

"In-a-Gadda-da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly

"I Can't Turn You Loose" by Chambers Brothers

"Hard to Handle"by Otis Redding

"The Weight" by The Band

"Paint it Black" by the Avengers

"Five Card Hand" by Mercy Dee Walton

"You Better Stop" by Sonny Rhodes

"Must Have Been the Devil" by Otis Spann

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown

"Hey Big Momma" by Roosevelt Sykes

"Sinner's Prayer" by Lightnin' Hopkins

"The Howling Wolf" by Lightnin' Hopkins

"A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis