The Groundbreaking Rise of Arabic Localization in Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Ubisoft’s highly anticipated video game, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, is breaking barriers with its inclusion of Arabic audio and text. The game stands among a limited number of AAA titles to feature classical Arabic, reflecting the golden age of Baghdad. Ubisoft’s commitment to cultural relevancy and capturing the intent of the language has paved the way for this groundbreaking localization effort.
Preserving the Language and Capturing the Essence
The collaboration between Ubisoft’s localization manager, Mohammed Alemam, and art director Jean-Luc Sala has been instrumental in achieving the goal of seamlessly integrating classical Arabic into Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Their philosophy aimed to ensure players would enjoy the game without noticing any language translation discrepancies.
Explaining the importance of including classical Arabic, Sala emphasizes the opportunity to return to the Middle East and create a more authentic gaming experience. “It feels more accurate to play in Arabic, even if you’re not Arabic,” he states. The decision to fully voice the game in Arabic was a deliberate and thoughtful approach in line with players’ preference for language immersion in titles like Ghost of Tsushima.
Classical Arabic: A Language Rooted in Time
Classical Arabic remains an integral part of the linguistic and cultural landscape of the Arabic region. Alemam highlights its continued presence in education, entertainment, news media, and literature. Moreover, many books are still written in classical Arabic, contributing to its preservation and significance.
As the literary language used from the 7th century to the Middle Ages, classical Arabic perfectly aligns with the historical backdrop of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Set in 9th century Baghdad during a thriving era of science, economy, and culture, the game’s narrative becomes even more immersive through the use of this language.
A Meticulous Localization Effort
Localization and language service provider Arlation played a crucial role in ensuring the cultural accuracy of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Eight linguistic experts worked tirelessly alongside renowned specialists such as Dr. Raphaël Weyland and art historian Glaire Anderson. The input of Ubisoft staff members, including Maya Loréal and Malek Teffaha, further enhanced the language and cultural aspects of the game.
In addition, Ubisoft’s humanities & inspiration taskforce, led by Thierry Noël, historians Dr. Raphaël Weyland and Maxime Durand, and strategic alliances director Amy Jenkins, provided their expertise to guarantee an authentic experience.
Diverse Voices for Authenticity
Authenticity drove the selection of both the Arabic and English voice cast for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Sala explains how actors of Arabic heritage were chosen for key roles, as they possess the linguistic skills necessary to accurately pronounce Arabic names, places, and expressions.
The iconic protagonist Basim is voiced by actor Eyad Nassar, renowned for his acting career in the Middle East. The English voice cast also includes notable individuals like Shohreh Aghdashloo, an Iranian-American actress portraying Basim’s mentor Roshan, and Lebanese-Canadian actor Lee Majdoub as the English voice of Basim.
Challenges on the Path to Cultural Authenticity
Mirage’s return to a city setting presented a unique challenge for the development team. Previous Assassin’s Creed titles had focused on vast open-world landscapes, which meant new technology and a fresh approach were necessary. However, the team’s open-mindedness and commitment to cultural representation, respect, and accuracy played a pivotal role in overcoming these obstacles.
Collaboration was key throughout the development process. Sala emphasizes the importance of open dialogue and mutual understanding, allowing everyone involved to question and improve various aspects. Together, the team fought against potential difficulties, ensuring the game’s music, dialogues, and visual representation aligned harmoniously.
Anxiously Awaiting the Feedback
With the launch of Assassin’s Creed Mirage on the horizon, excitement permeates Ubisoft’s translation team, cast, and writers. Their dedicated efforts have set the stage for an extraordinary gaming experience. Alemam is particularly eager to witness the sub versus dub debates among players, considering the options of experiencing the game with either English voiceover or native Arabic audio and subtitles.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage stands as a groundbreaking title, pushing boundaries in both cultural representation and language localization. Ubisoft’s meticulous attention to detail and commitment to authenticity have created a truly immersive experience that celebrates the rich heritage and linguistic nuances of the Arabic language.