Mafia: The Old Country – Setting, plot details, everything we know

Mafia The Old Country splash art2K Games

It’s been eight years since the last mainline entry in the Mafia franchise but a new entry is now in development. Mafia: The Old Country is taking the franchise back to its roots, and it’s coming sooner than you might have guessed. Here’s everything you need to know.

Over the course of 20 years and three staggered releases, the Mafia series has become one of the more beloved out of 2K Games. Following on from a trilogy re-release in 2020, we now know a full-fledged new release is in the works.

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The earliest reports suggested a prequel was in development, and we now know that to be true thanks to an official reveal at Gamescom 2024.

With Mafia: The Old Country now in the spotlight, we’ve got you covered with the full rundown on every detail revealed thus far.

Is there a release date for Mafia: The Old Country?

No, there’s no concrete release date yet for the new Mafia game. We do know, however, the game is currently targeting a release at some stage in 2025. Exactly when in 2025 is anyone’s guess for now.

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We first heard rumblings of development on a new Mafia game all the way back in 2022, so it’s safe to say this one has been in the pipeline for quite some time already. Should plans hold together, we’ll be seeing Mafia: The Old Country in the next calendar year.

Mafia The Old Country cinematic2K Games
We’re yet to see the new Mafia game in action, but we may not have to wait long.

Though it’s worth bearing in mind the Mafia series is published by 2K, whose parent company, Take-Two Interactive just so happens to have GTA 6 on the calendar for next year. Given they’re both open-world games with a similar penchant for crime, there’s every chance Mafia gets pushed out the way.

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Further details are set to be revealed in December, 2024. We’ll keep you posted here if we hear a concrete release date then.

Mafia: The Old Country platforms

The next Mafia game is set to release across Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation 5, and PC through Steam.

There’s been no word on support for past-gen hardware, so it’s safe to assume the new entry in the series was built from the ground up with the latest specs in mind.

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Trailers

The first teaser for Mafia: The Old Country premiered at Gamescom 2024’s Opening Night Live. The brief 62 second clip gave us little to go off beyond an early look at its setting and period, more on that below.

New Mafia game setting & plot details

From the very first reports of a new Mafia project, Kotaku claimed the developers at Hangar 13 were toiling away on a prequel. Allegedly codenamed ‘Nero,’ the fourth entry in the series was reportedly to take players back in time before the events of the very first game.

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Further comments from XboxEra host Nick Baker implied the prequel would be set between the late 19th century and early 20th century, with a supposed focus on Don Salieri, a boss from the original game.

While not everything has held true, we do now know for certain Mafia: The Old Guard is technically a prequel, set prior to the events of any other Mafia game. Set in early 1900s Sicily, the game is set to focus on “the origins of organized crime.”

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“In Mafia: The Old Country, we’re going back to the roots of what fans love about the franchise, crafting a deep, linear narrative with that classic mob movie feeling, visiting a stunning new setting, and delivering it all in a tight, focused package perfect for fans of immersive experiences,” Hangar 13’s Nick Baynes said upon the game’s reveal.

As for which characters may appear, whether any familiar faces may show up, it’s yet unclear, though there’s every chance the Salieri family comes back into the mix here.

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We’ll be sure to update you here any further details emerge as we get closer to the game’s launch.