Good morning!

his week’s newsletter has everything you didn’t know you needed, including mobsters, mayhem, and more than one industry faceplant.

In this edition, we’ve got:

• Mafia’s stylish return (maybe)

• The FBI cracking skulls over Switch piracy

• GTA 6’s price tag causing small financial crises

Here’s everything you need to know this week in the world of gaming.

TOP STORY

Mafia: The Old Country – Is This a Comeback or Just a Classy Faceplant?

Okay. Confession time. Hi, I’m Luke... and I like the Mafia games. Sorry, not sorry. Come at me.

Look, I know they’re not masterpieces. The open worlds are emptier than a Costco parking lot at 3 a.m. But the characters, cinematics, voice acting, and old-school storytelling? Chef’s kiss. Every Christmas, I still boot up Mafia II, cruise snowy streets to 1940s swing, and vibe like a made man.

So when Mafia: The Old Country got announced, naturally, I lost it. But let’s not get too hyped. I’ve been burned before (Mafia III, I’m looking at you), and this one has a lot riding on it, maybe too much.

🎮 What is The Old Country?

This isn’t your typical sprawling sandbox. It’s a linear, narrative-driven prequel set in early 1900s Sicily. Think Godfather: Origins meets Uncharted-lite. You’re Enzo, and yes, of course he’s named Enzo, a young gangster-in-training climbing the ladder of the old mafia world. The focus? Gritty story beats, cinematic flair, horse chases, and classic omertà vibes. Open world? Fuhgeddaboudit.

🚨 Hopes vs. Red Flags

✅ What’s Working:

• Cinematic cutscenes are giving prestige TV vibes.

• The voice acting and dialogue? Surprisingly sharp.

• A more focused scope feels smarter than forcing another bland open world.

• IGN’s 3-hour preview showed 3 full chapters, so no, it’s probably not just a glorified tech demo.

🛑 But Let’s Pump the Brakes:

• Initial gameplay reveals showed some performance stutters, frame drops, and mild downgrades from the trailer.

• IGN’s over-compressed footage looked like it was rendered on a potato. (Hangar 13 later dropped a cleaner version, thankfully.)

• Development was short and scrappy, just 3 years, with a newly rebuilt team after layoffs. That’s tight for a game like this.

• There’s still no hard answer on how long the game is. Could be 6 hours. Could be 15. Your guess is as good as mine.

🔥 Verdict (So Far)

Mafia: The Old Country isn’t trying to reinvent the genre, and honestly? That’s fine. If you go in expecting a $50 gourmet burger, not filet mignon, you’ll probably have a great time. Just don’t expect it to break Metacritic.

Hangar 13 clearly wants a win. And from the early glimpses, this might be the tight, stylish gangster story fans have been waiting for, even if it comes in a smaller, slightly janky package.

Is it a redemption arc? Maybe. Is it perfect? Definitely not. But hey, if the shooting holds up and the story slaps, I’ll be first in line with my tommy gun and a cannoli.

TL;DR:
Mafia: The Old Country is shaping up to be a short-but-sweet narrative ride through Sicilian crime life. Keep your expectations realistic, your fedora tilted, and maybe—just maybe—this’ll be the return to form the series deserves.

LATEST NEWS

GENERAL

• FBI Seizes Major Nintendo Switch Piracy Site
  The FBI has taken down one of the biggest Switch piracy websites, targeting illegal game distribution in a rare and high-profile crackdown. This signals a broader push to enforce copyright laws in gaming. (Source)

• Microsoft MMO Cancelled, Devs Mourn Lost Future
  Developers at ZeniMax Online Studios are heartbroken over the cancellation of their ambitious MMO project, which was reportedly championed by Xbox chief Phil Spencer. They say a potential legacy was cut short. (Source)

• GTA 6 Rumored to Launch at $80, Predicted to Earn $7.6B
  A venture capital firm forecasts a historic launch for Grand Theft Auto 6, predicting it will generate $7.6 billion in just two months, despite a controversial $80 price tag. (Source)

QUICK LINKS

• Destiny 2 lead admits onboarding for new players is “terrible”

• Nintendo cracking down on sexual and “slop” games on eShop

• Krafton confirms Subnautica 2 leak, delays, and leadership ouster

• Valve’s Gabe Newell shares his unusual daily routine of work and scuba diving

• Official John Wick video game being pulled from all platforms

• Roblox will require facial scan or ID for unfiltered chat access

• Indie dev reveals horror roguelike where you play as a shark dentist