Video game localization and examples from a brief history of localization

Just as games from the past to the present have evolved beyond measure, so has the video game localization process. Therefore, it is necessary to look at game localization.

This article will look at a brief history of localization and why it’s so essential to our modern gaming experience.

A brief history of localization

US developers initially created games inspired by culture-based pinball and pinball machines to expand into the national market. Some of the arcades, including Computer Space and Pong, became so popular that similar technologies were quickly developed for end-user access from the comfort of their home. A wide variety of consoles and computer systems were now ready to be played.

The creative minds of the Japanese quickly realized the potential of these products. By the end of the decade, they were the first competitors to join this initially exclusive US-only industry, specializing in arcade games that they would immediately bring to the massive US market. There was very little export, and games were usually shipped in their original (mostly English) versions to some European markets, mainly the UK.

Many companies have entered the market to compete with different gaming systems (or platforms) and games. Building a brand and serving the American and Japanese needs more quickly were priorities, but there was no such thing as localization yet. Most video games relied on precise mechanics and engaging gameplay, so there was very little text to read and translate. This early period introduced many English terms such as arcade, joystick, score, and game over.

Due to the indifference of foreign markets, the need for localization was relatively low. But that wasn’t the case for developers in Asia. Many problems aside, computer programming was in its infancy, and only certain alphabets could be displayed. Commercially speaking, Japanese developers and publishers have always seen the US as the best place to expand and grow their return on investment (ROI), so it can be said that they were the first to start thinking about localization.

Earliest example of localization: Pac-Man

A prime and earliest example of this is the internationally popular Pac-Man. The Japanese name was initially translated as Puck Man (pronounced pakkuman). While localizing the product for the US market, they decided that the pronunciation of the word Puck was too close to a vulgar word and decided on a change. The Pac-Man name was a success in every sense.

Instead of directly translating the original, the publisher decided to give the game a certain American feel. All ghosts had a name and nickname that described their behavior or color. The North American version took a more playful approach, using sound and catchy names, as illustrated in the image above and described in table 1 below.

How should the game localization phase be planned?

Let’s start with the basics. Video game localization is the process of adapting a game so that players in different locations feel as if the game was made for their region. It’s a process that sounds simple but is quite complex when you start looking at everything involved.

It covers various language-related steps such as localizing video games, in-game dialogue, and translation of instructions, as well as technical processes such as pulling strings from your code and importing them into a translation management system.

Of course, reaching a global audience means translating and localizing games into multiple languages. Apple, the first US company to get a market cap of $2 trillion in August 2020, does it better than any other company. The Apple App Store is available in 175 countries and regions. To serve all these countries, Apple supports 40 different languages. Not every game developer will have dreams of this scale, but Apple is undoubtedly a strong example of where a successful localization strategy can take you.

All this means you need to localize your video game because doing so allows you to take your work to millions of players. In fact, given that there are over 2.5 billion players on the planet these days, localizing games can give you access to not just millions of players but billions more.

Plan Your Project

Game localization is neither fast nor straightforward, so anyone undertaking it needs to create a project plan. The plan should include the following details;

1. The resources you’ll need, from staff to budgets to voice actors
2. For which countries or regions do you plan to localize the game?
3. What the translation will cover – so exactly what you need to translate
4. Text and visual elements outside of in-game dialogue and instructions require changes (for example, in-game street signs or billboards).
5. Who will take over the translation – will you restart it or work with a professional localization agency?

To solve all this, do a detailed analysis of your content. Allowing sufficient time for this planning phase can lay the foundations for project success.

Choose your localization company

If you’ve decided to hire a professional localization company instead of doing it yourself, then it’s time to choose your agency. Be sure to guide them on their video game localization experience and what languages they usually do this for. Note that localization expertise and language expertise are equally important here.

Export Your Strings

If you’ve developed your own video game, you’ll undoubtedly be familiar with the joys of coding. You will need to pull the strings you need to translate from your code at this stage of the process. Essentially, you will need to create source files with your strings and translatable content.

Translate your content

This is where your talented linguist(s) come in. Your translator(s) will first read your guide and then start translating your content through the translation management system.

Import your strings

The game localization agency of your choice must import these strings into the translation management system before the language-based part of the localization process can begin. Since there are different localization standards for other operating systems, your localization company will carefully guide you through this part of the process.

Localize non-text-based elements

While the translation is in progress, you can ensure that all of the other non-text-based elements of the game are appropriate for the locale they are targeted for. For example, you can equip items such as a street sign, graffiti, or poster with content specific to your target area.

Perform your quality checks

Check both qualities before integrating your translation with your adapted visual elements. Ask your agency to provide proofreaders for languages you don’t know for video game translation. As an outside eye, proofreaders should not be the same people who undertake the translation as they are much more likely to catch any typos.