In May of 2022, it was revealed that Mafia 4 would take the form of a prequel. Codenamed 'Nero', Hangar 13 was reportedly set to develop the game in Unreal Engine 5 as opposed to the studio's own Mafia III engine which was used in the previous instalment.
While it's not exactly known what the story will entail, it's assumed that it might follow the rise of the original Mafia's Salieri crime family, potentially taking players from the US to Italy.
Hangar 13 and 2K Games are yet to make any major announcements regarding the game but job listings have essentially confirmed its existence.
Some reports even claimed that early production had begun on a fifth Mafia instalment with the hope being that the franchise could bring Hangar 13 out of a difficult patch.
Well, it's now sounding as if we're set to get our first major update on the game as one leaker has claimed that Take-Two Interactive, parent company of 2K Games, is preparing to make a big announcement.
Twitter user Kurakasis wrote, "I can tell you that a few days ago, Take-Two began preparations for an announcement regarding the Mafia series. It's hard for me to determine the time frame, but with Judas I've seen them gearing up for the new trailer about three to four weeks before it dropped, so ... soon."
They later added, "I DON'T KNOW if it's an announcement of Mafia 4, the next-gen update for Mafia Trilogy, or something else."
Mafia 4 feels like the most logical option. After all, the Mafia franchise has laid somewhat dormant for a few years now. It would be surprising to see those earlier instalments returned to.
As for Kurakasis' accuracy, whilst I should urge you to take all leaks with a pinch of salt, the user does have an impressive track record.
Kurakasis found early information on Metro Awakening, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Marvel's 1943: Rise of Hydra all before they were officially unveiled.
Based on the timing of Kurakasis' earlier leaks, we could see a Mafia 4 announcement drop as soon as mid-May which would be fitting, two years after its existence first leaked online.
We cannot wait to hear more.
