Alright Mafia enthusiasts, get set-the sinister is afoot, with some new gameplay on the horizon. An announcement has been made via a teaser posted on the game’s official Twitter account, Mafia The Old Country, regarding a double reveal. If organized crime, vintage atmosphere, and perhaps many fedoras are to your liking, mark your calendars.
First things first? The official gameplay trailer is set to be released on May 8 at 11 AM ET (4 PM BST for our friends over the pond). No information about what we will see is available yet, but with the franchise being famous for story-driven action and a combination of brutality and stylishness in shootouts, we can safely assume one hell of an experience. Perhaps some Tommy gun action? A betrayal? Or maybe just a really, really well-animated cigar smoky moment. Who knows.
But hold on; there’s actually something more: straight after that, a PAX East panel will be held at 2PM ET (7PM BST). Now, panels are a hit or miss-there’s PR where they sell some more of what we already know, then there’s drop-the-mic panels. Either way-new characters, maybe a release window, or even a surprise demo-Or they could talk about the weather in Chicago in the ’30s. Either way, you should tune in.
Such ambiance: dark-The Old School Mafia kind of effect; and then, boom, play a little more, and there you have the tweet being dramatic and slightly cryptic. A new enemy? A rat? Just a shadow? That’s just the fun part of teasers putting very little context to drive fans a little crazy.
For a refresher, Mafia has always been about narrative first, set in a period-appropriate setting, and of course, lots and lots of criminal activities. The Old Country is said to be a sort of prequel, delving into the roots of the syndicate prior to the events of any original game. Think less Boardroom, more Bootleg Fight Club. Less Boardroom, more Bootlegging.
So what is the hype all about? Beyond the obvious-the Mafia games are *dope*just from looking at it, this could be the first real insight as to what the next installment could be going towards. Will it continue the linear style of storytelling employed in Mafia 1 and 2, or are they leaning into open world mechanics like that of Mafia 3? Will the driving physics still make you want to throw your controller? We will know for sure May 8.
This has already set fan theories ablaze; some say “something moving” refers to some cunning stealth mechanic. Others are speculating on the return of a cherished character. And then there is this guy in the reply, still raging about Mafia 3’s conclusion. (Calm down, bro.)
Anyway, one thing is for sure: May 8 is an important day to watch out for if you are into crime drama, vintage stuff, or just good video games. Mark those reminders, clear up your schedule, and maybe practice your best mobster voice. Because when Mafia speaks, everybody listens.
And hey, maaybe the trailer will be bad, but come on, we’ll always have the original. But, real talk-it’s probably not gonna be bad. Probably.
