Difficulties and Benefits of Game Translation and localization services

Difficulties and Benefits of Game Translation and localization services

Tatiana Osoblivaia

14/10/2022

Multilingual SEO

 

As games become more popular around the world, many companies are realizing that they need to localize their games to reach out to new markets and audiences.

Game localization is the process of adapting a game to various international markets by translating, editing, and redesigning it. Game localization professionals work with marketing professionals, QA analysts, developers, translators and testers to localize games for global audiences.

 

A difference between a game translation and game localization

Game translation and localization are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.

Game translation is the process of taking a game from one language and translating it into another language so that people who speak that language can play the game. It’s important to note that game translation does not include any changes made to the game itself — only the text.

Game localization is the process of taking a game from one language and translating it into another language while also making modifications to accommodate cultural differences between regions (i.e., characters wearing different clothing or speaking with different accents). Professional game localization services can sometimes include changes made to the gameplay, graphics or even music depending on the requirements of each region.

 

Main difficulties which meet developers with game translation

As many game developers have discovered, translating a game into multiple languages is not an easy task. There are many difficulties to overcome before a game can be successfully translated and released in multiple countries. If you want to translate your game, you need a professional translator who can understand everything about the game so they can translate it properly.

The first difficulty facing game developers is the selection of suitable translators. The translation must be done by people who are fluent in both the source language and target language, and also know the subject matter. A good translator will know how to convey the original meaning of a text accurately while preserving its style and tone.

Another difficulty is dealing with cultural differences between different countries. For example, words that sound natural in one language might sound strange or offensive in another language. It may be necessary to make some changes or adjustments to preserve goodwill among consumers from different cultures.

A third difficulty is time constraints. Making changes after localization has already begun can cause delays that lead to missed deadlines and additional costs for developers.

Next, there is often no way for developers to know exactly how much it will cost to translate their games until they engage with professionals who specialize in this field.

 

How do differences between languages affect game localization?

One of the most important things to consider when translating a game is the time required for each language. Some languages take longer than others depending on how many words there are in each sentence and how many characters are available in that language.

It’s also important to keep in mind that not all languages have the same amount of characters available which can make it difficult for some languages like Chinese or Japanese to fit everything into their character limit without cutting some things out of the sentence.

 

The following are some of the main features of game localization:

  • Game localization is required to reach out to a global audience.
  • Game localization allows you to expand your business and grow your sales by reaching out to an international market.
  • Game localization involves the translation and adaptation of text, graphics, audio and video files so that they can be understood by people from different countries or regions around the world without losing their original meaning or content.
  • It is important for you to hire professional game translators who have experience working with software developers who develop games for different platforms like computers and mobile devices in order for them to give you quality work on time and at affordable prices.
  • When selecting a company for game localization services, make sure it has experience working with software developers who develop games for different platforms like computers and mobile devices.

 

In the end, game translation is but one aspect of a marketing ploy designed to broaden a game's audience and make it appeal to more people. To be truly effective, a marketing campaign must include translation, localization and other factors that help a game uncover new demographics. It's all about appealing to as many people as possible and doing so through a variety of means.

 

 

PoliLingua

Our translations are performed by translators carefully selected to align with the subject matter and content of your project. They meet and exceed international quality standards. Upon request, we will provide you with a certificate attesting to the precision of our translations