Mafia: The Old Country is going "back to the roots of what fans love about the Mafia franchise," and acts as a prequel in 1900s Sicily

Mafia: The Old Country sounds like a soft reboot of sorts for the Hanger 13 series, as it's going back in time to 1900s Sicily, and it's out next year in 2025.

Revealed earlier today at the Gamescom Opening Night Live presentation to close out the entire showcase, Hangar 13 rolled out Mafia: The Old Country. This is a Mafia story that's going back in time to before any of the previous three games, taking place in the 1900s in Sicily.

If you had any doubt as to whether this new Mafia game was going to be a violent affair, the weapons seen throughout the new trailer put that speculation firmly to bed. We saw a hefty knife, a deadly handgun, and a threatening double-barrelled shotgun, all of which look like they'll be used against our inevitable rivals in the new Mafia game.

Additionally, the new Mafia game will be going "back to the roots of what fans love about the Mafia franchise" with a "deep linear narrative." That's according to Nick Baynes, president of Hangar 13, who appeared after the revealing cinematic trailer to give a little more detail on the new game.

What's more, we'll be able to glean more of Mafia: The Old Country later this year in December 2024. The date, combined with being mentioned at the Geoff Keighley-fronted Gamescom Opening Night Live, definitely makes it sound like the new Mafia game will make an appearance at The Game Awards, which always take place in December.

After the trailer aired, publisher 2K took to Twitter to reveal that Mafia: The Old Country is currently on course to release next year in 2025, alongside the likes of Borderlands 4.

Take a look at our new games 2024 guide for a look to the horizon for the gaming industry.

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more