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2K casting call suggests that Mafia III could be set in Louisiana

Mafia III could be set in Louisiana

2K recently put out a casting call for voice over and motion capture actors for an unnamed project that could be Mafia III. The third installment of the open-world crime series was believed to have been in development at 2K Czech, where the excellent first and uneven second games were developed. But layoffs and resource shuffling at that studio suggests that this may no longer be the case.

While the game was not named in the casting call, the character descriptions make it clear that the title will tackle the criminal underworld, and a period setting is suggested by the mention of racial segregation. Take a look at the character biographies below. 

Franklin:

Born in Louisiana, Mixed race – African American/Caucasian, Early 20s, 6′, Bouncer’s build – broad, not cut. An orphan in the racially segregated South who rises to criminal prominence after returning home to Louisiana from war. Having been an outsider to both white and black society, Franklin is fiercely loyal to those he considers “family.” He is both street-smart and strong. Disciplined and imposing, confident yet guarded, Franklin knows how to get a job done at any cost…

Tony:

Born in Louisiana, Italian, Early 30s, Thin, Immaculately dressed and groomed. A genius with numbers and statistics who runs sports betting operations in Louisiana. Tony is not your typical gangster. Meticulous and organized, Tony is more concerned about numbers and profit than people. On the surface, Tony appears quiet and socially awkward, but in reality he is more than capable of inflicting violence on anyone who disrupts his bottom line. Tony doesn’t fear people; he simply does not understand or like them.

Mickey:

Born in Louisiana, Italian, Late Teens/Early 20s, Average build. A young street hustler who likes to run his mouth, Mickey likes to talk big on the streets, but when push comes to shove, he can’t back it up. Mickey has a bad habit of taking credit for bigger jobs and making himself seem higher up in the criminal ladder than he really is. When confronted with this, he reverts back to the scared teenager he really is.

The first Mafia took place in Lost Heaven, a fictional American city loosely based on New York, while Mafia II’s Empire Bay mixed east and west coast vibes, but was mainly based on San Francisco. If Louisiana is the setting of Mafia III, then it’s possible the new city will be based on New Orleans.

The casting call only went out a week ago, so the game is probably still in early development; it’s unlikely we’ll see it or an official announcement for a while.

If it is the next Mafia game, colour me intrigued. The original was a superb title which gave Grand Theft Auto III a run for its money in terms of size and the complexity of the simulation. Its sequel was less impressive, offering a compelling story but aged mechanics and a lot of repetition. It was still an entertaining romp, however.

Cheers, AllGamesBeta and Eurogamer.