Mafia 2 and Mafia 3 may be making their way to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, according to recent ratings from the ESRB. Both titles have been rated Mature 17+ by the organization, indicating content that includes violence, nudity, and mature language.
This follows the release of Mafia: Definitive Edition for modern consoles in September 2020. While Definitive Editions for Mafia 2 and 3 already exist for last-generation systems, these new ratings suggest potential upgrades for current-generation hardware, likely focusing on enhanced performance such as 60fps gameplay rather than full remakes.
Publisher 2K recently launched the Mafia: The Omertà Collection, which bundles all existing Definitive Editions. This release coincided with a PS5 and Xbox Series update for Mafia: Definitive Edition, a pattern that now seems poised to extend to Mafia 2 and 3.
Interest in the Mafia series has seen a resurgence, particularly after the release of Mafia: The Old Country earlier this year. This prequel, set during the height of organized crime in Italy, adhered to the series' established format of using an open world as a narrative backdrop.
Mafia 3's structure, which involved repeatable missions to capture territory, divided critics upon its release, though its soundtrack was widely praised. Hangar 13 president Nick Baynes has previously stated that Mafia and Grand Theft Auto, despite sharing a publisher, occupy distinct design spaces, with the studio focusing on its own developmental path.
The ESRB listing provides little detail beyond confirming the mature themes expected from the series. The potential release window for these upgrades will be interesting to watch, especially in relation to the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 later this year, as limited consumer spending could influence player choices.
An official announcement for Mafia 2 and Mafia 3: Definitive Edition upgrades is anticipated soon, possibly around The Game Awards in December, with a launch anticipated in early 2025. For those looking to delve deeper into the series' history, IGN offers a comprehensive feature, "25 Years of Mafia Video Games: An Oral History."