- Mafia: The Old Country goes back to the roots of a Mafia game as it features a linear world.
- Mafia 3, the latest title in the series featured an open world and it was brutally criticised by the fandom.
- Due to that criticism, the developer decided not to incorporate an open world into the upcoming title.
Mafia is one of the greatest gaming franchises that one can play to this day. However, the third iteration in the series fell short of expectations mainly because of its open world, as there was a lack of engaging activities, and it just felt too repetitive.
That is why fans were glad to know that the upcoming title, Mafia: The Old Country, won’t feature an open world. However, it has just been revealed that the game isn’t featuring an open world because of the criticism Mafia 3 received.
Why it matters: The open world theme in video games has become so saturated that everyone wants to implement it in video games. However, it isn’t necessary, and it never should be a necessary addition in a game unless the developer can make it engaging enough.
IGN had the courtesy of getting an exclusive hands-on preview of Mafia: The Old Country, and due to that, they got to know the reason why Hangar 13 decided to remove open-world from the game.
Mafia 3, though very good, went full open world, and the developers seem to feel similarly about it in hindsight as players did; It just didn’t fit Mafia well.
-Nick Baynes
The president of Hangar 13 has admitted that the open world didn’t work well in a Mafia game, as the first two titles in the series were just perfect. IGN further suggested that, thanks to the positive reception from the Mafia remake that was released in 2020, the developer was able to lean more into the linear world for the upcoming title.
It is good to see studios learning from their mistakes and improving them in the sequels, which is something that should be very, very, very common in the gaming industry, but unfortunately, it isn’t.
The 4th iteration in the series releases on 8th August. What are your thoughts on a Mafia game being an open-world game? Are you excited for the upcoming game’s launch? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or join the official Tech4Gamers forums for discussion.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over three years because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
Join Our Community
