VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS URGED TO EMBRACE WELSH LANGUAGE.

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mabon ap Gwynfor has called on the Welsh government to put pressure on video game developers such as EA Sports and FIFA to consider publishing their games through the medium of Welsh.

The Plaid Cymru Senedd Member said that if the Welsh government was serious about reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050 then it ought to begin discussions with gaming giants who have a direct influence on young people.


Mr ap Gwynfor was responding to calls from young Welsh learners in his constituency who said that being able to play games such as Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft through the medium of Welsh would encourage them to develop their use of the language.


Raising the matter in the Senedd, Mr ap Gwynfor said he had been lobbied by pupils from Ysgol Glan y Môr, Pwllheli and from other schools in Pen Llŷn who wanted the option of playing the games through the medium of Welsh.


In response to a letter sent by Mr ap Gwynfor to EA Sports, the gaming giant said that although they publish games in 85 countries and in 19 languages, they had no intention of making their games available in the Welsh language.


Google, Microsoft, and Meta have already adopted the use of the Welsh language on their online platforms.


Speaking in the Senedd, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:


I visited Ysgol Glan y Môr recently, and I spoke to one new Welsh speaker - a pupil there - who said that what would encourage him to speak more Welsh would be to play EA Sports FIFA through the medium of Welsh. Now, I contacted EA Sports, and they responded saying: ‘Unfortunately, it will not be possible for us to include the Welsh language in EA Sports FC 24. Although we publish the game in 85 countries, EA Sports FC 24 is translated into 19 languages.’ Adding that it would take two years for them to prepare a Welsh-medium version. There was a group of children from schools at the far end of the Llŷn peninsula here on Tuesday, and they said that they would be keen to see Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft available through the medium of Welsh. So, there are plenty of things, through this new media, that we could promote. Would you join with me in putting pressure on these organisations - FIFA, EA Sports, Fortnite and Roblox - and trying to get at least one of them to provide their game through the medium of Welsh for children who want to use those services?


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  • Alun Roberts
    published this page in Latest News 2025-01-29 16:47:27 +0000

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Liz Saville Roberts and Mabon ap Gwynfor work hard for everyone who lives in Dwyfor Meirionnydd. If you’d like to get involved and help them with their campaigning efforts, get in touch.