The Game Awards 2024 was packed with surprise announcements and major reveals, making 2025 one of the most exciting years in gaming history. Among these standout titles is the next installment in the Mafia series, MAFIA: The Old Country. This new entry takes the franchise in a bold new direction, offering a more cinematic experience with a fresh story and characters set in Italy.
Today, we’ll go over everything we know about MAFIA: The Old Country and why we believe it will be one of 2025’s most important releases.
The Story of MAFIA: The Old Country Focuses on Family Feuds
MAFIA: The Old Country transports us back to the early 20th century, with its story set in 1900 on the island of Sicily, Italy. The game explores the brutal world of crime and the Italian mafia in an entirely fresh and authentic way. Players step into the shoes of Enzo Favara, a young man whose life is turned upside down as he is drawn into the underworld of Italian organized crime, proving his worth to the infamous Cosa Nostra.
Who is Enzo Favara?
Not much is known about our new protagonist yet, but developer Hangar 13 has shared some key details that make him a unique and compelling character within the Mafia universe:
Through sheer determination and perseverance, Enzo survived a childhood of forced labor in the hellish sulfur mines of Sicily. Now, by a twist of fate, he has the chance to join Don Turisi’s crime family—and he will do whatever it takes to carve out a better life for himself. By taking the oath, Enzo binds himself to the honor code of the Turisi family, with all the power and hardship it entails. But he must never forget this simple truth: The family demands sacrifice.
Given the Mafia series’ history and Sicily’s real-world criminal past, MAFIA: The Old Country is sure to be packed with powerful characters, emotional depth, unexpected betrayals, and intense violence. The game promises to deliver the The Godfather or Peaky Blinders experience we’ve longed for—moving away from standard crime stories in favor of deeper drama and characters that we grow attached to and genuinely mourn when they fall.
Hangar 13 has also confirmed that the game will feature full voice acting in Sicilian (a language closely related to old Italian), further enhancing immersion for players seeking an authentic experience. Additionally, the game will faithfully represent the true history of the Italian mafia, incorporating real events from that era.
With MAFIA: The Old Country set to be the most cinematic entry in the franchise yet—powered by Unreal Engine 5—players can expect an unforgettable journey when it launches later this year.
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Brutal, Gritty Combat with a Focus on Melee Fighting
As an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective, MAFIA: The Old Country places a heavy emphasis on brutal hand-to-hand combat. Since the game is set in the early 20th century, blades and knives were the weapons of choice during this time period, alongside primitive firearms such as revolvers and shotguns. As a result, combat will require more strategy and precision than simply gunning down enemies.
Sicily’s beautiful countryside contrasts sharply with its grimy, crime-ridden back alleys, where violence, betrayal, and bloodshed are ever-present. Players will be able to explore these environments freely—either on foot, on horseback, or by driving early 20th-century automobiles. Expect intense chase sequences, whether you’re pursuing a target or escaping from enemies determined to eliminate you.
To prove himself to the Turisi crime family, Enzo will need to master every tool of survival—whether that means fighting up close with a blade or using firearms in intense gunfights. From the early gameplay footage, it appears that melee combat will play a significant role, making MAFIA: The Old Country stand apart from previous entries in the franchise.
Personally, I am eager to explore Sicily and engage in close-quarters combat, especially since fights during this period were far more visceral and brutal, relying on knives and daggers. I can’t wait to see how Hangar 13 has refined this aspect of the gameplay, as it will be a key factor in the game’s overall experience.
But speaking of exploration, will MAFIA: The Old Country be an open-world game?
A Return to a Linear, Story-Driven Experience
Hangar 13 has officially confirmed that they are moving away from the open-world formula introduced in Mafia III, instead opting for a more linear, story-driven approach similar to the original Mafia game and its remake.
While open-world games offer vast environments and freedom of choice, they often suffer from repetitive side missions—which was a major criticism of Mafia III in 2016. Recognizing this, the developers have chosen to focus on a tightly scripted narrative, ensuring a cinematic and historically accurate portrayal of Sicilian mafia life.
Personally, I think this is the right decision. Not every game needs to be a massive open-world experience that demands 100+ hours to complete.
That said, MAFIA: The Old Country will still feature some level of exploration. Sicily is a large setting, and Hangar 13 will likely incorporate various side activities and missions that tie directly into the main story—avoiding unnecessary filler content.
A More Cinematic Experience Powered by Unreal Engine 5
As I mentioned in my previous article on The Witcher franchise, many studios have abandoned their in-house game engines in favor of Unreal Engine 5—and MAFIA: The Old Country is no exception. Hangar 13 promises stunningly realistic visuals, making players feel like they’re inside a classic mobster film. However, we must acknowledge the technical issues that often come with Unreal Engine 5.
While it simplifies game development and provides cutting-edge tools, the engine has frequently been plagued with performance issues. Recent releases like Black Myth: Wukong and STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl have both suffered from stuttering and frame drops, regardless of hardware specs.
It’s also worth noting that Hangar 13 previously had its own proprietary engine, used for Mafia III and the Mafia remake. Instead of refining and improving their own technology, they have now shifted entirely to Unreal Engine 5, just like CD Projekt RED did when they abandoned the RED Engine.
A common complaint about Unreal Engine 5 is that many of its games look similar due to the way realism is rendered. However, we’ll have to wait and see how MAFIA: The Old Country turns out and whether it suffers from the same performance issues that have plagued other recent titles.
Release Date and Platforms
At The Game Awards 2024, we finally got the answer to one of the biggest questions in the gaming community: When is the new Mafia game coming out?
We’re happy to confirm that MAFIA: The Old Country will launch in Summer 2025. While Hangar 13 hasn’t provided a specific release date yet, we expect more details in early 2025.
What’s even bolder is that Take-Two Interactive (Hangar 13’s parent company) is also publishing Grand Theft Auto VI in late 2025. Releasing two crime-focused games in the same year shows the company’s confidence in both titles.
Platforms:
MAFIA: The Old Country is a next-gen exclusive, meaning it will launch on:
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC
For console players, the best experience will likely be on the PlayStation 5 Pro, offering higher resolution, frame rates, and enhanced visuals.
Final Thoughts
It looks like Hangar 13 has learned from Mafia III’s shortcomings and is ready to deliver a more cinematic, story-driven experience with MAFIA: The Old Country.
With everything we know so far, we can’t wait to dive into this criminal underworld. Now, we just have to wait until Summer 2025 to see if it lives up to expectations!