Get the original Mafia for free on PC later this week

2K is giving away the original Mafia on PC later this week.

In celebration of the Mafia series' 20th anniversary, the game that started it all will be free on Steam from Thursday, September 1 through Monday, September 5. To clarify, this is the original Mafia game, released in 2002, not the Definitive Edition released two years ago, which modernised Illusion Softworks' classic title with updated visuals and enhanced gameplay.

This gritty adventure, set in the 1930s, sees you play as Tommy Angelo, a regular cab driver who inadvertently finds himself caught up in the world of organised crime. While he's initially uneasy about having dealings with the Mafia, he finds the mobster life comes very naturally to him, and soon he's quite at home driving around Lost Heaven in flash cars and fancy suits, getting involved in shootouts and fleeing from cops.

After years of speculation, developer Hanger 13 has announced a brand new entry in the Mafia series is on the way. "While it's a few years away and we can't share anything more right now, we're really excited to keep working on this beloved franchise and to entertain our players with new stories," said Roman Hladík, general manager of Hangar 13.

With a new instalment still a long way off, that gives you plenty of time to play through the original Mafia on Steam. Despite its age, this mob adventure is still well worth delving into. And Steam users agree; a look at the reviews shows the game is currently rated as "very positive" on Valve's platform. "This game has an absolute AMAZING storyline and is the greatest 1930's era game I know," writes one user, while another describes Mafia as "pure perfection".

Keep up to date with all the biggest and best titles making their way to console and PC with our guide to new games 2022.