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Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Authentic Arabic Representation in Gaming

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Mohammed Al Imam, who works for Ubisoft's Middle Eastern and North African branch, explains that the use of classical Arabic in the game is a departure from the common portrayal of Arabic characters in Western media speaking broken Arabic or mimicking the sounds without understanding the words. He emphasizes the importance of having fluent Arabic speakers perform the Arabic lines in the game to ensure accuracy. Small details like accurate translations and cultural references are scattered throughout the game, which may go unnoticed by non-native speakers but are appreciated by Arabic speakers.

Another significant aspect of Assassin's Creed Mirage is its faithful recreation of historical settings. Ubisoft employed historical experts to ensure the authenticity of the game's world. Ameer, a fan of the game who grew up in Baghdad, hopes that the game will help change the perception of Iraq and the Arab world. He believes that the game will highlight the importance of Baghdad in history and showcase its golden age, where knowledge and significant contributions to various fields originated.

The game has received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its focused approach and historical accuracy. However, some have raised concerns about the return to the style of earlier games in the franchise. Despite this, Ameer is excited to play the game and hopes that it will inspire more Middle Eastern game developers. He believes that representation in games can inspire others to create their own stories and contribute to the gaming industry.

It is worth noting that the release of the game coincides with reports of sexual harassment allegations against five former Ubisoft employees. The company has stated that it has no knowledge of the allegations and cannot comment on them.

Original news source: Assassin's Creed Mirage: Why Arabic is at the heart of the new game (BBC)

πŸ“– Vocabulary:

1. Arabic
2. Ubisoft
3. classical
4. accurate
5. historical
6. franchise
7. representation
8. allegations

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a headline related to the article (e.g. "Assassin's Creed Mirage Breaks Barriers with Arabic Language"). Instruct them to brainstorm and create a newspaper headline and subheading that summarizes the main idea of the article. Encourage them to be creative and concise. After a few minutes, have each group share their headline and explain their reasoning.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a role: gamers, game developers, or cultural critics. Instruct each group to discuss and debate their opinions on the use of Arabic language in Assassin's Creed Mirage. They should consider the positive and negative aspects and come to a consensus within their group. After a set amount of time, have each group present their opinions and reasoning to the rest of the class. Facilitate a class discussion based on the different perspectives.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Compile a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. Ubisoft, portrayal, authenticity). Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Assign each group a word from the list. Instruct them to draw a picture that represents the word and have their partner(s) guess what it is. They can only communicate using English. After a few rounds, have each group share their drawings and explain the meaning of their assigned word.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Instruct the students to work individually or in pairs. Tell them to imagine themselves as game developers for a new edition of Assassin's Creed set in a different historical period or cultural context. They should brainstorm and write a short paragraph predicting how they would incorporate language and cultural elements into the game to make it more authentic and educational. After a few minutes, have volunteers share their predictions with the class and encourage discussion.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups: one group representing the positive aspects of Assassin's Creed Mirage and the other group representing the negative aspects. Instruct each group to brainstorm and list as many reasons as possible to support their assigned perspective. After a set amount of time, have each group present their arguments to the opposing group. Encourage respectful debate and discussion. At the end, facilitate a class discussion to summarize the different viewpoints.

πŸ€” Comprehension Questions:

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The highly game Assassin's Mirage has been released, and it has been praised for its return to the series' style. However, one major change in this is the use of Arabic language. The developers, Ubisoft, have recorded the game's performances in Arabic, offering players the option to experience the game in a more "authentic" way. This decision has been welcomed by fans, who have often heard Arabic spoken in games only in the context of terrorism. The use of classical Arabic in the game is seen as a positive depiction of Arabic speakers, as it is a language that has been preserved for over a thousand years. Mohammed Al Imam, who works for Ubisoft's Middle Eastern and North African branch, explains that the use of classical Arabic in the game is a departure from the common portrayal of Arabic characters in Western media speaking broken Arabic or mimicking the sounds without understanding the words. He the of fluent Arabic speakers perform the Arabic lines in the game to ensure accuracy. Small details like accurate translations and cultural references are scattered throughout the game, which may go by non-native speakers but are appreciated by Arabic speakers. Another significant of Assassin's Creed Mirage is its recreation of historical settings. Ubisoft employed historical experts to ensure the authenticity of the game's . , a fan of the game who grew up in Baghdad, hopes that the game will help change the perception of Iraq and the Arab world. He believes that the game will highlight the importance of Baghdad in history and showcase its golden age, where knowledge and significant contributions to various fields originated. The game has received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its focused approach and historical . However, some have raised concerns about the return to the style of earlier games in the franchise. Despite this, Ameer is to play the game and that it will inspire more Middle Eastern game developers. He believes that representation in games can inspire others to create their own stories and contribute to the gaming industry. It is worth noting that the release of the game coincides with reports of sexual harassment allegations against five Ubisoft employees. The company has stated that it has no knowledge of the allegations and cannot comment on them.

πŸ’¬ Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about the use of Arabic language in Assassin's Creed Mirage?
2. How would you feel if your native language was represented in a video game in a positive way?
3. Do you think it's important for video games to accurately portray different cultures and languages? Why or why not?
4. What is the significance of using classical Arabic in the game?
5. How do you think the use of accurate translations and cultural references in the game affects the overall gaming experience?
6. Do you think the portrayal of Arabic characters in Western media has been accurate in the past? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the recreation of historical settings in video games can impact people's perception of certain countries or regions?
8. What is the importance of showcasing the golden age of Baghdad in Assassin's Creed Mirage?
9. How do you think representation in video games can inspire others to contribute to the gaming industry?
10. Do you believe that video games have the power to change people's perceptions of certain countries or cultures? Why or why not?
11. How do you feel about the positive reviews and praise that Assassin's Creed Mirage has received?
12. What are your thoughts on the concerns raised about the return to the style of earlier games in the franchise?
13. How do you think the allegations of sexual harassment against former Ubisoft employees impact the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage?
14. Do you think it's important for gaming companies to address and handle allegations of misconduct? Why or why not?
15. How do you think the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage will impact the gaming industry, particularly in the Middle East?

Individual Activities

πŸ“–πŸ’­ Vocabulary Meanings:

Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.

Words

1. Arabic
2. Ubisoft
3. classical
4. accurate
5. historical
6. franchise
7. representation
8. allegations

Meanings

(A) Claims or accusations of wrongdoing or misconduct
(B) Relating to the past or history
(C) Series of related video games
(D) Language spoken in the Middle East and North Africa
(E) Pertaining to the ancient form of a language
(F) Video game developer and publisher
(G) Depiction or portrayal
(H) Precise and correct

πŸ”‘ Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the game that has been released?
(a) Assassin's Creed Origins
(b) Assassin's Creed Unity
(c) Assassin's Creed Odyssey
(d) Assassin's Creed Mirage
2. What language is used in the game?
(a) English
(b) French
(c) Arabic
(d) Spanish
3. Why is the use of classical Arabic in the game significant?
(a) It adds authenticity to the game.
(b) It is a positive depiction of Arabic speakers.
(c) It has been preserved for over a thousand years.
(d) All of the above.
4. Who emphasized the importance of having fluent Arabic speakers perform the Arabic lines in the game?
(a) Ameer
(b) Ubisoft
(c) Mohammed Al Imam
(d) Historical experts
5. What small details are appreciated by Arabic speakers in the game?
(a) Accurate translations and cultural references
(b) Historical accuracy
(c) The portrayal of Baghdad's golden age
(d) The use of classical Arabic
6. What has been a criticism of Assassin's Creed Mirage?
(a) Its use of Arabic language
(b) Its return to the style of earlier games
(c) Its historical accuracy
(d) Its portrayal of Baghdad's golden age
7. What does Ameer hope the game will do?
(a) Change the perception of Iraq and the Arab world
(b) Inspire more Middle Eastern game developers
(c) Highlight the importance of Baghdad in history
(d) All of the above
8. What recent controversy has surrounded Ubisoft?
(a) A decrease in game sales
(b) A data breach
(c) None of the above
(d) Sexual harassment allegations against former employees

πŸ•΅οΈ True or False Questions:

The game features the use of Arabic language and offers players the option to experience the game in a more "authentic" way.
The game has received generally favorable reviews, although some critics have raised concerns about its return to the style of earlier games in the franchise.
Assassin's Creed Mirage has not been released and is not receiving praise for its return to the series' original style.
A fan of the game hopes that it will change the perception of Iraq and the Arab world by highlighting Baghdad's historical importance.
Assassin's Creed Mirage inaccurately recreates historical settings despite the help of historical experts employed by Ubisoft.
The decision to use classical Arabic in the game has been met with criticism by fans who do not appreciate the positive depiction of Arabic speakers.
The game does not include accurate translations and cultural references that are appreciated by Arabic speakers.
Ubisoft, the developers of the game, have recorded the performances in Arabic to ensure accuracy.

πŸ“ Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

1. How has the use of Arabic language in Assassin's Creed Mirage been received by fans?
2. Why is the use of classical Arabic in the game seen as a positive depiction of Arabic speakers?
3. According to Mohammed Al Imam, why is it important to have fluent Arabic speakers perform the Arabic lines in the game?
4. What significant aspect of Assassin's Creed Mirage contributes to its historical accuracy?
5. What concerns have some critics raised about the game, despite its generally favorable reviews?

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