Mafia 4: Everything We Want

With 2K Games currently ironing out the details for its long-awaited sequel to Grand Theft Auto V, which is expected to arrive on all major platforms at some point in 2026, the likelihood of a fourth installment in the Mafia series coming to Xbox, PlayStation, and PC over the next two years seems somewhat unlikely. However, this isn’t to say this it won’t happen, what with the mobster-centric saga being in receipt of several major awards. But as for when Mafia 4 will be shaping up for a global premiere is still a bit of a mystery, and something that we’ve only been able to speculate on since Mafia 3 touched down on consoles back in 2016.

It could still be three or four years before we see the return of Vito and the pits of the criminal underworld, and therefore, if you did have high hopes of seeing a fourth Mafia game ahead of the Grand Theft Auto 6 launch, then you might want to consider slotting your eggs into another basket. With that said, here’s everything we’re hoping to catch in the next leg of the journey.

5. More Story, Less Filler 

While it is fair to say that Mafia 3 did have its fair share of crucial plot points and the occasional twist and turn, the vast majority of the campaign did also tend to focus on open-world exploration and a series of monotonous tasks, such as conquering businesses, assassinating targets, and unearthing collectibles. And  while this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it was certainly a hop, skip, and a stone’s throw away from what Mafia 2 aimed to encapsulate in its story-driven period piece.

If Mafia 4 is to be anything at all, then it should, in all fairness, be a homage to the earlier installments in the Mafia series — especially the original—a shorter, though equally as jam-packed episode that focused on character development and establishing a quality setting over mindless filler and unnecessary side quests. Of course, it’s hard to say whether or not the next chapter will be an open-world game, but if this is the case, then we’re hoping it at least aims to bring a substantial amount of content to its overarching storyline.

4. A Wider Variety of Missions

If there’s one thing that Mafia 3 missed out on, it was the opportunity to get creative with its missions and side activities. For the most part, the previous game was comprised of carrying out the exact same tasks several times over, all for the sake of making short bursts of progress through a relatively mundane storyline. Case in point, if you weren’t eliminating a target in one of several assignments, then you were stealing trucks to smuggle drugs from one depot to the next.

Sure enough, the first two chapters in the Mafia saga were of a completely different breed, as they each had wall-to-wall story-focused missions and an enormous array of unique tasks and collectibles, to list just a couple of extras. And so, if we had to ask for anything in the upcoming sequel, then it would be a much, much wider variety of missions and less, you know, mindless clutter.

3. A Bug-less Launch

A litter of bugs and technical mishaps are two things that we’ve come to expect from even the most reputable companies and IPs. With that said, Mafia 3 did suffer from a rather disappointing launch—a period that was ultimately met with numerous game-breaking issues and a drastic reduction in frames. As we’re now eight years on, it seems only natural that a fourth installment comes without the same problems. It’s nitpicking at this point, but it’s also something that’s worth bringing up, what with the folks over at 2K Games being the perfectionists that they supposedly are.

2. Legacy Characters

Arguably one of the best cameos that Mafia 3 has in its roster is Vito—a staple character who just so happened to steal the entire show back in the second mainline installment. Granted, he didn’t play a major role in the story, but he did, on the other hand, turf up a lot of great dialogue, as well as some great Easter eggs that helped bridge the gaps between the second and third entries.

It isn’t clear yet, but from the sounds of the rumors that have been circulating over the past several years, Mafia 4 could very well follow in a similar path as its predecessor by way of including a legacy character or two. As for whether or not this means the likes of Vito, Lincoln, or Tommy will be making an appearance or not is still unclear. Here’s hoping, though.

1. The Power to Monopolize

Although Mafia 3 did scrape the tip of the iceberg in the world of monopolization, it never quite allowed us to flex our power and watch our businesses develop and thrive over a set amount of years. Apparently, though, this could all change in Mafia 4, as several insiders have gone on to claim that the setting for the upcoming installment will be none other than Las Vegas. Again, it isn’t set in stone — but it’s arguably one of the most talked-about locations.

If Las Vegas is to be the staging grounds for the next game, then we’re hoping that it’ll allow us to take full advantage of our accrued assets and revenue, if not for the sake of obtaining new properties, then for the sake of boosting our local presence and building something of an empire in the casino industry. In other words, we’re hoping that money plays a critical role in the journey, and that we’ll be able to spread it over vast new markets in order to fully control the underworld and reap all of the benefits along the way.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Mafia 4 when it does decide to launch on its chosen platforms? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.