Check out this video revolving around the efforts that went into the calligraphic design of Assassin's Creed Mirage. Featuring a unique crest of the Assassins from renowned calligraphist Hatem Arafa, Assassin's Creed Mirage aims to authentically recreate ninth-century Baghdad as detailed by Ubisoft Localization Manager Mohammed Alemam. Assassin's Creed Mirage is launching on October 5 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 Being an expert in Islamic art and a fan myself,
00:09 it was my chance to leave a unique mark on the game.
00:12 Inspired by some old Abbasid manuscript,
00:15 it became clear that the style needed a modern twist.
00:18 It was like fitting a puzzle with some weird pieces,
00:21 and it took many trials until we arrived to the ideal crest.
00:26 Eventually, the translation of the hidden one,
00:29 which is al-Mukhfī, emerged as a winner.
00:32 For the first time, the crest carries a deeper meaning
00:35 beyond the fantasy setting.
00:37 Arabic calligraphy and the Arabic language
00:39 owe their uniqueness and continuity
00:41 to Islamic civilization.
00:43 In their reverence for Quran, Arabs
00:45 developed a lot of writing tools and forms,
00:47 which led early Muslim artists to stay away from symbols
00:51 and focus on calligraphy to avoid confusion.
00:54 While other styles of decoration emerged later,
00:57 Arabic calligraphy remained the primary and the most expressive
01:00 element of Islamic art.
01:02 The development team provided specific texts,
01:11 which were parts of old poems dating back to the Abbasid era,
01:15 except for the eagle, in which the famous motto was written,
01:19 "Then out of the dark, you will come into the light."
01:22 It was a fascinating exercise in weaving poetry into gameplay,
01:26 and it was all about striking the balance between history
01:30 and the modernity.
01:31 In terms of authenticity, the team
01:39 went above and beyond to ensure many aspects are authentic.
01:43 For language, for example, they ensured
01:45 the correct pronunciation of Arabic words and names
01:48 and expressions.
01:50 Based on recordings I provided to them,
01:52 even the names of the members of the Order of the Ancients
01:56 are based on Arabic and Farsi legends and myths.
02:01 Al Ghul sends orders to the prison guards.
02:03 Another example is the Adhan, or the call to prayer,
02:06 and how it was beautifully recorded by a mu'adhdhin
02:09 in a recording booth.
02:10 Our sincerest thanks to him.
02:12 The team also consulted with historians, historical experts,
02:18 and artists to ensure authenticity
02:22 in not just language, but also religion, and art,
02:25 and culture.
02:26 Working with the production team was and is an experience
02:29 I will not forget.
02:30 Usually, my involvement with any project
02:33 is tied to localization and age rating.
02:35 But this time around, I was involved
02:37 from the very beginning and consulted on multiple topics,
02:40 from religion and culture to poetry and art.
02:43 The decision to fully localize the game in Arabic
02:46 was welcomed by the team.
02:47 [SPEAKING ARABIC]
02:52 As it would add an extra layer of immersion and authenticity,
02:56 not just for Arabic players so they
02:58 can hear their native tongue spoken correctly
03:01 and accurately, but also for non-Arabic players
03:05 to immerse themselves in the world of Assassin's Creed
03:08 Mirage.
03:08 [SPEAKING ARABIC]
03:14 A lot of things that we know in modern day science,
03:17 physics, mathematics, philosophy,
03:20 is built on top of what we've learned from the Abbasid era.
03:23 Unfortunately, not a lot of people
03:24 know about this for varying reasons.
03:28 And we're hoping that this game will spark their curiosity.
03:31 We hope this will introduce many people to what the Arab world
03:35 really looked like.
03:37 And as an Arab, I'm really filled with joy and pride
03:40 to be part of this project and cannot wait
03:42 to see everyone's reactions.
03:44 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:51 (whooshing)
03:53 (whooshing)