As part of Take-Two earnings report, it was revealed that Mafia III from developer Hangar 13 shipped more than 4.5 million copies digitally and physically in its first week. This makes it the fastest-selling game in 2K’s history, ahead of any game from the NBA 2K, WWE 2K17, Borderlands, and BioShock franchises.
We won’t know more about how Mafia III performed in the United States and digitally through the PlayStation Store until later this month, but when it debuted in the UK last month, it opened in 2nd place behind FIFA 17.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Lead Designer Haden Blackman revealed that they were nervous about how Mafia III’s risks would be received. “Lincoln’s racial identity came from a desire to have the game tell its own story, and to look at who would be the most interesting from that time period,” he said.
Early on, there were discussions about whether Lincoln’s race would narrow Mafia III’s audience, but the conversation quickly turned into how they could authentically depict the time period. “It’s tough to take on a subject material like this and treat it realistically and sensitively,” Zelnick explained. “We have to be sure not to put our words in the character’s mouths, but to make sure the words belong in the mouths of the characters.”
Zelnick later concluded by saying, “I do think consumers are searching for a representation of our exceedingly diverse world in our entertainment and art.”
Are you surprised by the success of Mafia III?
[Source: The Washington Post]
