When you pick up Assassin’s Creed Unity on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or PC this November, many characters will be speaking English – with no hint of a French accent – despite the game being set in Paris, France.
Creative Director Alex Amancio responded to these concerns, revealing that the reason behind French characters speaking English is simply because of the Animus:
The idea is that the Animus is translating everything into the language you’re playing in. That’s why, since you’re an Anglophone, you’re hearing all the dialogue and cinematics in English. It would really make no sense for there to be a French accent because that would mean that this French character is trying to address you in accented English. Everyone in the game is not trying to speak English for your benefit.
You can, of course, play the French version with subtitles for a more authentic experience, and also in the final version of the game, “the only lines that are going to be translated into English are gameplay-related elements that we need to convey to the player. Those parts will be in English. Everything else is in French. You’ll really have the immersion of walking around in Paris and hearing everyone speaking French.”
If you do choose to allow English dialogue, the characters will feature a British accent – a decision determined based upon how British accents suit the time period more than an American accent.
Amancio added about the lack of French accents, “It’s an artistic choice. It’s a new generation and the story is a little bit more serious, and having everyone speak in a thick French accent would detract a lot from the experience.”
What do you think of Ubisoft’s decision to go with British accents over French accents?
[Source: Ubisoft]
