Sicilian Dialect Used in Mafia: Definitive Edition Voice Acting

Mafia: The Old Country’s developers, to address fan worries, have assured players that the game will boast authentic Sicilian voice acting. Read on to learn more about the worries 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 causing a stir, 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 suggest full audio for many languages but not Italian. However, developer Hangar 13 has quickly addressed these concerns on Twitter (X).

"Authenticity is key to the Mafia franchise," the developers explained in a tweet. "Mafia: The Old Country will provide 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 absence of Italian, despite its inclusion in previous Mafia games, led fans to question the developer’s decisions, with many feeling disregarded, as mafias originated in Italy.

Fortunately, Hangar 13's decision to include Sicilian voice acting in the game was met with enthusiastic approval from players. 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. Consequently, Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish have all influenced 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 title 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 detailed look into Mafia: The Old Country in December. Given that the annual Game Awards will be held in the same month, it’s probable that new information will be unveiled at the prestigious gaming event.

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