Video Game Localization Problems: Failure That Need to Be Prevented

To understand video game localization problems could occur within the translation text or within the technical process of the localization. It is so since the process is not involved only in changing the language. It involves a long chain of work. First, you need to understand the essence of video game localization itself. Video game localization is the process of adapting a video game so it suits the preferences of local gamers from other regions. The game initially is made for another region, but as the game grows in audience, it expands to another part of the world. So it can be understood clearly by the audience.

The localization work also involves many elements. It is not just translating game quests or panels. It involves text, audio, art, and price. With localization, it can be received well by people in those regions. A game that purely uses their initial language would find it hard to grow in other regions. Even if you do translate it but disregard many aspects of localization, it will still get bad reviews from the game community. It takes many effort to make game players like your game since they will interact most of their free time on it.

Gamers will spend hours and hours playing your video game. Some of them might become a fan spend money on in-app purchases and attend the game tournaments. It is an unrespected move to not consider the localization process to make them comfortable. It surely takes a lot of effort to localize it. However, it will affect the growth of your game greatly. Therefore, understanding the problem that might happen when doing localization of your video game is essential. So you can know beforehand every probability that you might face.

Video Game Localization Problems

Video game localization is not just about translating content from one language to another. You also need to understand the cultural aspects and also consider device usage on this matter. To understand some problems that might occur, here is some of the information. Check it out.

• Wrong Slang

The use of slang will help the video game to sound natural in those target languages. It could help the game players to feel comfortable and familiar when playing it. Not using the right slang can automatically diminish the spirit of the gamers. Make sure to check if the slang is translated well in those game panels. You do not need to use a lot of slang. If phrases need to stay as they are, do not force it. If possible, use native speakers to check those sentences. If you do not have the resources, it is better to leave it to the localization services company.

• Intonation

A nice-looking sentence from one language could mean something different if you translate it to another language. This difference could happen because there are different cultural intonations used in every language. Using the same intonations in your video game when localizing, can sound inappropriate or even awkward sounding. Make sure to localize using the right manners to make sure it does not sound cringe or even awkward for the game players. Using the right manners could help your game so it can sound relatable to the people in the region.

• Bad Swearing

Well, swearing is certainly a bad thing. However, in some cases, video game characters could contain some bad words to express the situation well. In this situation, swearing is acceptable. Furthermore, it is important to use the right swearing words that are suitable for the target audiences. It is necessary to use the best choice of words for the translation. Using word-to-word translation usually will give stiff results in the end. However, you need to understand the culture of the region. Some countries see swearing in daily life as impolite and improper. In this case, you could change the choice of words into something that has the same nuances but contains the same meaning.

• Not Creative Enough

The next video game localization problem that could happen is the absence of creativity in the translation. It is tough to localize content from one language to another. Not to mention, you also need to consider the cultural references in it. Even so, you still need to be more creative while translating the content. Many people translate the content in a literal way to optimize the accuracy of the localization. This is not wrong, but not good either. The translation also needs to convey the original expression in a way that is interesting for the players. Using literal translation for dramatic scenes or dialogue could erase the core of the game. To do this, you can try to stick to the accurate translation but still give the same tone and mannerisms of the content. Make sure to understand the storyline to give better results.

• Testing Only on One Device

The translated text might look and function on one device. However, if you plan to introduce the video game to mobile or console, you might need to do a little more work. Make sure to test it on another device too. The text string display could look different from one device to another. The text strings could look too crowded or uneven if it is not incorporated well. The text also needs to be consistent from start to finish. Using another term or that difference could confuse the gamers. Therefore, you need to make sure to check the translation on your device.

• Code Issues

The other video game localization problem that could happen is an error in code. Game localization also deals with code issues. A simple piece of code that is missing could ruin the flow of localization. While missing this code, you can set back the localization process since the code needs to be corrected. Consider familiarizing yourself with the HTML markup to help with this problem. If you do not have the time and resources, you could use the professional help of a localization service.

• Source File Problems

Source text or file problems could be fixed quickly. This problem is quite similar to the small coding problem. The source text usually is easy to locate. It could either be missing or misspelled. However, some source text and file problems are not that easy to pinpoint. You may not notice it until the game is undergoing testing on some devices. Therefore, the localization process needs to be thorough and detailed to prevent any errors. This problem could make the game have an incorrect name or skill on display. It might be simple, but it could make a greater impact in some cases.

• Placeholder

The other video game localization problem relies on placeholders. You also need to understand the problem in video game localization, such as placeholders. Placeholders are the small pieces of code that are used in the game to occupy some space in a line of text. This space later on will later be replaced by text. The example of placeholders are %1$s, %2$d, and etc. It could also be in a form or a word in all caps. These placeholders need not be translated or changed. Changing this code intentionally or unintentionally could cause a great problem in the game. Especially in some languages. Deleting these placeholders could trigger errors and great issues in the game. Therefore, you need to make sure not to change it.

• Formatting

It is common in translation that one sentence could become much longer or shorter in another language. While this problem is not an issue in novel translation, it is actually a common problem in video games. This is an issue because the localization team needs to format the layout so it can contain the text better. It should contain all of the text without disregarding any original meaning. The localization team also needs to consider the direction of reading. Many countries do read from left to right, but there are others that still read from right to left or even vertical. Therefore, keep the translation text updated with the culture or the regions. So it can convey the storyline better.

• Not Giving Enough Context

Game developers need to give certain context to the localization team so it can be used in the work immediately. Without proper context, the translation work could become much more difficult. That is because the translator needs to guess some of the game content. While it may seem simple, it is actually not. Translation work needs to be thorough and detailed. Not to mention that the translation work is usually done by many people. These people need to coordinate and collaborate to make the best translation work. Without enough context, the localization work could take much longer than it should. Therefore, giving context before the localization process starts is necessary. It could help the process and give better results in the end.

Conclusion

Video game localization problems can be avoided with the right guidelines and strategy. If you do not have the resources to do it, you can always rely on a localization services company. They will help your video game to be perfectly translated with minimum mistakes.