"Mafia 3" has been rumored to be in development for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC ever since Rick Pasqualone, the voice actor for "Mafia 2's" protagonist, hinted a few months back that the game is in the cards. It was even rumored that "Mafia 3" would be making an appearance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015 with a gameplay trailer, but the game was not seen at the expo, which took place last week from June 16 to 18 in Los Angeles, California.
One reason for the game's absence from the E3 lineup may be due to its predecessor's backstory. According to The Verge, 2K Czech was rumored to have had trouble shipping "Mafia 2," with development announced in 2007 and the release almost three years later to the day. Nearly half a decade has passed since that game's release, and 2K has not launched a new game since 2011's "Top Spin 4." Now, "Mafia 3" remains unofficially in development.
IGN reports of rumors some time ago that 2K Czech was working on the third installment in the franchise for the PS4 and Xbox One. The site claims that the game's launch for both gaming systems was likely hindered when 2K suffered layoffs in 2011. Last year, 2K confirmed that the 2K Czech studio consolidated and some work on the team's project was transferred to the company's main studio in Novato, California.
As "Mafia 3" remains an unannounced project, and until now there is no official word from 2K about its status, it seems as though the game has a slim chance of making it to gaming consoles this year. However, a casting call published online by AGB reveals that Take Two, which is the parent company of 2K, is looking for three actors for voice over, motion capture, and facial scans.
All three characters that the actors will portray are Louisiana-born. They are reportedly named Tony, Franklin, and Mickey. Tony is in his early 30's and is "a genius with numbers and statistics who runs betting operations. Franklin is in his early 20's and "knows how to get a job done at any cost." And Mickey is in his late teens who "likes to run his mouth" and acts as a street hustler.
Right now, it's unclear whether "Mafia 3" is in development or not, but the casting call seems to be an encouraging sign that things are about to get started for the game.
