Developer Hanger 13 has revealed that the reason their upcoming game Mafia: The Old Country doesn’t have an Open World is because of how it turned out for their previous title, Mafia 3 where the inclusion of an Open World was severely criticized by both fans and players alike for moving away from the first two games’ memorable linear mission structures. And that’s why the latest entry in the series, Mafia: The Old Country returns “back to the roots of what fans love about the Mafia franchise”, said Hangar 13 president Nick Baynes.
A recent Exclusive Hands-On Preview by IGN has offered more insights on why the devs didn’t incorporate an Open World in Mafia: The Old Country:
“Hangar 13 president Nick Baynes repeatedly mentioned his team’s desire for players to finish this prequel’s story,” IGN explained. “With that goal in mind, the latest Mafia game turns back the clock chronologically and in game design as well.”
“Mafia 3, though very good, went full open world, and the developers seem to feel similarly about it in hindsight as players did; It just didn’t fit Mafia well.”
Also, according to IGN, the positive reception from 2020’s Mafia Remake had also helped the developers to make the upcoming game completely on a linear, mission-based structure.
The devs have also released a recent 9 minute gameplay video of Mafia: The Old Country that will give you a glimpse of the overall gameplay experience you can expect in the upcoming title. So check it out:
Mafia: The Old Country is slated to release on August 8, 2025 for Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S and the PC platform. The Standard Edition of the game is priced at $49.99 on all platforms while the Deluxe Edition of the game costs $59.99. The Deluxe Edition will contain several additional weapons along with accessories such as in-game outfits for your character, digital bonus materials including the Original Score and a Digital Artbook full of concept art and developer notes.
