STACK #250 August 2025

GAMING FEATURE

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such as horses, knife duels, and vintage vehicles from the dawn of motoring (including hand-crank engines, of course!).” Delving into history like this has proved exciting for the Hangar 13 team, and they’re thrilled to offer something relatively new in the way of video game settings. “Exploring the roots of the Mafia has been genuinely fascinating, especially as this setting and time period are quite unique in video games,” Cox tells us. “Iconic crime films and TV shows have given us a glimpse into Cosa Nostra’s early days, but this is our chance to make the criminal underworld of 1900s Sicily playable, which is incredibly exciting.” Naturally authentically recreating the setting was critical, so the team headed to Sicily to check things out firsthand. “We wouldn’t have made this game unless we felt able to do justice to the setting, so the first thing we did was visit Sicily ourselves to absorb its sights and sounds and get a firsthand feel for the island and its culture,” says Cox. “We’ve been working closely with a local Sicilian partner that has provided invaluable guidance during our visits and throughout all our research.” The team also put in calls to historians, in hopes of ensuring accuracy right down to the smallest detail. “We consulted with experts in Sicilian history, who helped us infuse the game with all the period detail players expect from a Mafia title,” Cox explains. “From getting the

It’s been nine years since we last had a new entry in 2K’s Mafia game series, but this month sees the release of a prequel, Mafia:The Old Country . Hangar 13 game director Alex Cox tells us more. Words Lucas Sullivan & Amy Flower

B eing a prequel, Mafia: The Old Country takes us out of the usual USA setting and spirits us off to early 1900s Sicily. This move stemmed from a desire to explore the early years of the Mafia. “Every Mafia title aims to immerse players in an iconic period of organised crime history,” explains Cox. “ Mafia: The Old Country is no different, even though we’ve changed continents and turned back the clock! “With the first three games exploring distinctive eras of the American Mafia, we loved the idea of heading to Sicily and exploring the early years of this fearsome crime organisation. The setting felt like a great opportunity to shake

things up while perfectly complementing the cinematic vision of the franchise.” The change of scenery also energised the development team. “Developing Mafia: The Old Country has been a refreshing departure for the studio, with the rugged Sicilian countryside serving as a stark contrast to the bustling cities featured in our previous games,” enthuses Cox. “Building this story has been a great experience for everyone at Hangar 13 - first learning about Sicilian history and the origins of the Mafia, then adapting that into an exciting criminal adventure. In particular, the setting has allowed us to introduce some fun new features,

AUGUST 2025

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