Assassin’s Creed Mirage is launching this week, and early reviews suggest it marks a return to the series’ original essence. However, there’s one notable change – for the instalment, which is set in 9th-century Baghdad, Ubisoft has recorded the game in Arabic.
Previous entries in the long-running stealth series have been set in various locations across the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, with English-speaking actors voicing the main characters by default.
Players can still opt for English dialogue, but the developers are hoping players will choose the more “authentic” Arabic experience.
This shift has been embraced well by fans like Ameer, who grew up in Baghdad. He mentioned that while Arabic has appeared in games before, it often involved stereotypical portrayals.
Ameer was impressed by the Mirage trailer, which showcased the Arabic dialogue spoken by the main character, Basim, and offered a glimpse into the game. He described Arabic as a beautiful language and said, “The dialect they use in Mirage is a beautiful one.”
Ubisoft’s Mohammed Al Imam, working in the Middle Eastern and North African branches, explained that the language used in the game is classical Arabic, a version over 1,000 years old that is still taught in schools, used in academia, and prevalent in news and entertainment. It may differ from modern spoken dialects, but it is widely understood.
Mohammed emphasized the importance of having fluent Arabic speakers perform any Arabic lines in the game, as opposed to the often inaccurate portrayals seen in Western media. The philosophy extended to the translation team responsible for subtitles, ensuring a deep understanding of both languages for English-speaking players choosing the Arabic voice track.
Mirage, like previous Assassin’s Creed titles, places a strong emphasis on recreating historical settings faithfully. Ubisoft collaborated with historical experts to ensure the game’s authenticity.
Ameer, now living in Istanbul, hopes that Mirage will change how the world views Iraq. He believes it will highlight Iraq’s significance in world history, especially during the 9th century, which he describes as a golden age of knowledge and culture. He emphasized that Iraq and Baghdad were pivotal in the origins of many fields of study and achievement.
Mohammed shared Ameer’s passion for the project, highlighting the importance of positive and accurate depictions of Middle Eastern cultures and characters in the game, avoiding stereotypes and clichés.
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While changes to popular franchises can sometimes face resistance from long-time fans, Mohammed believes that modern audiences, exposed to diverse cultures through social media and the internet, will be receptive to the game’s new approach.
Early reviews of the game have generally been positive, with some publications praising Mirage for its more focused approach compared to recent, sprawling titles in the series. However, others have noted issues reminiscent of earlier games in the franchise.
Despite any criticisms, Ameer remains excited about playing the game and hopes that Mirage’s approach will inspire more Middle Eastern game development, fostering a future where people from all backgrounds can create and share their own stories.
It’s worth noting that the game’s release coincides with reports of the arrests of five former Ubisoft employees on sexual harassment allegations stemming from a 2020 investigation into claims against high-ranking staff. Ubisoft has not yet commented on these reports.
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