10 Beloved Video Game Studios That Publishers RUINED

2. Hangar 13

Mafia III is a criminally underrated title. Yes, it wasn't without its flaws, but you'd struggle to find a single-player experience as authentic on this generation of consoles.

Hangar 13's command of history distinguished Mafia III immediately upon release, and it was clear the studio had some great ideas worth sharing. Headed up by ex-LucasArts designer and comic book scribe Haden Blackman, the studio looked as though it would be 2K's next big outlet, only the story since has proven to be a bit of a bummer - at least depending on who you listen to.

According to Kotaku's Jason Schreier, the years following the release of Mafia III have been unkind to Hangar 13. Although they've set up a new office in Brighton, many who worked on Mafia III left or were moved on by 2K. Several promising titles are said to have been shelved by 2K, including an espionage title set in Berlin, while Schreier's report also mentions how it was 2K who demanded the studio shoehorn in open-world activities to Mafia III. 2K were also apparently responsible for refusing requests to delay Mafia III so that more time could be spent polishing the title.

There's still a chance Hangar 13 could become the studio it promised to be when it was initially founded, but judging from accounts so far, 2K have prohibited it from coming into its own.

[EP]