A new Mafia game – colloquially known as Mafia 4 – has been confirmed by developer Hangar 13. In a Mafia 20th Anniversary interview, general manager Roman Hladic said that a new project was in development, and that it is “a few years away” from the official unveiling. As part of the celebration, publisher 2K Games is giving away the original Mafia title on PC for free. The game can be redeemed on Steam from September 1 to September 5, after which it’s your job to keep it.
Rumors of a new mafia game have been circulating since May reports Claiming that it will be a prequel to the existing trilogy. There were plans to make it into Unreal Engine 5, removing the Mafia 3 engine that had recently been used for unpolished remasters. While the developers haven’t directly substantiated this, a new interview from Hangar 13 confirms that a new iteration in the crime simulation franchise is in the works. However, Haladiq also refrained from calling it “Mafia 4”, though how it coincides with the leaks.
Mafia Studio Hangar 13 suffered a huge loss layoff Last year, the head of the studio, Hayden Blackman, resigned. While 2K Games confirmed the news, they never made reference to the dismissal. Reports suggest that the massive layoffs had to do with several canceled projects, including a new IP codenamed Volt. Parent company Take-Two had quietly spun it off last year, having already invested $50 million (about Rs 398 crore) in it.
Released in 2002, the original Mafia game is set in the 1930s, and follows a cab driver named Tommy Angelou, who reluctantly delves into the world of organized crime. While he is initially uneasy about falling out with the Salieri mafia family, the rewards of his deeds become too big to ignore – slowly turning him into a crime boss. The game will be available for free on Steam from September 1-5 – otherwise it would cost Rs. 365.
Mafia: Definitive Edition review: Half-baked in every sense
Mafia also received a remake in 2020 titled “The Definitive Edition”, which features overhauled graphics, new gameplay mechanics, and improved sound design. This variant, which costs Rs. 2,199 on Steam but is currently on discount at Rs. 769, is not being given for free.
The Mafia sequel also got a remaster, though the changes weren’t much. Hangar 13’s last crime game outing, Mafia 3, received mixed reviews from critics, due to general mission design and technical issues at launch.
While the details of the upcoming Mafia game are sparse, we can assume that it will be out on all major platforms – PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.
