Mafia-Themed PBBGs: From Mob Wars to Torn

Welcome to Make It Big In Games — where we cut the crap and get straight to the point. Today, we're diving into a niche but surprisingly varied genre: mafia-themed PBBGs (Persistent Browser-Based Games).

If you're a dev (or even someone interested in game design), you may not realize these games have three distinct sub-types. We'll give you a brief overview of each type and highlight what makes each tick.

1. Mob Wars Style: Casual (but rarely indie)

First up, the Mob Wars style. This is the casual player's dream—simple mechanics, energy bars, and a strong focus on social networking. You recruit friends (or randoms) to join your mob, do jobs, fight other players, and build your criminal empire with just a few clicks. This style is designed for quick, really low-effort play sessions, making it accessible even for those unfamiliar with PBBGs. It's all about easy engagement, which is why it blew up on platforms like Facebook.

Brief Overview:

• Casual Gameplay: Designed for quick, really low-effort play sessions. Easy for those unfamiliar with PBBGs to get into.
• Social Focus: Started with heavy integration with social platforms, often requiring friends to progress. These days, it is a small component.
• Resource Management: Simple mechanics around energy, stamina, and currency.

While this style was huge in the late 2000s, it's not a popular choice for indie developers today. The only major players still in the game are companies like Kano, which have stuck with the same formula since the beginning.

Because this type occupies such a small space of the mafia-themed PBBG space (at least in terms of game count, not revenue—the big examples of this type are still run by huge operators, more than likely with equally as large revenues from the games), there aren't any recent source-available options to look at.

However, if you're just looking for a point of reference, these two projects on GitHub might pique your interest:

• proflayton/Game-Template---Website - PHP-based, unlicensed, untouched in over 11 years
• zerohistory/Free-RPG-Engine-FaceBook-Game-App - Ruby-on-Rails-based, unlicensed, untouched in over 13 years

2. Omerta Style: Hardcore Strategy with Permadeath

Next, we've got the Omerta style—where things get serious. This type of game offers a more hardcore, strategy-focused experience. Players climb the ranks in a criminal hierarchy, manage income-producing properties, and engage in everything from drug dealing to assassinations. Oh, and did we mention permadeath? Yeah, if you screw up, it's game over. If you're looking for a challenge, this is your playground.

Brief Overview:

• Permadeath: One wrong move, and you're starting from scratch.
• Economic Management: Run businesses, produce assets, and manage a complex in-game economy.
• Community-Driven: These games thrive on player interaction, alliances, and wars.

Omerta-style games were some of the earliest mafia PBBGs, and the style still holds a strong fanbase today. If you're looking for a challenge, this is your playground.

In terms of taking a look at some source code to use as a base, the free PHP-based and MIT-licensed Gangster Legends v2 is pretty much the most popular option available to you and sees the occasional contribution once or twice a year.

3. Torn Style: Open-World RPG Meets Crime

Last but definitely not least is the Torn-style mafia game. This style offers a deep, open-world RPG experience within a criminal setting. Unlike the other types, it's all about long-term character development. You've got many activities—crimes, trading, property management, and even politics. The gameplay is dense, and you can quickly sink hours into building your empire. The Torn style is for you if you're ready to dive into a complex, open-world experience.

The Torn style is a popular starting point for indie developers thanks to the availability of open-source options. It's complex, but if you're ready to dive in, a wealth of resources will help you get started.

Brief Overview:

• Open-World: A wide range of activities from crimes to trading.
• Long-Term Character Development: Focus on building a character with a diverse skill set over time.
• PvP and Community Interaction: Intense PvP battles and community-driven events.

Outside of the bespoke engines that more seasoned developers will roll out in this space, the availability of open-source and source-available projects in this type is much more widespread than the others. Two of the most commonly used options for this style are MCCodes (v2) (and v1) which was available with paid/licensed and free options and GRPG which was only ever distributed for free (as far as we've ever seen/heard).

So there you have it: the three main sub-types of mafia-themed PBBGs. Understanding these categories can help you decide which direction to take your next project, whether you're a seasoned dev or just getting your feet wet.

Made it this far and wondering if mafia-themed games tickle your fancy? Look at our list of other open-source PBBG projects available that may inspire you.

First published August 28, 2024

Tags: Open Source , PBBG