According to a new report, Mafia 4 is apparently in development, with this new game serving as a prequel to the original trilogy. The news comes just as the development studio, Hangar 13, loses its studio head Haden Blackman. Nick Baynes, currently studio head at Hangar 13’s Brighton, UK office, will replace Blackman, with Kotaku subsequently reporting him as the lead for this new Mafia game.

As per the report from Kotaku, the project, codenamed Nero, is very early in its development. It will also be made in Unreal Engine 5 as opposed to the Mafia 3 engine that was used for the recently released remasters. If Mafia 4 is indeed a prequel to the trilogy, it should be set earlier than the 1930s, which could push it to a whole new era of gangsters.

VentureBeat broke the news on Blackman’s departure, and you can check the full email from 2K regarding it here:

Hello team,

It’s with mixed emotions that I share with you several leadership updates from Hangar 13.

Haden Blackman is stepping down as Studio Head of Hangar 13, and is leaving the company to pursue his passion at a new endeavor. We are grateful for Haden’s leadership in establishing Hangar 13, building and uniting teams in Novato, Brighton and Czech, and releasing multiple studio-defining Mafia games and collections. What Haden helped build will continue to carry forward and grow for years to come. We support all of our employees pursuing their passions, and we wish nothing but the best for him in what’s next.

Nick Baynes, Studio Head of Hangar 13 Brighton will take over as Studio Head of Hangar 13. With 30 years of industry leadership experience, Nick joined Hangar 13 in 2018 to establish Hangar 13 Brighton, and has spent the last four years growing the team, building up the studio’s capabilities, and launching terrific projects like Mafia: Definitive Edition and the Mafia Trilogy.

I hope you’ll join me in thanking Haden and wishing him the best, and congratulating Nick on a well-deserved promotion. While change can be challenging, it can also breed new opportunities and success.

We are confident the studio is in great hands heading into the multiple projects currently under way, and the team has 2K’s full support.

As is the case with everything unconfirmed, take this one with a grain of salt until officially confirmed.

Source: Kotaku (via VentureBeat)