To help promote the impending release of 2K Czech's Mafia II--the open-world gangster game hits PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 around August 24--publisher 2K Games has kicked off the first of four mini-game competitions through the game's "Story of Frankie Potts" site.

Whoever nets the highest score in the first web-based mini-game--a race to disassemble a car as quickly and efficiently as possible--by June 2 will receive a signed Mafia II pinup calendar, with subsequent mini-games also rewarding the highest score through similar swag. Read more »

All three versions of Mafia II--PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360--will use NVIDIA's PhysX physics technology, publisher 2K Games announced today, with the PC version getting a "thorough integration" of PhysX plus some APEX clothing and particle effects.

In addition, Mafia II PC will support NVIDIA's 3D Vision headset for stereoscopic 3D visuals when the game hits August 24 in North America and August 27 elsewhere. Read more »

The second developer diary video for 2K Games' Mafia II has been released, exploring such interesting topics as gun fights, car chases, and melee combat.

Mafia II will be released on August 24 in the US and on the 27th elsewhere for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Read more »

With Mafia 2 sporting a release date of August 24 (North America) and August 27 (Europe), it's just about time for 2K Games to start rolling out those vignettes where developers (in this case, 2K Czech) narrate some gameplay footage. Oh, what's this?

2K Czech's open-world mob story Mafia II will be released in North America on August 24, publisher 2K Games announced today, then come to Europe on August 27.

Hitting PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the twice-delayed title tells of one Vito Scaletta's entry into the Empire Bay mafia and his bloody rise through its ranks. Read more »

In development at 2K Czech, the Xbox 360 version of Mafia II was playable at GDC 2010. I was shown a brief video presentation introducing me to Vito, the game's main character, and the mission I would be playing.

Vito, home on leave from World War II after being wounded, meets up with his old friend Joe. But while Vito was off killing Nazis, Joe became involved in organized crime and soon serves as the driving factor behind Vito's descent into the criminal underworld. After a few quick calls, Vito is "provided" with paperwork proving that his injuries are more severe than previously thought. He won't be returning to war. Read more »

Joining the likes of Metal Gear Solid 4, publisher 2K Games today revealed that 2K Czech's recently delayed mobster game sequel Mafia 2 will allow players to collect copies of Playboy magazine--a move the company says will "bring sophistication and classic imagery" to the title. Read more »

Hot on the heels of this week's news that Mafia II has once again been delayed, publisher 2K Games has released a fabulous new trailer for 2K Czech's mob tale.

Once due in fall 2009, Mafia II's PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 release is now slated for some time between August 1 and October 31, 2010. To tide you over, you can enjoy our interview with producer Denby Grace and fifteen minutes of gameplay he narrated. Read more »

2K Czech's old-timey gangster game sequel Mafia 2 won't be hitting its projected release window either, as publisher Take-Two today revealed that the game--once expected by July-- is now slated to arrive between August 1 and October 31, 2010.

That period correlates to the fourth quarter of Take Two's current fiscal year--the same time that L.A. Noire, Max Payne 3 and Civilization V are due--with Mafia 2 in development for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. As for why Mafia 2 was delayed, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder cited a focus on quality and the need for more development time. Read more »

Once expected to arrive this winter, Rockstar Vancouver's action game sequel Max Payne 3 has suffered a delay, and is now due between August 1 and October 31, 2010.

The revelation was tucked away within studio owner Take-Two Interactive's fiscal results--the release window corresponds to the fourth quarter of Take-Two's fiscal year--with the company noting that Mafia II is still on track for the first half of 2010.

While publisher Take-Two is still evaluating specific launch dates for anticipated sequels BioShock 2, Max Payne 3, Mafia II and Red Dead Redemption, the company today said that all four are now expected to release between February and June 30, 2010.

While speaking during an investors conference call, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder explicitly noted that the four are still due within the first half of calendar 2010, but should not be expected within the first quarter of the company's fiscal year, which ends January 31.

Dealing with the mob seems easy enough. You get together, eat spaghetti, have a few drinks, chat a little and then off you toddle. Unless you slip up, of course, in which case you'll wind up with bat-wielding wiseguys on your doorstep looking none too pleased.

Due out "early in 2010" on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, 2K Czech's Mafia II also scored new screenshots today. Consider it all a token of Mr. Gamescom's appreciation. Read more »

A fine time, the 1950s. Before the advent of Twitter, rainbow clubs and rap singers, for $5 you could ride a steam train, have a malt, buy a fast car and catch a monster movie at the drive-in, and still have change to get stuck up at knifepoint on your way home.

If you can't wait until "early in 2010" to play 2K Czech's Mafia II for yourself on PC, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, have a gander at fifteen minutes of gameplay footage from E3.

Mafia 2 producer Denby Grace introduces a whopping fifteen minutes of play from the mobster shooter's early game, as was demonstrated during the E3 expo in June.

Update: BioShock 2 will be released within the first half of "calendar 2010," Take-Two CEO Ben Feder clarified during a conference call. Three other major releases are planned within that timeframe: Mafia 2, Max Payne 3, and Red Dead Redemption.

As before, the company is still evaluating specific launch windows for those games. Read more »