Mafia 3 developer Hangar 13 has said it’s not too concerned about the competition facing its upcoming open-world gangster-’em-up this year.
Speaking during an interview with Prankster101, the game’s Executive Producer, Andy Wilson, expressed confidence in his studio’s upcoming sequel, suggesting it can stand up with the best 2016 has to offer.
"We’ve actually been looking at it since the launch of the new consoles and it seems that there is a bit more room than there used to be. Things are consolidating around bigger titles [and there are] fewer of them overall then we were seeing towards the end of the last generation. I think we’ve built a game that’s just going to stand up there with the best. So I’m not concerned about it in that respect. I think by the time we come out in 2016, these new consoles would be very established and you’ve seen how fast both of them are selling as well.
"So the opportunity for us there is probably actually much better than it was at the same time in the previous generation. So again, I’m a firm believer that if you put a really good game together and you get the right kind of support from the publisher, then you’ll find your player base. And we’re very much hoping to do that with this as well."
Mafia 3 is currently in development for PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One, and was officially announced at Gamescom 2015 following extensive rumors dating back the last few years. The game takes place in the year 1968 in the U.S. city of New Orleans, and follows Vietnam veteran, Lincoln Clay, as he seeks revenge for the murder of his friends at the hands of a local mob. He’s aided by three allies, including Mafia II protagonist, Vito Scaletta.
Mafia 3 is currently without an official release date, though Take-Two has indicated it will launch in April 2016 at the very earliest. In addition, a retailer listing has seemingly confirmed that the game will hit stores in late April.