According to a new rumor, 2K Games' unconfirmed Mafia 4 recently entered development at Hangar 13, the production studio responsible for Mafia III as well as the original game's stellar 2020 remake. Hangar 13 and publisher 2K Games have yet to corroborate these details at the time of writing.
The development team's alleged pivot back to the crime-ridden world of Mafia is happening at quite the transformative time. Reportedly, 2K canceled the group's work-in-progress superhero game, which never received so much as a tease despite production beginning sometime in 2017. Hangar 13 has also undergone a bit of shakeup, evidenced by the departure of former Studio Head Haden Blackman who served as Creative Director on 2016's underappreciated Mafia 3. While 2K neglected to mention as much upon confirming Blackman's exit, the Novato, California-based development house also lost its Chief Operating Officer, Matthew Urban.
In Episode 109 of The XboxEra Podcast (via PlayStation Universe), co-host and industry insider Nick Baker offered more insight about Hangar 13's alleged Mafia 4 project. Unsubstantiated information from one of Baker's sources claims the next Mafia game will revolve around Don Salieri's family in Sicily, Italy, during a period beginning in the late 19th Century and ending in the early 20th Century. Apparently, the experience will also feature a more linear structure akin to the first two entries, eschewing the open-world design that beset the Mafia 3 experience. Baker's Mafia-related rumor mill talk begins around the 1:57:00 mark in the video linked below:
Since the details above remain uncorroborated, Mafia faithful would do well to not take Mafia 4 rumors at face value. A prequel does seem an interesting next step for the series, though, especially if it centers on the roots of the Salieri Crime Family. Notably, Don Salieri plays an integral role in the franchise's first entry, acting as the boss of protagonist Tommy Angelo. And the fate of the family results in consequences that ripple throughout both sequels.
Developed by 2K Czech, the first Mafia game drops players into the role of young mafioso Tommy Angelo between the years of 1930 and 1938. The Czech team's acclaimed sequel, Mafia II, focalizes Vito Scaletta, a World War II veteran who turns to a life of crime in the 40s and 50s. Lincoln Clay takes the driver's seat in the third entry, allowing players to explore a reimagined version of 1960s New Orleans. All three adventures especially excel in of storytelling, making Mafia 4's rumored return to linearity all the more intriguing.
Source: The XboxEra Podcast (via PlayStation Universe)
