English-to-Indonesian Game Localization: Strategies for Reaching a Broader Audience

In your opinion, what makes giant games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, and Free Fire stand out when they enter the Indonesian market? English-to-Indonesian game localization! To enter Indonesia's highly promising market landscape, you need to think globally but act locally to achieve long-lasting success.

Moreover, amidst the vastness of the Indonesian archipelago, the digital revolution is taking hold. With a rapidly developing technological landscape, Indonesia offers tempting opportunities for gaming businesses. However, like any other market, Indonesia has its own unique characteristics, preferences, and challenges.

Whether you're an established game developer, a rising indie studio, or an international gaming conglomerate looking to make waves, knowing the ins and outs of this Indonesian gaming community is crucial. From mobile gaming dominance to the explosion in esports popularity and the key importance of localization, there's so much more going on in Indonesia's gaming market.

This article will take an in-depth look at the landscape of the games industry in Indonesia and how English-to-Indonesian game localization can lead your game to success in the local games market!

Explosive Growth of the Indonesian Gaming Market

The gaming market in Indonesia is proliferating thanks to the following driving factors:

• Expanded Internet Access: Indonesia now boasts a rapidly growing internet user base. With better internet infrastructure and an increasing number of people owning smartphones, gaming has become widely accessible nationwide.
• Youthful Demographic: Indonesia's population is young, and gaming is a top pastime for them. As more young people engage with games across various platforms, the gaming market in Indonesia keeps expanding.
• Mobile Game Dominance: Mobile games reign supreme in the Indonesian market due to the widespread use of smartphones. Free-to-play and freemium models have surged in popularity, enabling more people to enjoy games while generating revenue through in-app purchases and ads.
• Esports Boom: Esports are taking off in Indonesia, with numerous tournaments, professional teams, and a dedicated fanbase. The country hosts a variety of e-sports events and boasts an enthusiastic community that fuels the growth of esports here.
• Rising Local Game Development: There's a growing trend of local developers creating games that resonate with Indonesian culture and preferences. This not only captivates local gamers but also bolsters the overall growth of the gaming industry in Indonesia.
• Thriving Gaming Communities on Social Media: Gaming communities are faring well on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook, among other platforms. It's the influencers and content creators who are acting as catalysts for promoting games and attracting a large following.

Foreign gaming companies, including those from America and England, are among the “hunters” targeting the Indonesian market. With more than three national-level products developed by Western developers, such as FIFA Mobile, Roblox, and Candy Crash Saga, and with all these factors, it’s not surprising that English-to-Indonesian game localization services became the key to success in this ever-growing games market.

Strategies for Success through English-to-Indonesian Game Localization

Here are several tips for implementing English-to-Indonesian game localization to reach a wider audience and increase user acquisition:

1. Embrace Cultural Adaptation

Localization isn't just about translating your game text from English-to-Indonesian—it's about making your game relevant and suited to local culture. This could involve changes to graphics, symbols, or character designs to avoid offending players or changing gameplay to better suit local trends.

For instance, if a game contains cultural references or humor that are only understood by certain demographics, then these references must be adjusted or replaced to make more sense in the Indonesian cultural context. Take "Roblox", for example. This game not only follows trends but also shapes pop culture preferences, making it a dynamic and relevant platform for Generation Z and Alpha in Indonesia.

One of the adaptations made is to incorporate the IKN Nusantara environment into the game. Through Roblox, players can see the concept of buildings being built in Kalimantan. Apart from that, IKN Nusantara exploration on this platform can be done via smartphone or computer.

Players simply download the Roblox application, then type Nusangka—the name of the Roblox game series—to see the IKN Nusantara concept. The uniqueness of this game is that players can choose traditional Indonesian clothing as their avatar skin, such as traditional Dayak clothing and others.

This kind of adaptation makes the gaming experience more culturally relevant and can significantly increase the appeal of your game, thereby attracting more users in Indonesia.

2. Adapt to Local Monetization Methods

The success of English-to-Indonesian game localization also depends on monetization practices. A monetization strategy that works in one country may not be effective in another. For instance, while gamers in the United States and Western Europe would easily go for a freemium model, which is a subscription package monetization model, this will not be so in other countries.

This preference does not always apply in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. In this region, gamers may be more likely to choose ad-based monetization models (such as rewarded video viewing, payable ads, and native content) and in-app purchases.

Adapting monetization strategies to local preferences is key to increasing user satisfaction. By understanding what gamers in Indonesia like, game developers can design monetization models that better suit their habits and expectations.

3. Marketing Efforts for Local Nuances

Don't just rely on literal translations of your original marketing materials. Instead, create a marketing campaign that is completely new and relevant to local audiences. Collaborate with local influencers, highlight events, holidays, or traditions that are important in the area, and adjust your visuals and ad copy to be more relevant to your target demographic.

When "Free Fire" expanded their market to Indonesia, they didn't just reuse their original advertisements. Instead, they designed completely new ads featuring popular local influencers, be they celebrities, comedians, actors, or YouTubers.

The Garena team really understands what Indonesian gamers like, so they emphasize the aspects of the game that are most interesting to them. For instance, Free Fire released a special advertisement to celebrate Indonesia's 75th Independence Day in anime style, a genre that is currently very popular throughout the country.

4. Localize Core Game Resources

Another strategy for success in the English-to-Indonesian game localization process is localizing core game resources. This means you can add local elements, such as heroes or scenes that are typical of Indonesia.

You can take the example of a game from the United States, i.e., V-Rally 2 by Eden Studios, which offers a car racing track located in Indonesia. Gamers will be presented with undulating land contours, swamps, and rows of typical Indonesian housing on either side of the race track. It is not specifically explained where the race will take place, but if you look in more detail, the houses have the typical pitched roofs of Padang, West Sumatra.

Another example is the fighting game by Bandai Namco entitled Tekken Tag Tournament 2. One of the surprises in this game is the fighting arena, which is very synonymous with Indonesia.

The fighting arena is named Wayang Kulit, and as the name suggests, the arena contains many Indonesian elements, such as the wayang kulit itself and also the gamelan, which is a native Indonesian musical instrument. This arena is filled with background music entitled Abyss of Time. The music is a combination of typical Indonesian gamelan and modern techno music.

5. Customize the User Interface (UI)

Next, you also need to customize the user interface if you want your English-to-Indonesian game localization to be well received. First, you need to ensure that the in-game text is translated accurately. Consider sentence structure and appropriate font constraints.

Some words in Indonesian may be longer than in English, so make sure all the text can fit well without disturbing the appearance of the game. Localizing English games to Indonesia also means adapting visual elements in the UI, which can include the use of colors, icons, and layout.

For example, in Western countries, blue symbolizes feelings of sadness—perhaps that's why the word "blue" is often interpreted as "sadness." However, for most Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, blue is considered a calming color and symbolizes trust.

6. Don’t Over Localize

Avoid over-localizing if you don't want the results of your English-to-Indonesian game localization to be awkward. Gamers in Indonesia are quite familiar with English, so keeping some elements in their native language can make the game feel more authentic and interesting.

First, the game title. Even though you can translate the title, often English titles are more interesting and well-received by Indonesian players. They are used to seeing game titles in English, and it gives off a cool international feel.

For example, 'River Dragon' is better kept as it is rather than translated as 'Naga Sungai'. This helps maintain the game's consistency and global appeal.

Then, name the characters and monsters. Although it can be translated, it is better to leave it in English. For sports and racing simulation games, many technical terms are better left in English. Too much creativity in translating these terms can make players confused.

However, there are some elements that are best kept localized. Location names, race tracks, and other environmental elements can be translated to make them more familiar to local players. This provides just the right local touch without detracting from the overall gaming experience.

So, the point is to strike a balance. Don't localize all aspects of the game too much, but focus on the elements that are important to local players.

A Nutshell

Reaching a wider audience in the Indonesian market through English game localization is not just a matter of translating text. It includes extensive efforts to adapt local culture, adjust marketing campaigns, adjust visual elements, and more. As a game localization company based in Indonesia, Digital-Trans Asia understands this complexity and is ready to assist you in the process of English-to-Indonesian game localization effectively and comprehensively.