Based on slip-ups over at Amazon and GameStop, it seems we now know the Mafia 3 release date. According to the two retail giants, Mafia 3 will be coming out on April 26, much sooner than anticipated.
Both of the listings on Amazon and GameStop's websites can still be found. The screengrabs are above, in case the listing gets changed. As we can clearly see, both sites list an April 26 release date across all platforms.
As for what we actually know about Mafia 3, it will be the biggest departure the series has seen yet. See the launch trailer below for some additional information.
As the trailer shows, the main character this time around is a man named Lincoln Cole. Cole is a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to New Orleans to find his entire family has been murdered by the Italian mafia. Cole obviously wants revenge for this, so he starts to build up his own mafia to take on the Italians.
“The Mafia franchise is known for its immersive sense of time and place, and for presenting compelling stories about life within organized crime,” said Haden Blackman, studio head and creative director at developer Hanger 13, in a press statement. “In Mafia III, we are introducing players to an unexpected new anti-hero and an iconic city to explore, all within a hard-boiled drama set during one of the most turbulent years in American history.”
For those familiar with Mafia 2, the main protagonist will be a character in Mafia 3. It's already been confirmed that Vito will be one of the three Lieutenants that Cole can interact with. He can be found in the above trailer In the trailer at the 3:10 mark.
“Mafia III continues the strong franchise tradition of a captivating story set in the treacherous and calculated world of organized crime,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K, in a press statement. “Mafia III captures Hangar 13’s mantra of ‘every player story is unique’ through a cinematic narrative that responds to player choice.”
As far as what kind of gameplay players can expect, the press release mentions that there will be "cunning, stalking and deception" thrown into the mix. If you prefer to just run and gun, "overwhelming force and firepower" is also an option to overwhelm enemy forces. For more information, it seems we will just have to wait on 2K and Hangar 13.
So what do you think? Does an April release date for Mafia 3 make you any more or less interested in the game? Are you surprised to see such an early release date for the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
