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Ahead of launch this week, we recently caught up with Cinematics Director Tomas Hrebicek and Game Director Alex Cox from Hangar 13 to chat all about Mafia: The Old Country, covering inspirations and learnings, new gameplay systems and the importance of a strong character-driven narrative.
Mafia: The Old Country is out for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on Friday, August 8th. You can grab it for $79 with free shipping HERE.
What inspired you to do a prequel this time around?
We wanted to provide players with a new experience by going back to the roots of organized crime in 1900s Sicily with a compelling new cast of characters. The Sicilian Mafia is an important part of the American-Mafia story and the “Old Country” is referenced throughout the Mafia series and is the historical foundation that the whole franchise is built upon.
What learnings have you taken from earlier entries in the series for The Old Country?
Our team learned from our previous titles, especially with the combat system. Mafia: The Old Country perfects Mafia gameplay with grounded and dangerous combat systems, including high-stakes stealth and gunplay mechanics, that enhance the criminal narrative.
Your team’s drawn back the open world and are instead focusing on a more linear narrative this time – I’m keen to know more about what inspired you to go in that direction?
The Mafia series is known for immersing players in brutal Mafia worlds through cinematic experiences rooted in story and character. A linear narrative is the best way to tell the unforgettable Mafia story of Mafia: The Old Country.
What’s been some of the inspirations you’ve drawn on while making Mafia: The Old Country?
When crafting our story, we naturally looked to The Godfather trilogy as a foundational cultural touchstone. Its enduring legacy in popular culture—and particularly its unforgettable episodes set in Sicily—has profoundly shaped the way audiences imagine the world of organized crime. Those iconic moments, steeped in atmosphere and tradition, served as a constant source of inspiration throughout development.
We also drew heavily from Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard, a sweeping historical epic set in 19th-century Sicily. The film’s rich visual language and period authenticity offered an invaluable reference point.
Together, these films helped guide the look, tone, and thematic backbone of the game experience—anchoring it in a lineage of grand, operatic storytelling set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Sicily.
What’s it been like researching and designing an early 1900s Sicily?
Researching and developing a game set in 1900s Sicily has been a genuinely fascinating journey for us as developers, whether it was reading about Sicily’s rich history, studying hundreds of period photographs, speaking with locals about their culture and language, or visiting the island to see game locations in person. If even a fraction of what we’ve learned comes through in Mafia: The Old Country, we’re confident players will find Sicily a compelling and rewarding place to explore.
Characters and their stories are at the forefront of the Mafia games. Tell more more about what to expect with this cast of characters?
Players will experience Mafia: The Old Country as Enzo Favara and prove their worth. Enzo’s story unfolds in a time when skill with a stiletto blade was a deadly asset, a lupara sawed-off shotgun was a go-to firearm, murderous vendettas raged for decades, and mafiosi patrolled their protection rackets on foot, horseback, or behind the wheel of turn-of-the-century motorcars.
Enzo has a unique backstory compared to the other protagonists in the Mafia stories. Through grit and determination, Enzo has survived a childhood of indentured labor in Sicily’s hellish sulfur mines. Now, through a twist of fate, he has the opportunity to join Don Torrisi’s crime family, and will do whatever it takes to carve out a better life for himself.
Are there any nods for long-time Mafia fans in The Old Country?
Fans who keep their eyes peeled may see some familiar references.
Can you talk about your time working with Unreal Engine 5 – what’s been some highlights and what’s been some lowlights/learnings?
Changing game engines is a massive undertaking, particularly after more than two decades of building games on our own proprietary technology. However, our overall experience with Unreal 5 has been very positive. The engine’s powerful toolset has enabled us to reach new heights of visual fidelity across environments, lighting, and cinematics.
I’m keen to know about some gameplay systems you’re particularly excited by in The Old Country?
I’m excited about how we’ve modernized Mafia gameplay with grounded and dangerous combat systems that enhance the criminal narrative in Mafia: The Old Country. With brutal and grounded high-stakes stealth and gunplay mechanics, Mafia: The Old Country authentically immerses you in a detailed Mafia world.
Mafia: The Old Country is out for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on Friday, August 8th. You can grab it for $79 with free shipping HERE.
