14 DAY TRIAL // Take-Two Interactive, the owner of the 2K Games publishing label and the longtime partner of Rockstar Games, confirms that the developer of Grand Theft Auto 5 isn't helping out Mafia 3 studio Hangar 13 with technology or know-how.
The GTA series has been around for many years, serving as the benchmark by which any and all open-world action experiences are judged. Of course, with this reputation came plenty of rivals, such as Volition's Saints Row series, and many others.
Many years ago, GTA 3 also had stiff competition from the Mafia series, and now, after GTA 5 broke records in the last three years, 2K Games has just presented Mafia 3, a new open-world experience in the mob-inspired saga.
Mafia 3 and GTA 5 dev aren't sharing any ideas or technology
Speaking in the latest financial briefing, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick confirms, via GameSpot, that, while his company helps Rockstar and oversees Hangar 13, the two studios aren't collaborating for Mafia 3 in terms of technology or gameplay mechanics.
He mentions that Mafia 3 stands alone and doesn't want to go after the same demographic as GTA 5, even if it's still an open-world action title in which players can drive cars, shoot guns, and do all sorts of shady things.
"I wouldn’t compare [Mafia 3] to anything else out there. The reveal was great, but it stands alone. We don’t use any other game in the same sentence as Grand Theft Auto. It is the industry’s standard-bearer. It’s not up for comparison. We do not have a tech-sharing environment. We're a very congenial company, but we don't think that's the best way to get the best out of our development folks. It's not the way it works around here." Zelnick reveals.
Mafia 3 is set to debut in 2016 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. So far, no gameplay footage has been revealed, although it's been confirmed that it moves the action to 1968 and delivers a more modern take on the mob, as opposed to the previous titles that dealt with decades like the '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s.