Mafia: The Old Country – Everything We Know About the Mafia Prequel

Mafia: The Old Country marks a dramatic return to the series’ roots, taking players to Sicily in the early 1900s for an origin story that predates the events of the original game by decades. Developed by Hangar 13 and published by 2K, this fourth mainline entry promises a gritty, emotionally charged narrative experience focused on quality storytelling over expansive open-world design.

The announcement at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 signaled a new chapter for the franchise, which has accumulated over 38 million copies sold since its inception. Rather than building on the open-world model of recent entries, the development team has chosen a linear, highly-polished approach that emphasizes period authenticity and character-driven storytelling.

What is Mafia: The Old Country?

Mafia: The Old Country is a 2025 action-adventure game serving as the fourth main entry in the Mafia series. Unlike its predecessors, this installment functions as a prequel, exploring the origins of organized crime decades before the events of the original Mafia game. The title places players in Sicily during the early 1900s, a period marked by social upheaval, economic hardship, and the emergence of criminal organizations that would shape the region’s history.

Developer and Publisher Details

Hangar 13, a studio under the 2K banner, leads development with over 22 years of combined experience working on the Mafia franchise. The team draws on veterans from previous titles who understand the series’ core strengths in narrative-driven gameplay and period recreation. Studio president Nick Baynes, game director Alex Cox, and cinematic director Tomas Hrebicek represent key leadership figures guiding the project.

Publisher 2K, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, handles global release operations and pre-order distribution for the title. The company’s involvement ensures the game receives the marketing support and distribution reach typical of major franchise entries.

• First prequel in the main Mafia series, set decades before the original game
• Set in Sicily during the early 1900s with emphasis on period authenticity
• Linear narrative experience prioritizing storytelling over open-world exploration
• Features returning gameplay pillars: driving, combat, stealth, and gunplay
• Launching August 8, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
• Standard Edition priced at $49.99, Deluxe Edition at $59.99

What is the Setting and Story of Mafia: The Old Country?

The narrative unfolds in Sicily during the early 1900s, a time when lemon groves stretched across the countryside and organized crime was still taking shape. Developers have invested significant effort in period authenticity, recreating the landscape, architecture, and social conditions of the era with attention to historical detail. The setting reflects a region caught between tradition and modernization, where poverty and ambition drove many toward lives of crime.

Historical Context in 1900s Sicily

The early 1900s represented a transformative period for Sicily, which had been unified into Italy only decades earlier. Economic disparity remained severe, with rural laborers often finding themselves trapped in cycles of debt and exploitation. It was within this environment that criminal organizations found fertile ground for recruitment, drawing on young men desperate for opportunity and protection. The game explores these social conditions through its protagonist’s eyes, presenting the harsh realities of life for those at the bottom of the economic hierarchy.

Connection to Mafia Series

As a prequel, Mafia: The Old Country takes place decades before the events of the original Mafia game. The story follows Enzo Favara, a teenage carusu—a term referring to child laborers who worked in the sulfur mines of Sicily. Players guide Enzo as he becomes entangled with the fictional Torrisi crime family, witnessing its rise and eventual fall. This origin story establishes the foundation for the criminal organizations that would feature in later games, connecting the prequel thematically to the series’ established narrative universe.

When is the Mafia: The Old Country Release Date and What Platforms?

Mafia: The Old Country launched worldwide on August 8, 2025, with launch times varying by platform and region. Players in New York on PC could access the game starting August 7 at 12:00 PM EDT, while PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions became available August 8 at 12:00 AM EDT. A brief store listing initially suggested an August 7 release date, but official sources confirmed the August 8 launch window.

The game released simultaneously on three platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. PC players can access the title through Steam or NVIDIA GeForce NOW, the latter providing cloud-based gaming options for those without powerful local hardware. No announcements have been made regarding release on older console generations or handheld devices.

Mafia: The Old Country Gameplay and Trailer

The gameplay approach represents a deliberate departure from the open-world model that defined recent Mafia titles. Rather than offering expansive explorable environments, Mafia: The Old Country delivers a linear, highly-polished narrative experience designed to complement the company’s live-service releases. The development team prioritized storytelling quality over playtime length, creating a focused adventure that emphasizes character development and narrative momentum.

Key Features from Announcement

The official gameplay trailer, released July 7, 2025, showcased several core gameplay elements that fans can expect. Mission briefings appear as a key feature, with players receiving objectives and context for their actions within the criminal world. Gun selection mechanics provide customization options, allowing players to choose weapons suited to different approaches. Traditional Mafia activities including driving, combat, stealth, and gunplay return with refinements aimed at delivering a premium experience.

The trailer revealed an accidental early leak before the official version became available, building anticipation among the series’ dedicated fanbase. Prior to the gameplay reveal, the full trailer debuted at The Game Awards 2024 on December 12, having been leaked earlier in the week. A teaser announcement at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 on August 20 marked the game’s first public appearance, generating initial excitement for the prequel concept.

Announcement and Reveal Timeline

The path from announcement to launch spanned approximately one year, with multiple public appearances building anticipation for the prequel. Each reveal event served a specific purpose in establishing the game’s identity and generating coverage across gaming media outlets.

1. August 20, 2024 — Teaser revealed during Gamescom Opening Night Live, introducing the prequel concept and early details about the Sicilian setting.
2. December 12, 2024 — Full trailer debuted at The Game Awards, with the footage leaking earlier in the week before the scheduled presentation.
3. May 8, 2025 — PAX East panel featured a new trailer, developer Q&A session, and official release date confirmation following a Steam blog leak that had suggested August 7.
4. July 7, 2025 — Gameplay trailer released, showcasing mission briefings, weapon selection, driving, combat, stealth, and gunplay mechanics in action.
5. August 8, 2025 — Worldwide launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

The Franchise Context

The Mafia series has accumulated over 38 million copies sold since the original game’s debut, establishing itself as one of the defining franchises in the organized crime gaming genre. Each mainline entry has explored different eras and settings, from the Prohibition-era Prohibition of the first game to the 1960s backdrop of Mafia II and the 1970s setting of Mafia III. Mafia: The Old Country continues this tradition of period-specific storytelling while marking the series’ first venture into prequel territory.

The decision to return to roots with a focused narrative experience reflects broader industry trends toward quality over quantity in single-player adventures. By removing open-world obligations, Hangar 13 can allocate resources toward polished environments, detailed animations, and narrative sequences that might otherwise stretch across an expansive map. The franchise’s enduring popularity demonstrates sustained player interest in story-driven crime narratives when executed with sufficient care and historical authenticity.

Sources and Developer Insights

Mafia: The Old Country is a gritty, grounded, brutal, emotional mafia origin story that takes players to Sicily in the early 1900s.

— Official 2K Newsroom

Primary sources for this coverage include the official 2K newsroom, which provided developer insights and confirmed core details about the project. Industry coverage from outlets including GameSpot and Hitmarker supplemented official announcements with additional context about the reveal timeline and pricing structure. The Wikipedia entry for the game aggregates confirmed information from multiple sources, serving as a useful reference for cross-verification.

Summary

Mafia: The Old Country represents a significant pivot for the series, trading open-world ambition for a focused narrative prequel set in early 1900s Sicily. With Hangar 13’s decades of experience and 2K’s publishing support, the game aims to deliver an emotionally resonant origin story through refined gameplay pillars including driving, combat, stealth, and gunplay. The August 2025 launch brings the prequel to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC players seeking an authentic period crime drama experience. For those interested in related content, this analysis of storytelling in adaptations explores similar narrative themes across different media.

Frequently Asked Questions