The ‘untapped potential’ of Welsh folklore in gaming

Image source, BluepochPublished5 minutes agoA Chinese role playing game may be the last place you would expect to find a Welsh character called Rhiannon, but that is the case in Reverse: 1999.

The 20th Century Time-Travel Strategic game, created by Chinese developer Bluepoch, said there were many aspects of Welsh culture that "resonated strongly with the world and stories" of the game.

Voice actor Rebecca Wang described learning aspects of the language, such as the amount of Ws, as a challenging but a "fun process".

Aaron Elias, who runs a gaming website, said Welsh history has "untapped potential" in the gaming world, and that more representation can raise the profile of the country.

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Published8 JulyThe character Rhiannon lives in seclusion and is a mystical bird trainer, according to Bluepoch.

She lives with a flock of Adar Llwch Gwin – found in Welsh mythology – which are giant birds who are very intelligent and capable of following human orders.

Bluepoch co-founder KK said the game likes to "draw inspiration from Welsh mythology" as it exists in a world where magic is real, meaning there was a "natural point of connection" with Wales.

"We felt that the folklore, local traditions, and character of Wales suited the themes of the story particularly well," added KK.

Image source, BluepochImage caption, KK is open to introducing another Welsh character in the future

KK said her appearance incorporates "Welsh and arcane elements" that reflect her background, including clothing that combines elements from shepherds and bird handlers.

"We also drew on a broader range of Celtic visual traditions, including Ogham script, the Tree of Life, and Celtic-inspired ritual motifs," he added.

KK said players have responded well to Rhiannon and he saw conversations taking place online about the "legends and mythology reflected in different aspects of her character".

"If the right story and cultural themes present themselves, we would certainly be open to exploring Welsh culture through future characters," he said.

Image source, BluepochImage caption, Rhiannon is a limited edition character in the Reverse: 1999 world

Rhiannon was voiced by Rebecca Wang, a trilingual Asian-American voice actress, for the dialogue in the game.

She initially had doubts about playing the character as she had "no familiarity" with the Welsh language, but was convinced by the studio after being told they would only be adopting the Welsh "here and there" to appeal to a global audience.

"I quickly realised the Welsh language loves their Ws as vowels. I would have to learn how to pronounce these words.

"There's some that requires some throatiness, like bechan for example, which is a term of endearment, meaning little one."

Rebecca said it was a "fascinating" learning process because "they're English letters that don't abide by English rules".

A self-confessed lover of languages, she used Tik Toks, YouTube videos and a dialect coach to help her with these words, describing it as a "fun process".

Rebecca said her experience has peaked her interest in Wales and she would like to plan a trip in the near future.

Image source, Rebecca WangImage caption, Rebecca said learning the Welsh pronunciation was a "challenge"

Arron Elias, who runs a website that focuses on promoting video games featuring Welsh representation, said there was "so much untapped potential when it comes to Welsh stories and characters".

"Hopefully more attention on those kind of games ultimately leads to better representation in games," he added.

Aaron said Welsh history does lend itself well to adventure games in particular, and developers have realised that there are "more mythologies out there than just Norse, Greek and Egyptian".

He believes it can deliver "unique worlds, characters, and narratives" as seen in the Mabinogion.

Image source, Aaron EliasImage caption, Aaron Elias thinks video game representation can raise the profile of Wales

"There's some of the oldest written stories in Britain from hundreds of years ago written entirely in the Welsh language," he added.

Aaron believes Welsh references in video games have the ability to put the country "on the map" in the same way that the Edinburgh-based Rockstar has done ahead of the much anticipated release of GTA 6.

"The video game industry is bigger than movies these days," he said.

"We want to see more Welsh representation, and bring more people and attention to Wales."

Barry Pritchard, from Caernarfon, has been playing Reverse: 1999 for a few years now, and said despite some of the pronunciation being "a bit iffy", he is really happy to see the Welsh language featured in a game he loves.

"Not many people attempt do the Welsh language in any way, shape or form.

"So it's just nice to see the attempt at least."

Image source, BluepochImage caption, The latest chapter from the game which translates to 'What man is the gatekeeper?' in English

Barry said Wales has a "small cultural footprint" when it comes to gaming, and that the accent is "not something you see often".

He said: "It put a bit of a smile on my face hearing it in this to be perfectly honest."

The characters in game can heard talking about Welsh locations such as the "witches market of Caernarfon", he said.

"Most people in Wales are aware of the town, but to hear that was eye opening, and I am more likely to check something out if it has links to the Welsh language."

Barry said hearing it is not the only reason he plays the game, but "sometimes it's just nice to see that representation for our country".

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