"Mafia: Old Country to Feature Authentic Sicilian Voice Acting"

Mafia: The Old Country’s developers have responded to fan concerns by confirming that the game will feature authentic Sicilian voice acting. This decision comes after initial backlash over the exclusion of Italian voice acting. Let's delve into the details that led to this reassuring statement from the developers.

Mafia: The Old Country Faced Backlash For Excluding Italian Voice Acting

‘Authenticity is at the Heart of the Mafia Franchise,’ Assured the Developers

The buzz around the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country has sparked significant interest, particularly regarding its voice acting choices. Set in the early 1900s in Sicily, the game initially caused concern when its Steam page listed full audio support for multiple languages but omitted Italian. This led to confusion and backlash from fans who felt that the exclusion of Italian, a language deeply tied to the Mafia franchise, was a slight against the game's roots.

In response, developer Hangar 13 took to Twitter (X) to clarify their approach. "Authenticity is at the heart of the Mafia franchise," they tweeted. "Mafia: The Old Country will offer voice acting in Sicilian, aligning with the game’s setting in 1900s Sicily." They further confirmed that while the game would feature Sicilian voice acting, Italian language localization would still be available for the in-game user interface and subtitles.

The decision to use Sicilian voice acting was met with enthusiastic approval from the fanbase. Sicilian, while closely related to standard Italian, has its own unique vocabulary and cultural nuances that add depth to the game's setting. For example, the word "sorry" in Italian is "scusa," whereas in Sicilian, it's "m'â scusari."

Sicily's unique position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East has enriched its language with influences from Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish. This rich linguistic tapestry is likely why the developers chose Sicilian over standard Italian, reflecting the "authentic realism" promised by 2K Games in their press release.

Mafia: The Old Country aims to deliver a "gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily." Although an exact release date remains under wraps, 2K Games has hinted that more details will be shared in December, coinciding with the annual Game Awards, where fans can expect further insights into this highly anticipated title.

For more information on Mafia: The Old Country’s announcement, please refer to the article below!