It appears exceptional that Mafia: The Old Country and Grand Theft Auto 6 might find yourself releasing inside a number of months of one another, extra exceptional nonetheless that they’re each owned by the identical mum or dad firm. Each video games are about crime, homicide, and getting up to no good, and whereas one is ready in 1900s Sicily and the opposite a fictional illustration of Miami, you’d be forgiven for pondering the builders of Mafia: The Old Country would like a bit extra respiration room from the behemoth that’s GTA 6.
However in an interview with IGN forward of Mafia: The Old Country’s trailer reveal at The Sport Awards 2024, sport director Alex Cox and Hangar 13 president Nick Baynes dismissed these issues, and even distanced their sport from comparisons to GTA 6. GTA 6, after all, is ready to supply maybe essentially the most superior open world ever created. Mafia: The Old Country, then again, shouldn’t be thought-about an open-world sport in any respect.
Slightly, the pair insisted, Mafia: The Old Country is extra like Mafia 1 and a pair of than it’s the open-world Mafia 3. It’s a “linear, narrative-driven” sport, a “centered package deal” that provides a “cinematic expertise.” You may end up driving round an genuine illustration of 1900s Sicily in Mafia: The Old Country, and even driving round on horseback a bit like that different Rockstar sport, however the similarities cease there.
Learn on to discover out why Hangar 13 opted to return in time moderately than ahead, the steps the developer took to be certain its model of 1900s Sicily is excellent, and the specter of GTA 6 just about stomping throughout it.
IGN: Are you able to inform me a bit about Enzo?
Alex Cox: Yeah, positive. The trailer’s themed round Enzo’s initiation. He is being initiated into the Torrisi crime household. The Don, the man that is reducing his lip, is the crime boss and he’s the man who Enzo solutions to within the sport. Enzo begins in a really humble approach. He begins his story within the Sicilian sulfur mines. They have been a hidden historical past I suppose to some extent for folks. However there was this sulfur mining particularly utilizing very younger youngsters. Carusu, they have been recognized as, have been a function within the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century in Sicily.
There’s lots of people concerned there. In order that’s Enzo’s backstory. He grows up successfully on this very harsh and uncaring setting. After which he escapes from that early in our story after which finds his approach into the mafia in ways in which shall be revealed. That is when folks get to play the sport. That is Enzo, and he clearly comes from a really humble background. So the mafia provides him a possibility to make one thing of himself, earn some standing or respect. He is come from the actually lowest strata of Sicilian society at the start of the story. He is actually decided to do something it takes to get one thing for himself and make one thing of himself.
Nick Baynes: I believe he is going to be an actual fan-favorite. He is acquired a really distinctive backstory in contrast to the opposite protagonists within the Mafia tales. Enzo is a few child who’s been very disadvantaged in his childhood. He is actually had no household in any respect, and he stumbles throughout the household. So it’s a very attention-grabbing journey as a participant watching him expertise this and going by means of that with him. It is fairly a well-recognized however contemporary tackle the rags to riches mob film story.
Alex Cox: One thing that we needed to do with the story typically is to make it possible for we’re evaluating and contrasting with a number of the American mafia tales that we have executed and folks shall be conversant in in different media, after which utilizing Enzo as our alternative to go and discover that. However by means of Sicily again within the day, across the time when the Sicilian mafia was created, on the peak of its affect again within the nineteenth to early twentieth century.
IGN: The first Mafia sport was set within the Thirties after which the sequels progressed in time with every sport, to the 40’s then late sixties. However you have gone again for this one. What prompted the choice to do this as opposed to persevering with into the seventies or eighties? Why did you resolve to go all the best way again and certainly to Sicily moderately than one other place in time within the U.S?
Alex Cox: It was attention-grabbing for us as a result of we’re beginning a brand new period of Mafia in some methods as a result of we have executed an engine reboot. We have moved to Unreal, and we have been trying round. One of many issues about Mafia we expect, as you say, we may set tales in many alternative locations, in many alternative areas. However after we have been fascinated about what the subsequent sport ought to appear like, one of many ones with essentially the most distinctive and distinctive guarantees was the Sicilian setting, the backstory the place all of it got here from. It is there in The Godfather, it is there in plenty of different stuff. The Old Country it is referred to, we’re all conversant in what meaning, but it surely’s one thing that we have by no means actually executed within the video games. And in order that was the primary cause.
After which slotting it again initially is handy for us as a result of we will inform a brand new story. It is linked to the broader Mafia universe, it isn’t a reboot or something, but it surely freed us to do one thing new and to actually benefit from that setting in a approach that is additionally attention-grabbing as a result of we’re altering up the historical past somewhat bit. Slightly than getting extra trendy, going again to an period which can be somewhat bit uncommon, that daybreak of the beginning of the twentieth century, we have nonetheless acquired the trimmings of the nineteenth century, driving across the horseback and we have the weapons and an armory that you simply may anticipate at the moment interval. However the trendy world, the twentieth century is dawning. So these type of early variations of these type of applied sciences are beginning to seem. It is simply attention-grabbing for us to discover creatively for that cause.
Nick Baynes: It additionally serves three functions. Clearly it’s the origins of the particular mafia, the real-world mafia. It’s the starting of issues that lead into the unique trilogy, but it surely additionally units up a complete new story, entire new tales within the Mafia universe. So I believe for individuals who have cherished Mafia video games prior to now, it is a actually satisfying sport for them, taking them to an space that they’ve by no means been to earlier than. And it is a actually good leaping on level for brand new gamers as properly who perhaps have not tried Mafia prior to now and need to attempt it out. You do not want to know something about another video games.
Alex Cox: It has been a while since Mafia 3. Fascinated by it now, it wasn’t actually entrance of thoughts. However yeah, it’s a leaping off level for brand new gamers. Whereas there are connections to the broader story, it isn’t the primary focus of the sport. So returning followers will get one thing from these facet tales and subplots and what have you ever. However it’s a contemporary beginning off level for brand new gamers.
IGN: You say it’s not a reboot and it’s set inside the similar universe as the primary three video games. So for individuals who did play these and are actually invested in Mafia, will there be acquainted characters that they will see on this sport at a special stage? Are followers going to see stuff that can then lead into issues that they’ve seen in Mafia 1 or 2?
Nick Baynes: We’re not going into into particulars proper now on that form of stuff. I believe to a level it is constant to different Mafia video games. In order that they’ve had issues within the background that tie them collectively, however not essentially explicitly in your face. However yeah, I believe followers shall be glad.
Alex Cox: With out getting too spoilery, it is undoubtedly an intentional a part of the primary story. It is linked to these different tales. We all know that the primary character is Enzo. He’s not a returning character. Don Torrisi is equally not a returning character. So it isn’t like a direct prequel in a approach like purely serialized fiction.
IGN: So it isn’t like Star Wars main up to Darth Vader in Episode IV?
Alex Cox: In the best way that the opposite Mafia video games are linked to each other by means of recurring plots, themes, and characters, moderately than it being back-to-back. I might say we will discuss it in that sense.
IGN: You’ve got talked about authenticity earlier than with it being set in 1900s Sicily. I assume the workforce had a pleasant time on the market doing analysis. What kind of issues did you stand up to to just remember to captured that point? You are speaking about over 100 years in the past. So what steps did you’re taking to attempt to recreate it as authentically as potential?
Alex Cox: We have been on the market a number of instances over the previous couple of years. We went to Sicily, a number of journeys on the market with numerous members of the workforce. We partnered with a Sicilian sport studio known as Stormind, which has been nice to collaborate as a result of they perceive what we’re in search of as sport builders. They perceive the challenges of sport improvement after all and the type of data we’re going to want to know. And people guys helped us to join with numerous consultants in Sicily, historians.
One man for instance is sort of a knife skilled. He is a man that crafts all of those completely different sorts of knives. He is heavy into Sicilian knife combating, which is one thing that options on this sport. I wasn’t on this journey, however the guys went to go to his workshop and he talked us by means of all the creation of knives and the tradition round knives in Sicilian tradition, and clearly it is related to Mafia as a mafiosi weapon.
We visited a complete vary of locations really. We went round and did the tour of the island. The sport’s largely set within the countryside really. If you go to Sicily, many of the island remains to be a really rural setting. And so really should you go and see locations now, these previous cities and villages and issues like that, they appear very, very comparable to they might’ve executed 100 years in the past. In order that’s cool.
It was an actual mixture of place occasions to go to. So places from The Godfather motion pictures for instance, to sulfur mines. I went to this disused – happily now – Sicilian sulfur mine the place these little one laborers have been as soon as put to work. As with the opposite Mafia video games, recreating the setting is a very large a part of the pitch. It’s like this time interval, the mafia on this setting and ensuring that is a wealthy realization of that.
IGN: Seems like lots of enjoyable!
Nick Baynes: We have tried to be as respectful as potential. It is such an attractive island. As properly as really getting reference and having companions there, we have made a degree to then assessment what we really do with folks on the market to make it possible for it does appear devoted.
The suggestions typically has been extremely optimistic. However generally there’s been feedback like, oh you have acquired this one factor right here, however really we anticipate to see this in all places, on the finish of each wall. So we take that on board and we attempt to alter it the place we will. So I believe folks which are conversant in Sicily I believe are actually going to respect the illustration.
IGN: On the finish of the trailer you have acquired summer season 2025. You may be as conscious as everybody that you’re popping out forward of this different sport that I assume is form of comparable. That have to be fairly a frightening prospect, but it surely’d be nice to get your perspective on Mafia popping out the identical yr as GTA 6 when each video games are ostensibly open-world crime video games, you are going to drive round and you are going to do crime stuff. What do you suppose will assist set Mafia other than that and hopefully hold folks enjoying it and keep away from that inevitable crush? I do know so many video games are involved about this.
Nick Baynes: What I might say is, actually once you make a sport, they take so lengthy to make, you simply create the most effective factor you may and also you hope it stands by itself two ft. Clearly I am conscious of the sport you are referring to, however I am positive there’s lots of large video games popping out subsequent yr and we are going to welcome that. I believe it is nice for players.
I believe our sport is a superb expertise and folks will actually get pleasure from what they discover there. And I most likely know as a lot as you about another video games popping out subsequent yr. Most likely much less really! Actually although, it appears like I am avoiding the query. It is not likely one thing we take into consideration an excessive amount of as a workforce as a result of it’s out of our management. We simply make the most effective sport we will. We’re making it for Mafia followers, it is the story we wish inform within the Mafia universe. Actually, exterior of, I do not know, the chat down the pub about how we really feel in regards to the market typically or what’s popping out subsequent, it isn’t one thing that we ever discuss. We simply need to make the most effective Mafia sport potential.
Alex Cox: They’re completely different video games, and truly extra so over time. Definitely should you monitor each GTA and Mafia since 2000-ish, 2002 when GTA 3 and Mafia got here out, they have been mechanically very comparable video games. However Mafia’s all the time had a bit extra deal with its linear narrative versus the sandbox experiences, which Rockstar does business tremendous very best quality. Truly Mafia over time has change into more and more extra in regards to the linear story, and so I do not suppose the video games are basically that comparable apart from they’ve a shared theme.
IGN: Structurally how does Mafia: The Old Country work then? I used to be going to discuss in regards to the scope of it. I assumed you have been going full open-world Sicily with the recreation of the island, however that seems to not the case.
Nick Baynes: So one of the best ways to have a look at that is it is comparable to Mafia 1 and a pair of. And I believe the best way that we might describe Mafia 1 and a pair of, and I believe lots of followers would, is it is a linear journey that is set in a world round you that you may go off the overwhelmed path and discover, however actually the sport’s taking you down that path of the story. So I believe should you use Mafia 1 or 2 as contact factors there of what it is like, that is actually nearer than Mafia 3.
IGN: You would not describe it as an open-world sport then?
Alex Cox: No. Not to use that within the strictest sense.
Nick Baynes: The approach I describe it’s you are not going to be enjoying Mafia: The Old Country and going off and doing countless facet quests and doing actions on the planet. We would like gamers to undergo and expertise a narrative, however set on this lovely world. And in case you are going alongside a path and also you need to go over right here and discover, in lots of instances you are able to do that as a result of the world exists round you. However we’re encouraging you to undergo the story.
One of many issues I really like about these video games is folks have a tendency to full them as a result of they need to discover out what occurs. And once more, it is a pattern with this sport as properly. We would like folks to undergo and expertise the entire story. But when we’re going to say it isn’t open-world, it is purely linear, that sounds too tight. However should you’re going to say it is an open-world sport, that is too broad. That is why we’re attempting to lead you again to Mafia 1 and a pair of.
Open-world is a really loaded time period and it is a dialog we have now had many instances by way of, ought to we use this phrase or not? And the reply is type of sure and no. I hope that helps you!
IGN: I am going to attempt think about what it’s! I believe it is simply because there’s a bit within the trailer the place there may be driving and I believe that mechanically makes me suppose it’s an open-world sport the place you may drive round a giant map.
Nick Baynes: And you may!
Alex Cox: You possibly can traverse the world in a automobile, on foot, or on horseback. It is only a rural setting. As with Mafia 1 and a pair of, it is a linear story. You journey all over the world, a number of the missions are set on the planet, in an open setting. There’s a steady map. There is a world to discover. However as with Mafia 1 and a pair of the main focus could be very, very firmly on the primary story.
IGN: Okay. I am beginning to perceive it somewhat bit extra. And you may journey by horseback as properly?
Alex Cox: Sure. That is a part of that evocation of the period actually.
IGN: Rekindling recollections of one other Rockstar sport they’re well-known for! So you have acquired each in there now, which goes to be fairly enjoyable. Hopefully your horse is simpler to use as a result of I all the time struggled with that one in Pink Lifeless Redemption 2.
By way of the scope of the map, what kind of dimension are we form of speaking about? Is all of it of Sicily?
Nick Baynes: We’ll reveal extra subsequent yr, sorry!
IGN: No, no, that is truthful sufficient!
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.