Mafia: The Old Country Voice Acting Will Use Authentic Sicilian Rather Than Modern Italian

The developers of Mafia: The Old Country have quelled fan concerns, confirming the game will feature authentic Sicilian, not modern Italian, voice acting. This decision follows an initial backlash sparked by the game's Steam page, which listed several languages with full audio but omitted Italian.

Addressing Fan Concerns: Authenticity Takes Center Stage

Hangar 13, the game's developer, took to Twitter (X) to clarify the situation. They emphasized the importance of authenticity to the Mafia franchise, stating that Mafia: The Old Country, set in 1900s Sicily, will accurately reflect its setting through the use of Sicilian dialect. While Italian language localization will be available for the UI and subtitles, the core voice acting will be in Sicilian.

The omission of Italian from the initial Steam listing – alongside English, French, German, Czech, and Russian – caused confusion and disappointment among fans, many feeling the choice disrespectful given the Italian origins of the Mafia.

This decision to use Sicilian, however, has been largely welcomed. Sicilian, though related to Italian, possesses a distinct vocabulary and cultural richness. Simple examples highlight this difference; "sorry," translated as "scusa" in Italian, becomes "m'â scusari" in Sicilian. The unique linguistic tapestry of Sicily, influenced by Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish, aligns perfectly with the "authentic realism" promised by 2K Games.

Mafia: The Old Country, described as a "gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily," remains shrouded in some mystery regarding its release date. However, 2K Games has promised a more in-depth reveal in December, potentially during The Game Awards. Stay tuned for further updates!