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Article published In: Digital Translation
Vol. 12:1 (2025) ► pp.11–38

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Evolution of Arabic video game localization

A case study of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series

ORCiD logo with link | United Arab Emirates University
 | United Arab Emirates University
 | United Arab Emirates University
 | United Arab Emirates University
 | United Arab Emirates University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

This article was made Open Access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license through payment of an APC by or on behalf of the authors.

Published online: 22 April 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/dt.24013.alb
Abstract
This study examines the evolution of Arabic video game localization focusing on Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series from 2007 to 2023. It also provides a macro-historical perspective on Arabic video game localization and a micro-historical analysis of one of the most prominent video game franchises. By identifying Ubisoft’s strategic shifts — from no localization efforts to full Arabic localization — this research highlights the influence of market demand, regional support, and technological advancements on Arabic video game localization practices over time. Drawing on data from both game paratextual elements and in-game assets, this study identifies the milestones, challenges, and solutions in Ubisoft’s approach to the Arab gaming community. It performs quantitative and qualitative analyses to reveal how localization strategies have been progressively adapted, addressing issues such as right-to-left language support, cultural adaptation, and the increasing inclusion of Arabic voiceovers and in-game graphics. This research strengthens Arabic translation literature by expanding the historical account of video game localization beyond the dominant Western and Japanese contexts. It also serves as a valuable resource for developers, publishers, and scholars interested in reaching Arabic-speaking audiences and exploring localization dynamics in non-Western markets.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.A brief history of video game localization
  • 3.Arabic video game localization: A macro-historical perspective
  • 4.Conceptual framework: Video game assets and localization levels
    • 4.1Video game localizable assets
      • 4.1.1Printed and digital game paratexts
      • 4.1.2Game logo art
      • 4.1.3Diegetic and nondiegetic in-game texts
      • 4.1.4Voiceover and cinematics
      • 4.1.5Art assets
    • 4.2Video game localization levels
  • 5.Method
    • 5.1Data collection and analysis
      • 5.1.1Franchise Paratexts
      • 5.1.2Franchise games
  • 6.Findings
    • 6.1Franchise paratextual analysis
    • 6.2Localization of franchise games
      • 6.2.1Quantitative analysis of box and docs and in-game localized assets
      • 6.2.2Qualitative analysis of box and docs and in-game localized assets
  • 7.Conclusion
  • References
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Alanazi, Naif, Mohammed Al-Batineh & Hussein Abu-Rayyash
2025. SauDial: The Saudi Arabic dialects game localization dataset. Data in Brief 62 ► pp. 111906 ff. DOI logo

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