After Hangar 13’s previous head Haden Blackman (and confirmed by 2K Games, aka Take-Two), something may have started to happen at the studio.

Kotaku has reported that Hangar 13 is already working on a new Mafia game, which is in the early stages of development. Take-Two/2K confirmed to PCGamer: “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 for a new endeavour.

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.”

But Blackman isn’t the only one to recently leave Hangar 13’s management. Chief Operating Officer Matthew Urban has also left, if his LinkedIn is to be believed: he finished his stint at the studio sometime in May this year. “What an amazing ride at H13. Let’s see what is next,” he wrote. It won’t be easy for the studio to get up from here.

Mafia 3, which was released in 2016, was not a significant success, and after that, Hangar 13 underwent substantial layoffs in 2018. It also had a multiplayer superhero game, which after several years of development and $53 million in costs, was scrapped because it was cancelled. After all this, Kotaku, citing only one source, still surprises us by reporting that the studio is returning to Mafia. Supposedly, the fourth instalment will be a prequel to the trilogy, and… yawn, but Hangar 13 won’t be using the Mafia 3 engine, but Unreal Engine 5 will be used.

It’s not official yet.

Source: PCGamer