Shaheen in a suit. It's an artwork from Tekken Mobile. |
Here in Part 2 of this two-parter article about the initial question why the Beat'em-Up game Tekken 7 is considered an unparalleled localization, I'm gonna deeply elaborate the Saudi Arabian character Shaheen (شاهين) who debuted in Tekken 7. To be exact, I'm gonna elaborate why Shaheen stands out in terms of localization and to what extent he was supposed to approach certain target audiences from certain countries.
For the case you didn't read Part 1 yet wherein I selectively elaborated five Tekken characters being neither Japanese people nor US-American people in the light of localization, here you can go to it:
Well then, as for Part 2 right now, I'm gonna elaborate as follows:
- In what way Shaheen was supposed to serve a calalyzer for expanding the Tekken fanbase?
- To what extent Shaheen sprang a significant cesura in the history of video games?
- And which big influences the feedbacks of the fans had exerted on the creation of the character Shaheen?
Without further ado, let's go:
In terms of the creation fo the character Shaheen, the feedback of the Tekken fans from Saudi Arabia provided the basis for it. It indicates that Namco Bandai indeed do their utmost in order to approach certain target audiences from certain countries. By establishing said character, the localization of Tekken 7 in Arabic accompanied and therefore, the very first time of an Arabic localization of a game from this series.
As already mentioned in this two-parter article's Part 1, Shaheen is dubbed by the Arabic native speaker voice actor Fadi Rifa'ī (فادي الرفاعي) who's a Lebanese. |
In the light of the Arabic localization, it's additionally to say that the potential in the Middle East and Near East in terms of Japanese video games' marking is still enormous while said potential in the Western World as well as in South East Asia has already been exhausted or else hit its peak.
Otherwise, videlicit, it was druther the case that priorly, characters from Africa, the Near and Middle East or India, among others, weren't featured in video games at all and if anything, they were either antagonists or they were portrayed as backward, barbaric, "uncivilized", "subliterate" etc. But this has finally changed since the Saudi character Shaheen whose debut was in Tekken 7 had been established, as he isn't an antagonist but a kind-hearted hero.
In the light of this, the Japanese game producer, director and Bandai Namco's general manager Katsuhiro Harada (原田勝弘) signified that it was actually planned implementing an Arab character already in 2008 but most of the workers didn't almost know anything about the Middle East. But a few years alter, the development team travelled across the Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia and Dubai, so that they learned a lot about die Middle East culture and designs (Lander 2015).
Official concept arts from Shaheen wherein he rather looks dangerous and which differs from the Final version. Image Source: |
Furthermore, Harada got some feedback from the Arab community in 2014 when it cames to Shaheen's Character Design. In the concept arts, Shaheen looked "too clitchee" or he looked "like an Assassin's Creed Character", so the final design had been improved to the extent that he ain't considered as dangerous anymore (Lander 2015).
Of course, there were also some people who wished that Shaheen was removed from the character roaster but Harada replied to them sovereignly and indicated that Shaheen indeed remains in the character roaster (Barder 2015)
Insofar, the establishment of the character Shaheen as well as the feedback concerning the designs seemingly favored the expansion of the Tekken fanbase by more gamers from the Middle East - especially by those from the Arab countries.
A pic of Katsuhiro Harada |
Beside of the fact that it always proof itself as lucrative doing so either way in terms of economic aspects, the Tekken fanbase could absolutely expanded by the character Shaheen. Insofar, it's exactly to say that certain characters - especially Shaheen - have deliberately been established in order to approach additional target audiences from certain countries. In other words, by the establishment of said character, they managed to build magnificently on the potential of the Japanese video games' marketing in the Near East and the Middle East.
Therefore, it can be considered as a win-win situation: On the one hand, it has proved itself as lucrative for Namco Bandai establishing certain characters from certain countries - in this case, a fortiori Shaheen - and on the other hand, it was also a gain for the fans, as their feedbacks had indeed been taken into account. Admittedly, everything stands and falls with the community either way but it's very uncommon that the fans' feedback are explicitly taken into account in the light of game development. I'd like to see anyone else to do that!
In the light of all these aspects mentioned, I rate the game Tekken 7 with five of five stars. |
And now, I'd be interested in knowing which characters from certain countries YOU wish. Don't hesitate writing it in the comment section below.
PS: Here's the bibliography of the secondary sources I've referred to here in Part 2:
Barder, Ollie (2015): 'Tekken 7' Producer Responds To Narrow Minded People, Earns My Respect. Erschienen in Forbes.
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/01/06/tekken-7-producer-responds-to-narrow-minded-people-earns-my-respect/?sh=634a5c1f2867> (2022/7/23)
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/01/06/tekken-7-producer-responds-to-narrow-minded-people-earns-my-respect/?sh=634a5c1f2867> (2022/7/23)
Lander, Alexander (2015): Saudi Arabian Character Joining Tekken 7. Erschienen in Business 2 Community.
<https://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/saudi-arabian-character-joining-tekken-7-01112430> (2022/7/23)
<https://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/saudi-arabian-character-joining-tekken-7-01112430> (2022/7/23)
PPS: Here you can go to my other Review articles: