Rumors have been swirling for some time that 2K Games may be remastering its historical crime action game series Mafia, and now those rumors have been confirmed. 2K Games has officially announced Mafia: Trilogy, which will presumably be a remastered collection of the first three Mafia games, and it's on its way for current-generation consoles and PC.
Based on the name, Mafia: Trilogy will almost certainly feature Mafia, Mafia 2, and Mafia 3 with upgraded graphics and other enhancements. The brief teaser trailer released by 2K Games highlights the protagonists of the three games, though it's light on other details. More information on Mafia: Trilogy will come on May 19 at 9am PT, at which point 2K Games will be giving Mafia: Trilogy a proper unveiling.
Mafia: Trilogy is in development at Hangar 13, the studio that released Mafia 3. This could mean that Hangar 13's new IP is no longer in development, as the studio was hit with layoffs not long after that project was announced. If Mafia: Trilogy proves popular enough, perhaps it will lead to a brand new Mafia game from Hangar 13, or maybe it will generate some interest in whatever project the company is working on next.
The Mafia games have never been critical darlings, so it will be interesting to see if Mafia: Trilogy addresses critic complaints. The only game in the series to get strong reviews was the PC version of the original Mafia (the PS2 and Xbox versions earned comparably mediocre scores), and that game was originally released in 2002. Considering how far graphics have come since then, the original Mafia may end up needing the most work, and it will be exciting to see what's been done to modernize it.
What's unclear is if the Mafia: Trilogy reveal ongoing Summer Game Fest events or not. It's not currently listed on the Summer Game Fest schedule, but 2K Games has been confirmed to be a partner for the event. It ultimately doesn't matter a great deal one way or the other, but some fans may still be curious.
In any case, here's hoping Mafia: Trilogy lives up to fan expectations.
Mafia: Trilogy is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
