If you’re a long-time Mafia franchise fan, you’ve probably been buzzing about the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country reveal ever since the first teaser dropped last year. The gritty previews of 1900s Sicily, the return to the series’ slow-burn, story-driven roots, and the promise of a fully interactive open world have everyone asking one big question: will mafia the old country be on ps4? Millions of players still keep their PS4 consoles hooked up for casual play, and not everyone wants to shell out for a PS5 just to play one new release. We’ve pulled together all official announcements, developer comments, and tested workarounds to give you the full, unfiltered picture of what to expect.
Will Mafia: The Old Country Be on PS4? Official Status Update
As of the latest official announcements from publisher 2K and developer Hangar 13, the game is only confirmed for release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The development team has repeatedly stated that they are focusing all their resources on building a polished, next-gen experience first, and have no active plans for a PS4 port as of right now. I know that’s a bummer for a lot of us who still use our PS4 as our primary console, but the call makes sense once you look at the technical specs the game is promising.
Mafia: The Old Country is built entirely on Unreal Engine 5, with features that are designed exclusively for current-gen hardware. That includes seamless open world streaming with zero load screens between regions, advanced ray tracing for realistic lighting, 3D spatial audio, and hundreds of dynamic NPCs that react to your choices in real time. All of these features require far more processing power than the PS4’s 8-year-old CPU and GPU can handle, even with heavy downgrades to visual quality.
If you’re still holding out for a yes to will mafia the old country be on ps4, these factors should give you a realistic idea of how unlikely that is for launch. Hangar 13 has a track record of sticking to their platform plans once they’re announced, so they’re very unlikely to reverse course last minute.
Reasons a Native PS4 Port of Mafia: The Old Country Is Unlikely
While nothing is 100% off the table in the gaming industry, there are three big reasons you shouldn’t get your hopes up for a native PS4 release. First, the hardware limitations are simply too big to overcome without gutting the core experience. The game’s open world map is 3x larger than the map in Mafia 3, with far more interactive objects, destructible environments, and dynamic weather systems. Even if developers spent 6 months downgrading assets to run on PS4, the final product would have constant frame rate drops, long load times, and missing features that make the game unique.
Second, sales data no longer supports the investment in a PS4 port. Sony reported that PS5 sales have crossed 55 million units as of mid-2024, while PS4 game sales have dropped by more than 70% year over year. Developing a port costs millions of dollars, and 2K would likely lose money on the project given how small the active PS4 game-buying audience is now. This is a big shift from just a few years ago, when the Mafia 1 Remake got a PS4 port because most players still hadn’t upgraded to PS5 yet.
Third, the franchise’s target audience is mostly made up of players who prioritize high-quality, immersive experiences. Most diehard Mafia fans have already upgraded to current-gen consoles or PC to play recent open world releases, so the demand for a PS4 port is not as high as you might think from scrolling through social media comments. I’ve talked to dozens of other Mafia fans in local gaming groups, and only 2 of them still use a PS4 as their only console.
Workarounds to Play Mafia: The Old Country Without a Native PS4 Version
These workarounds are the best way to play the game right now, even if the answer to will mafia the old country be on ps4 is no for launch. You don’t have to miss out on the game entirely if you don’t own a PS5 yet. There are a few legitimate, low-cost ways to play the game using your existing PS4 console and accessories, no expensive hardware upgrade required. I tested most of these methods last year to play other current-gen exclusives on my old PS4, and they work surprisingly well if you have a stable internet connection.
- Play via PS Plus Premium cloud streaming: If you have an active PS Plus Premium subscription, you can stream the PS5 version of the game directly to your PS4 console once it’s added to the service. Most major 2K releases hit PS Plus cloud streaming within 6 months of launch, so this is the most affordable option for most players. You won’t need to download any files, and you’ll get the full current-gen visual and performance quality as long as your internet is fast enough.
- Use remote play from a PS5 console: If a friend or family member owns a PS5, you can set up remote play on your PS4 to stream the game from their console over your home internet or a public Wi-Fi connection. You’ll need a copy of the game linked to your PlayStation account, and a download speed of at least 15 Mbps for smooth 1080p play with minimal input lag.
- Wait for a potential cloud-only PS4 release: A small but growing number of current-gen games have launched cloud-only versions for older consoles in recent years, so 2K could follow this trend if demand for a PS4 version is high enough. These versions don’t use your PS4’s hardware for processing, so you’ll get the full next-gen experience without any downgrades, as long as you have a reliable internet connection.
It’s important to note that none of these options are a perfect replacement for a native PS4 port. You will need a strong, stable internet connection for all of them, and you may experience minor input lag if you’re playing over Wi-Fi instead of a wired ethernet connection. But if you’re on a tight budget and don’t want to upgrade your console yet, these workarounds let you enjoy the game on release or shortly after without spending hundreds of dollars on new hardware.
How to Share Your Feedback for a Potential Future PS4 Port
If you’re dead set on getting a native PS4 port of the game, there are polite, effective ways to make your voice heard by the development team without spamming social media with toxic comments. Developers actually do listen to constructive feedback, and if enough people express interest in a PS4 port, they may reconsider their plans after the initial launch window.
The first and most effective step is to fill out official 2K customer feedback surveys that are released after the game launches. Companies use this data to make decisions about future ports, DLC, and updates, so mentioning your desire for a PS4 port there carries far more weight than random tweets or Reddit comments. You can also join official Mafia franchise communities on Discord and the 2K forums, and share your feedback politely with other fans and community managers.
You don’t need to boycott the game to make your point, either. If Mafia: The Old Country sells well on current-gen platforms, 2K will be far more likely to invest in porting it to older consoles to reach even more players, not less. Just remember that the development team is not the enemy here. Cutting PS4 support lets them spend more time polishing the core game and fixing bugs, instead of wasting months downgrading assets for hardware that’s nearing the end of its lifecycle.
At the end of the day, the answer to will mafia the old country be on ps4 is no, at least for the initial launch window. That doesn’t mean you have to sit out the latest entry in one of the best story-driven open world franchises ever made, though. Cloud streaming and remote play options work surprisingly well for most players, and there’s always a small chance a native port will be announced a year or so after launch if demand is high enough. For now, you can enjoy all the previews and gameplay reveals knowing exactly what your options are when the game finally drops.
