A German board game depicting Sicily’s violent Mafia wars of the 1980s has ignited a heated debate. La Famiglia – The Great Mafia War, created by Boardgame Atelier, recently won the prestigious As d’Or, an annual French award for games.
Now available in Italian and sold on major online platforms, the game invites players to compete for control of Sicilian Mafia districts. Players use game elements such as car bombs, assassinations, drug labs, and smuggling boats to achieve dominance.
The release has drawn criticism from Alessandro De Leo, a parliamentarian from the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party. De Leo addressed a letter to Sicily Governor Renato Schifani, also of FI, denouncing the game as “unacceptable.”
“It is offensive to Sicilians and trivialises the suffering caused by a violent criminal phenomenon,” De Leo wrote. He also criticised the portrayal of car bombs as “simple game tools” and urged the governor to explore measures to restrict the game’s distribution.
De Leo argued that the game exploits “one of the most painful chapters in Sicilian history” for entertainment and undermines the efforts of citizens committed to justice and legality.
The game allows up to four players to assume control of six fictional Mafia families, each with unique abilities, to vie for dominance in Sicily. Its controversial content has sparked wider calls for action, with organisations opposing products that trivialise Mafia-related violence.
Further Details About the Game
The creators describe La Famiglia as a strategic war game with elements inspired by historical events. Each turn sees players building their networks, attacking rivals, and exploiting resources. While it has been praised for its design and depth, critics argue the gameplay risks glorifying organised crime.
The controversy highlights ongoing sensitivities in Italy surrounding cultural depictions of the Mafia.
