Sicilian Dialect Voices Authenticate Mafia Game

Mafia: The Old Country’s developers, to address fan anxieties, have reassured players that the game will boast authentic Sicilian voice acting. Read on to learn more about the concerns that prompted the developers’ official statement.

Mafia: The Old Country Faced Criticism For Omitting Italian Voice Acting‘Authenticity is Key to the Mafia Franchise,’ Assured the Developers

News surrounding the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country has been generating controversy, particularly concerning its voice acting. Set in 1900s Sicily, the latest entry in the Mafia franchise initially raised questions when its Steam page appeared to indicate full audio for many languages but Italian. However, developer Hangar 13 has rapidly addressed these concerns on Twitter (X).

"Authenticity is key to the Mafia franchise," the developers clarified in a tweet. "Mafia: The Old Country will offer voice acting in Sicilian, consistent with the game’s setting in 1900s Sicily." They then followed this with confirmation of what fans already know: "Italian language localization will be available for both in-game UI and via subtitles."

The initial misunderstanding stemmed from the game’s Steam page listing six languages with "full audio:" English, French, German, Czech, and Russian. The omission of Italian, despite its inclusion in previous Mafia games, led fans to question the developer’s decisions, with many feeling slighted, as mafias originated in Italy.

Fortunately, Hangar 13's decision to showcase Sicilian voice acting in the game was met with enthusiastic acclaim from fans. Sicilian, while closely related to standard Italian, possesses its own unique vocabulary and cultural subtleties. For instance, the word "sorry" is translated as "scusa" in Italian and "m'â scusari" in Sicilian.

Furthermore, Sicily is situated at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Because of this, Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish have all left their imprint on the Sicilian language. This linguistic richness is likely why the developers opted to feature Sicilian instead of Italian. It aligns with the "authentic realism" that 2K Games pledged in their press release.

The forthcoming Mafia game promises to be a "gritty mob story set in the harsh underworld of 1900s Sicily." While a precise release date hasn’t been declared, 2K Games has hinted that fans will get a more thorough look into Mafia: The Old Country in December. Given that the yearly Game Awards will be held in the same month, it’s probable that new information will be unveiled at the esteemed gaming event.

For more on Mafia: The Old Country’s announcement, check out the article below!