Hangar 13 Dives Deep into Mafia: The Old Country's Vision
Hangar 13 is gearing up to release Mafia: The Old Country, a highly anticipated prequel set in early 20th-century Sicily. Players will step into the shoes of Enzo, a young criminal raised in the mines, skilled with a knife. The game departs from the open-world format, opting instead for a linear, story-driven experience focused on atmosphere, choreographed scenes, and strong direction, reminiscent of the early titles in the series.
In a recent interview with IGN, studio president Nick Baynes and game director Alex Cox shed light on the core decisions behind the game's gameplay, narrative, and authenticity. They also discussed the choice of setting and the approach to creating the main protagonist.
A Focused, Completable Story
Nick Baynes openly stated, "As someone who plays games myself, and as a developer who listens to fans, I see that people enjoy finishing stories. And our stories are made to be completed. We're really proud of what we tell – all these story arcs, character developments." He emphasized that the decision to move away from an open world and make Mafia: The Old Country more focused was driven not by marketing, but by a genuine desire to guide players through to the end.
Alex Cox added that player feedback on Mafia: Definitive Edition was a significant factor. "A lot of it actually started with the reaction to Mafia: Definitive Edition. We saw how people reacted to that game. One of the common pieces of feedback was, ‘It’s great that you can get to the end of it because it’s shorter than Mafia III, and you get to see the ending.’ That was a kind of trigger for us. We realized that the remake was the type of Mafia game many people wanted to play. And that really pushed us toward the decision about what the next step for the franchise should be, what kind of game we wanted to tackle next."
Creative Freedom and Attention to Detail
The shift in format has granted the development team immense freedom. They can now design levels precisely as intended, without the pressure of populating a massive open map with activities. Baynes explained the benefit: "The main consequence here is not so much how much time development takes, but how much you can concentrate on specific things and devote maximum attention to them. It allows you to really polish everything to a shine, to make the game a truly polished jewel where every element has received due attention. We want everything the user encounters to feel truly high quality, and for us to be able to realize our vision at the highest level."
He further noted, "Sometimes, as a developer, you want to cover everything, but you have to prioritize. And the narrower the focus, the more you can polish every detail."
Team Continuity and Experience
Nick revealed that Mafia: The Old Country isn't just being made by people inspired by past installments. Among the developers are veterans who worked on Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven in the early 2000s. Some have been with the series through all three main entries and even contributed to the remake. This means Hangar 13 didn't just have to study the originals; they had direct access to the people who built those games.
According to Baynes, when developing any game, especially a Mafia title, the team constantly asks: What makes Mafia, Mafia? What do players look for in it? What worked before, and what didn't? They draw upon their own collective experience to answer these questions. Nick mentioned he joined the studio 7-8 years ago, so for him, it's already an "old" series, but colleagues have been there since the early 2000s. He considers this internal team continuity—not just in terms of story or mechanics, but among the people themselves—to be truly valuable and rare.
Transition to Unreal Engine 5
The IGN journalist inquired why the developers transitioned from their proprietary engine to Unreal Engine 5 for Mafia: The Old Country. Alex explained that Unreal provides the studio access to cutting-edge visual technologies—a crucial factor because the team wanted to highlight the beauty of Sicily, craft detailed landscapes, and achieve a truly cinematic presentation. Thanks to MetaHuman, they achieved a high level of facial animation, which, according to the game director, is extremely important for Mafia, just as it was in previous installments.
Nick Baynes added that another reason was the desire to focus on the game's content rather than engine development. Maintaining a proprietary toolkit requires enormous resources, especially with growing technological demands. Unreal allowed the studio to concentrate on gameplay, story, visuals, and cutscenes—ultimately enhancing the quality of the final product.
Interestingly, at the very beginning of the new title's development, the team almost entirely transitioned to Unreal Engine and rallied around one common task: recreating the marketplace from Mafia II. Since that game began in Sicily, and their new project also unfolds in the same location—the town of San Celeste, which appears at the very beginning of Mafia II—choosing this location was logical. First, its appearance was already familiar. Second, it was intriguing to see how it would change after a major update 15 years later. And finally, it's an existing location from the franchise that helped the team immediately set the right artistic and narrative tone. Work on the new game began in the center of San Celeste.
The Knife as a Key Element of the Protagonist's Identity
The developers shared why the knife became a central element in the protagonist's character. Since Enzo grew up in poverty and learned to rely on makeshift tools from childhood, the knife in the game isn't just a melee weapon; it's a logical extension of his personality and past. Cold steel is much more natural to him than firearms. He can use the knife in various ways: for stealth attacks, throwing, and picking locks. Furthermore, knives dull and need sharpening, making the mechanic deeper and more justified.
Cox added that the use of the knife is also rooted in historical context—in the early 20th century, the knife was a characteristic weapon of Sicilian criminals, and knife fighting was considered a form of martial art. Knife duels, set against the picturesque Sicilian landscapes, have become one of the game's unique and atmospheric elements, emphasizing its connection to history and setting.
Stealth and a Survival Atmosphere
When the IGN journalist asked about stealth in Mafia: The Old Country, Alex explained that the Mafia series has always embraced a "rollercoaster" idea—varying pace and diverse gameplay situations, from shootouts and chases to stealth missions. Stealth elements have been present since Mafia II, becoming a full-fledged part of the gameplay in Mafia III. In The Old Country, stealth is also designed as an integral part of the formula.
Cox emphasized, "What's especially important for this game—we wanted combat to feel more dangerous, to give it a more grounded nature. We aimed for any encounter with enemies to feel like a real threat. Therefore, stealth had to convey an atmosphere of survival in a dangerous environment. Covert movement and enemy elimination are now much more valuable. This also reflects the essence of Enzo—a person trying to survive in Sicily in the early 20th century. It's a world with limited resources, where during fights you have to search and collect everything you can. So a thoughtful, deliberate playstyle, especially with stealth, is truly rewarded here."
Meticulous Approach to Authenticity
The developers confirmed that the team approached authenticity in Mafia: The Old Country with great care. Alex Cox noted that in past series entries, the authenticity of local realities (Chicago, New York, New Orleans) was ensured partly through acting. In The Old Country, the primary language is English, but with an Italian accent, and it was crucial to avoid caricature and stereotypes. Therefore, casting was done very carefully: several key actors, including the lead actor Riccardo Frascari, are native Italian speakers. The rest underwent training with pronunciation coaches to ensure their English with a Sicilian accent sounded convincing.
Additionally, the studio collaborated with developers from Sicily who advised them on cultural matters and acting delivery, helping to maintain historical accuracy and avoid stereotypes.
Why a Prequel?
The IGN journalist asked why Hangar 13 chose to make a prequel this time, rather than continuing events after the third installment or placing the game between the second and third. Nick answered that there were many reasons. Firstly, they wanted to start a completely new story arc for the Mafia series. The project is an excellent fit for newcomers—they don't need to play previous titles. However, for fans, there are various connections, easter eggs, and hints at characters that tie the entire series together. It's a good starting point to tell the origins of organized crime and the franchise itself, while laying the groundwork for future projects.
Furthermore, developers always aim to make gamers feel like they're in a mafia film, and after the American cities where previous games took place, it seemed very fitting and unique to go to Sicily. It's a beautiful place with a unique history, offering new opportunities that might be absent in other cities. So, this choice was logical for beginning a new storyline.
Mafia – Not a 3-Hour Game
The developers haven't specified the exact length of Mafia: The Old Country, but the general reference points are Mafia and Mafia II. The project's price will be $50, and Baynes stressed: this doesn't mean the game is short. It's simply focused on storytelling, polished, and made with an emphasis on quality rather than scale.
Baynes explained, "As developers, we don't particularly look at the price point – for us, the main thing is to make the highest quality game possible. And from the feeling, The Old Country is literally imbued with AAA quality. When you start playing, you won't feel like it's some 'low-budget' story. It looks amazing, plays great, it has all the depth you'd expect—in the dialogues, in the world, in the experience the player gets. So there's definitely no need to worry about quality, let alone about it being 'too short.' I saw someone online after the price announcement wrote: 'It'll probably be finished in three hours.' Well, no, it's not three hours. But if you're expecting something in the vein of Mafia I or Mafia II, I think you'll be very happy."
The authentic and focused Mafia: The Old Country is set to release on August 8th for PC (Steam), Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5, with full Russian localization available.
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