Mafia: The Old Country Faced Backlash For Excluding Italian Voice Acting‘Authenticity is at the Heart of the Mafia Franchise,’ Assured the Developers
News surrounding the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country has been stirring the pot, particularly regarding its voice acting. Set in 1900s Sicily, the latest entry in the Mafia franchise initially raised eyebrows when its Steam page seemed to suggest full audio for many languages but Italian. However, developer Hangar 13 has swiftly addressed these concerns on Twitter (X).
"Authenticity is at the heart of the Mafia franchise," the developers explained in a tweet. "Mafia: The Old Country will offer voice acting in Sicilian, inline 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 confusion arose from the game’s Steam page listing six languages with "full audio:" English, French, German, Czech, and Russian. The absence of Italian, despite its inclusion in previous Mafia games, prompted fans to question the developer’s choices, with many feeling disrespected, as mafias originated in Italy.
Fortunately, Hangar 13's decision to feature Sicilian voice acting in the game was met with enthusiastic approval from fans. Sicilian, while closely related to standard Italian, boasts its own unique vocabulary and cultural nuances. For instance, the word "sorry" is translated as "scusa" in Italian and "m'â scusari" in Sicilian.
Moreover, Sicily is right where Europe, Africa, and the Middle East meet. Because of this, Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish have all left their mark on the Sicilian language. This linguistic diversity is likely why the developers chose to feature Sicilian instead of Italian. It aligns with the "authentic realism" that 2K Games promised in their press release.
For more on Mafia: The Old Country’s announcement, check out the article below!
