Hangar 13 Asserts Mafia: The Old Country Will Be “The Best Looking Mafia Game” Thanks to Unreal Engine 5

As anticipation builds for the launch of Mafia: The Old Country on August 8, 2025, developer Hangar 13 has released a new developer diary video emphasizing the visual and technical advancements enabled by Unreal Engine 5, promising the most visually stunning entry in the Mafia franchise to date.

Unreal Engine 5: A Technological Game-Changer for Mafia

In the newly released video, Art Director Steve Noake explains how the transition to Unreal Engine 5 has unlocked a new level of creative potential and visual fidelity. “From Metahuman, to Nanite, to Lumen, these are all different technologies we are pushing to the max,” said Noake. “It’s allowing us to grasp the intricacies of a performance... to automate parts of the process, and ultimately to leave our human thumbprints on these assets.”

The use of Metahuman enhances facial realism and character performance, Nanite enables ultra-detailed environment rendering without sacrificing performance, and Lumen delivers dynamic global illumination for lifelike lighting effects—altogether crafting a richly cinematic experience that aims to immerse players in the early days of the Mafia underworld like never before.

A Leap in Visual Quality

Lead Character Artist Ivan Rylka echoed Noake’s sentiments, adding: “There’s a notable improvement in what’s possible with Unreal Engine 5 versus what we could do before. I have no hesitation that this will be the best-looking Mafia game in the franchise.”

From meticulously detailed environments to character models that capture nuanced emotional expressions, Mafia: The Old Country promises not only a compelling prequel story set before the events of the original Mafia trilogy, but also a major step forward in the franchise's technical evolution.

Aiming for More Than Just Visuals

While the developer’s focus has been on the graphical upgrades in recent reveals, fans are eagerly waiting to see if the gameplay and narrative can match the ambitious visuals. As the release date nears, more detailed previews are expected, which will determine whether Mafia: The Old Country is not just a visual showcase but also a compelling crime saga in its own right.

Mafia: The Old Country launches August 8, 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Are you excited to return to the criminal underworld in Mafia: The Old Country? Do you think it will live up to the visual promise of Unreal Engine 5? Let us know in the comments!