| Mafia | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Mafia_series_logo.svg){kind=logo} Logo since Mafia III (2016) | |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Developer(s) | 2K Czech (1998–2017) Hangar 13 (2014–present) |
| Publisher(s) | Gathering of Developers (2002, 2004) 2K Games (2007–present) |
| Platform(s) | macOS PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Stadia Windows Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One |
| First release | Mafia August 29, 2002 |
| Latest release | Mafia: Definitive Edition September 25, 2020 |
Mafia is a series of action-adventure games originally created and developed by 2K Czech (formerly Illusion Softworks). Since the third installment, however, the games are developed by Hangar 13 and published by 2K Games. The franchise consists of three mainline installments, along with a remake of the first game, a remastered version of the second game, and two spin-offs for mobile devices. A fourth game is in active development.
Games in the Mafia series are set in fictional locales modeled after real American cities, and typically feature historical settings, from Great Depression-era Lost Heaven in the first game, to 1960s New Bordeaux in Mafia III. Gameplay focuses on an open world environment where players complete missions to progress an overall story, as well as engage in various side activities, albeit in a more linear manner than other open world series such as Grand Theft Auto. However, most of the games include a bonus Free Ride mode, which allows players to trigger missions from the open world. The series centers on different protagonists who become involved with the Mafia in one way or another, either attempting to rise through its ranks or bring it down for wronging them. The antagonists are commonly characters who have betrayed the protagonist or their organisation, or characters who have the most impact impeding the protagonist's progress.
All games in the franchise have been well received by critics, with praise for their complex narratives, open world design, and focus on realism, although Mafia III reviewed significantly worse than the others due to its repetitive gameplay structure. The Mafia series has also been commercially successful, with combined lifetime sales of over 17 million units.