Mafia: The Outdated Nation was in ‘managing expectations mode’ this week, asserting a less expensive than anticipated $49.99 worth level, and confirming that it’s completely not an open-world recreation, reasonably a linear, narrative-driven recreation.
The Hangar 13-developed gangster shooter confirmed off new gameplay within the trailer, under, and it’s spectacular certainly. However that is no GTA 6. Certainly, it’s no Mafia III. Tellingly, 2K President David Ismailer stated of Mafia: The Outdated Nation: “We predict there’s a big viewers for compelling tales that don’t require large time commitments.” It felt like a PSA greater than a promo.
Based mostly on these feedback, Mafia: The Outdated Nation will likely be a comparatively quick affair. There isn’t any multiplayer mode, so the story is all the package deal. How lengthy will or not it’s? Some are speculating something from 5 to fifteen hours.
Sure, there are some complaints within the response throughout the web, principally from those that had been hoping for a Mafia recreation extra alongside the strains of a GTA than a, say, shorter Uncharted-style recreation. However The Outdated Nation was by no means going to be that form of recreation.
In December, I interviewed Hangar 13 President Nick Baynes and recreation director Alex Cox about all issues Mafia: The Outdated Nation, and the prospect of operating up in opposition to GTA 6, which was nonetheless due out fall 2025 on the time.
Within the interview, the pair dismissed comparisons to GTA 6, insisting Mafia: The Outdated Nation shouldn’t be thought-about an open-world recreation in any respect.
Somewhat, the pair defined, Mafia: The Outdated Nation is extra like Mafia 1 and a pair of than it’s the open-world Mafia 3. It’s a “linear, narrative-driven” recreation, a “targeted package deal” that gives a “cinematic expertise.” You may end up driving round an genuine illustration of 1900s Sicily in Mafia: The Outdated Nation, and even using round on horseback a bit like that different Rockstar recreation, Crimson Lifeless Redemption 2, however the similarities to Rockstar video games cease there.
So, whereas there are the maybe inevitable complaints in regards to the scope of The Outdated Nation, I’ve seen positivity in regards to the expertise on supply. Many are saying they’re extra occupied with a top quality, cheaper, shorter story-driven Mafia recreation than a bloated open-world recreation crammed with repetitive mechanics.
Certainly, there appears to be a rising name for extra of those cheaper, manageable video games, with Sandfall’s well-received Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has offered a formidable 2 million copies regardless of being obtainable day-one on Recreation Move, held up as a possible trend-setter.
This comes as recreation costs have gotten costlier, with each Nintendo and Microsoft hitting $80. In a market when Mario Kart World prices $80, a $50 Mafia: The Outdated Nation appears to be like like a cut price.
“I believe setting the value at $50 is the transfer,” stated IGN reader BabyGroot1 in response to the Mafia information. “Take a look at Clair Obscur gross sales.”
“Yea, I believe there might be quite a lot of fence-sitters that see $70-80 and anticipate a recreation to be on sale round $30,” added Automating_The_Game. “However at $50 they’re like f*** it, getting it now.”
It’s the same sentiment throughout social media and reddit. “I hate placing issues on a quantity scale, but when that is a type of video games which are like a great 10-12 hour, 8/10 expertise I really feel like we’ve to assist it as greatest as attainable,” stated 99DGE of Mafia. “$50 when publishers are pushing for $80 is so fascinating that we have to reward and vote with our wallets if it’s price it (that’s in fact, we are able to afford it given the financial local weather).”
“I used to be in all probability going to cross on this as I simply do not have it in me for many open world video games anymore, however listening to that it is linear, story targeted, and priced at $50? I am on board day one now,” stated ElJacko170.
“I might reasonably have a brief Mafia recreation for $50 than one with a needlessly empty open world with virtually nothing to do in them like all of the earlier Mafia video games,” stated everythingsc0mputer.
“If they don’t seem to be gonna add aspect quests or aspect actions so that you can do just like the earlier Mafia video games, then may as effectively hold it quick and linear.”
For all this positivity on-line, for writer 2K and developer Hangar 13 will probably be gross sales of Mafia: The Outdated Nation that decide its and the franchise’s future. The sport can have a gross sales goal it must hit to ensure that the venture to be declared profitable, and social media and discussion board posts don’t generate income. Laborious gross sales do.
All eyes will likely be on Mafia: The Outdated Nation to see if the success of Clair Obscur actually is the beginning of one thing sustainable for the online game business.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
