Zynga’s Mafia Wars closed in 2016 and is no longer playable. If you came back looking for your old Facebook game, this guide explains what happened, how Mafia Wars 2 was different and what you can play today. Mob Wars: LCN offers Jobs, property income and rival battles in a separate game with a new character.
Mafia Wars was a text-based multiplayer mafia game created by Zynga. The game was available on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, and Yahoo. It was also released as an iOS app on April 8, 2009.
On April 5, 2016, Zynga announced on their forums that Mafia Wars was going to be shut down on June 6, 2016. Players also received an in-game message regarding this matter. On June 7, 2016, the game was taken offline shortly after midnight.
MISS MAFIA WARS?
Build your next mob in Mob Wars: LCN
Get back to Jobs, property income, collecting equipment and fighting rival players. Build your character, grow your mob and join a Syndicate. Play in your desktop browser with no download needed, or use the iPhone or Android app.
Play Mob Wars: LCN Free
A separate Mafia Wars mobile game entered testing in April 2017. Zynga ended that release in July 2017. This was different from reopening the original Facebook game or restoring its accounts.
Why did Mafia Wars shut down?
Zynga announced the original game’s closure in April 2016 and ended service that June. The closure notice establishes when the game ended; it does not, by itself, establish a specific financial or technical cause. The separate mobile release in 2017 also ended, after a short testing period.
Can you still play Mafia Wars?
No. The original Zynga game has shut down, so you cannot log in and resume your old character. Mafia Wars 2 also closed. Mob Wars: LCN is a different game you can start today; it does not restore a Mafia Wars account.
What happened to Mafia Wars 2?
Mafia Wars 2 was a separate Zynga sequel, rather than another name for the original Mafia Wars. It closed on December 30, 2012, several years before the original game. A contemporary report preserved Zynga’s closure notice. Neither title is a way to resume your old account today.
Looking for a new game rather than the closure history? See our games like Mafia Wars guide for what to expect from Mob Wars: LCN and how to start.
Games like Mafia Wars: why try Mob Wars: LCN?
Try Mob Wars: La Cosa Nostra if you miss completing Jobs, building income and fighting rival players. Developing your character gives you individual goals, while Syndicates give you a group to compete alongside.
What Mafia Wars fans can look forward to in LCN
- Jobs and character growth: complete Jobs for cash and experience, then choose how to develop your skills.
- Property income and equipment: grow your income and collect weapons, armour and vehicles for your mob.
- Fights and rivalries: use Stamina to fight other players, develop your combat strength and explore the Hitlist.
- A group to compete alongside: join a Syndicate and work towards shared competition as your account develops.
See the Jobs and equipment before you start
If Jobs, property income and collecting gear were your reasons to return to Mafia Wars, these LCN screens are a useful starting point.
Each Job shows its Energy cost, requirements and rewards. Complete Jobs for cash and experience as you develop your new mobster.
The Personal Loadout screen lets you review weapons, armour and vehicles. Compare their attack and defence values before equipping your character.
Properties provide regular income alongside the cash you earn from Jobs. See our equipment and properties guide to understand how income and items support your mob.
Learn how equipment and property income work
Try Jobs and Fights in Mob Wars: LCN
Play in your desktop browser with no download needed, or use the iPhone or Android app. Follow the tutorial to get started.
Getting started after Mafia Wars
Start with the tutorial, complete your first Jobs and try Fights. Spend your skill points as you learn, explore the equipment you collect and build your property income. Once you are comfortable with the basics, look for a Syndicate to give your progress a social side.
Mob Wars: LCN is a separate game with its own account and progress. It does not restore your old Mafia Wars character. Follow the tutorial and try Jobs and Fights to see whether the gameplay suits you.
For another comparison, see our guide for Torn players.
Bring the Jobs-and-Fights routine into a new game
Our Mob Wars: LCN beginner guide shows how to start Jobs, try rival Fights and choose your skills. If playing with a group was part of the appeal, see how to find a Syndicate.
Did you also play iMobsters?
Storm8’s iMobsters was another mobile mafia RPG built around missions, property income and rival mobs. Read what happened to iMobsters and what to play now if you remember playing both games.
