Mafia: The Old Country Interview with Alex Cox and Steve Noake
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Hooked Gamers: First, let me thank you both for your time. As it is getting close to release, you must both be busy and excited.
Hooked Gamers: The Mafia series has always been synonymous with American organized crime. What was the defining moment or key inspiration that led Hangar 13 to decide to explore a prequel in Sicily in the early 1900's?
Alex: We wanted to provide players with a new experience by going back to the roots of organized crime in 1900s Sicily with a compelling new cast of characters. The Sicilian Mafia is an important part of the American-Mafia story and the "Old Country" is referenced throughout the Mafia series and is the historical foundation that the whole franchise is built upon.
Hooked Gamers: Given the rich historical and cultural tapestry of The Old Country setting, what were some of the most surprising or challenging aspects of the extensive research involved in authentically building this new world? Could you share an example of a specific historical detail or cultural nuance that significantly influenced the game's design?
Alex: One of the most surprising aspects of our research for The Old Country was just how deep and culturally specific even the smallest details could be. Sicily has such a dense and layered history—it's not just about knowing the timeline of conquests or understanding the broad strokes of regional identity. It's about listening to the stories people tell, paying attention to how traditions are carried through everyday objects, gestures, and language. And one detail that came up again and again in our conversations with locals— almost unexpectedly — was knives.
We were struck by how many Sicilians spoke about knives not just as tools or weapons, but as deeply symbolic objects. Different regions have different shapes, different folding mechanisms, different names. They embody darker undercurrents of power, masculinity, and protection. They aren't just props — they're cultural touchstones.
Hooked Gamers: What lessons did the team learn from Mafia III and the imagining of New Bordeaux? And how did those lessons allow you to create the settings within Sicily?
Steve: Mafia III was a step up in scale for Hangar 13, and we had to upgrade our entire approach to world-building. We infused the whole of New Bordeaux with a much deeper layer of storytelling than we had in previous titles. Everything —from the architecture, clothing, and music to the crime rackets, living world, and the history of the Deep South — was far more detailed and immersive. It set a new standard for our team in both visual and narrative design, and that's something we've carried forward to Mafia: The Old Country.
Hooked Gamers: Mafia games are known for their strong narrative, character development, and specific gameplay loop. How did the team approach the delicate balance of defining and refining the tone and gameplay for The Old Country to feel fresh, while still ensuring it unmistakably retains those core Mafia elements that players love?
Alex: For the past 22 years, we've been immersing players in brutal Mafia worlds and we looked to deliver an unforgettable Mafia story. Mafia: The Old Country refines Mafia gameplay with grounded and dangerous combat systems, including high-stakes stealth and gunplay mechanics, that enhance the criminal narrative.
Hooked Gamers: Given the new setting, are there any new gameplay systems or player choices that you feel particularly excited about that wouldn't have been possible in a traditional American Mafia setting?
The setting of 1900s Sicily allowed us to experiment with the transportation and style of weapons that would not have been time accurate in a previous Mafia game.
Alex: Mafia: The Old Country unfolds in a time when skill with a stiletto blade was a deadly asset, a lupara sawed-off shotgun was a go-to firearm, murderous vendettas raged for decades, and mafiosi patrolled their protection rackets on foot, horseback, or behind the wheel of turn-of-the-century motorcars all leading to a fresh Mafia experience.
Hooked Gamers: You have moved to Unreal 5 for the development. How has this helped from an artistic standpoint?
Steve: Unreal Engine 5 has been a game-changer for us—especially from an artistic standpoint. It's not just about more polygons or prettier lighting (though we certainly took full advantage of both); it's about what the engine unlocks for artists. In a very real sense, it's unleashed the team creatively.
One of the most immediate benefits was the speed of iteration. With tools like Nanite and Lumen, we could work at a much higher level of visual fidelity. That meant artists could spend less time fighting technical constraints and more time actually crafting — sculpting detail, fine-tuning mood, experimenting with composition and atmosphere. We were asking ourselves "What's the best way to tell the story through this space?"
Another huge leap was how much of the artist's original intent made it into the final product. In past generations, a concept might get chipped away at through the production pipelines, but with UE5, there's a much clearer throughline from vision to execution. The artist's hand — their instincts, their human touch — is far more visible in the final environment.
This has had a ripple effect across the project. It's made the world of The Old Country feel more textured, more lived-in, more emotionally resonant. You see the human touch in the terrain, personality in the way a building leans or weathers, subtle choices in how light falls on a broken statue. These things might seem small, but together they contribute to a deeply immersive experience.
Ultimately, Unreal Engine 5 removed barriers between artistic vision and player experience. It allowed our team to push for beauty and meaning at every level of the visual design—and that freedom shows in every frame.
Hooked Gamers: It appears that players can still choose to play in a stealthy manner in Mafia: The Old Country (which I am a big fan of). How has this been adapted and or refined into the new setting and time period? How has the setting affected the cover system used in previous Mafia titles?
Alex: As mentioned before, Mafia: The Old Country refines Mafia gameplay with grounded and dangerous combat systems, including high-stakes stealth and gunplay mechanics. Stiletto blades are important weapons during this time period, especially during stealth moments.
The basic design of our cover system is very similar to that of previous Mafia titles—franchise fans will certainly find it comfortably familiar. Of course, we made a few refinements here and there, but stealth-loving players will still want to use the cover system to stay hidden as they sneak around.
Hooked Gamers: Gunplay is largely part of the Mafia series. How has the setting and period affected the design decisions regarding firearms and other weaponry?
Alex: We wanted to authentically reflect 1900s Sicily in Mafia: The Old Country. Weapons are authentic to this era, such as a lupara sawed-off shotgun, which was a go-to firearm, in order to fully immerse players into the setting.
Hooked Gamers: Driving has also played a large part in Mafia games, with vehicles having improved maneuverability in Mafia III (largely because of the more modern vehicles). With the earlier time period in Mafia: The Old Country, how has the team modified the driving in Mafia: The Old Country to accommodate for the older vehicles?
Alex: Driving is a core part of every Mafia game, and figuring out how to handle cars from the earliest era of motoring has been a central focus throughout development. We began with the goal of delivering a control feel familiar to fans of the series — so the driving experience would feel instantly recognizable to returning players. But we also knew the model needed a twist to authentically capture what it's like to drive vintage vehicles.
These cars are heavier, with minimal suspension. You have to crank the engine to start them, and they're incredibly loud — we recorded real vehicles from the era to capture their distinct sounds. They can still hit impressive speeds, but barreling down horse tracks and unpaved roads at full throttle can be downright hair-raising!
Hooked Gamers: We've also seen that horseback riding is also a feature of Mafia: The Old Country. How has implementing this into the game affected some of the gameplay design choices?
We added horseback riding to bring another layer of period authenticity to the game experience. In this era, cars were still a rarity in Sicily, so covering long distances often required real horsepower! Horses are better suited to off-road travel and to the many narrow horse tracks that crisscross the countryside, giving players more choice in how they navigate the world.
Hooked Gamers: Music was a large feature of previous Mafia titles - particularly Mafia III. Will this be continued in Mafia: The Old Country. How do you select titles based on the period?
Alex: Yes, music continues to be a big part of the experience in Mafia: The Old Country - although in a different way to previous titles because of course, there is no pop music in 1900s Sicily! For this game we took heavy inspiration from traditional Sicilian folk music. We researched and re-recorded an array of these tracks, which can be heard during missions and while exploring the world.
Hooked Gamers: The previous titles had players collecting a range of items including Playboy magazines. Will Mafia: The Old Country have players collecting similar items scattered around Sicily?
Steve: We've included period-authentic media as collectible items in every game since Mafia II — it's a fun way to add an extra layer of detail and storytelling to our collectibles. There are no Playboy magazines in 1900s Sicily, of course, but players can discover editions of La Gazzetta di Siciliana scattered throughout the world — a periodical featuring historical new stories and fantastic artwork sourced from real Italian publications of the era.
Hooked Gamers: Looking ahead, what is one thing you are most excited for players to experience when they finally get their hands on Mafia: The Old Country?
Alex: Story has always been central to every Mafia title - and it's been nearly ten years since the last new chapter in the series. We can't wait for players to meet our new cast of characters and follow Enzo on his journey through the dark underbelly of Sicily. The ending, in particular, packs a real punch, and we're especially excited to see how fans react to it.
Thank you so much for your time.
Mafia II is one of my favourite games, so to go back to where it all started will be an exciting experience. I just hope that I don't end up with a horses head in my bed.
Mafia: The Old Country will be available to play on August 8th in Australia.
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