Challenges of Game Localization

1. Text Expansion and Contraction

In games, message boxes, display screens for dialogues, and menus or other UI components are designed for a certain space. When such text is translated, it either expands or contracts, depending on the difference between one language and another.

And it goes without saying that while it’s fine for a text to contract a little without looking too bad, text expansion could corrupt the game. There simply won’t be enough space for it. 

That’s why in game localization, translators often have to abide by character limitations for every segment they translate. It’s usually a tough job to translate content accurately while adhering to the character limit.

That’s why to avoid this issue, you need a linguist with expertise in game localization and knows how to maneuver this issue, not just any translator.

2. Language Style

The language of games is quite unique. While the language for UI content is somewhat a standard, the gameplay dialogue is completely different. 

The dialogue of games differs from one character to another, and one genre to another. One game could take place in the 17th century, for example, and the language needs to reflect that. In addition, characters speak in different languages, or different styles. There is no way that a peasant would speak in the same manner as a philosopher. Moreover, the language of games could often contain puns, metaphors, and rhymes.

This task is no easy job, and needs a creative translator. When dealing with game dialogues, you need a translator whose language is vast and can change tones to suit different time periods and different tones.

Those are qualities you can only find in a game localization specialist, not simply any translator!

3. Slang and Swear Words

Many games use slangs with different characters (or throughout the entire game, depending on the context). Such games need a translator who can understand different slangs well because they can often be confusing to someone who only speaks the formal version of the language.

In addition, the translator needs to be skilled enough to know when they should use slang in the target language, and when they should translate the text based on meaning only. This depends on the culture of the target audience and the appropriateness of slang for the majority of the target audience.

Moreover, many games make heavy use of swear words as many cultures find that appropriate. However, other cultures may find that inappropriate or even offensive. 

That’s why the translator has a tough call to make: should they translate swear words or not? And if the answer is no, they need to find a different way to deliver the same impact of the crudeness of the original language. 

To simply eliminate swear words means that the target text won’t be true to the source, and may impact the gameplay as languages used could sometimes affect choices or the overall impression of players on some characters.

4. Context Issues

Just like in a movie, context is very important when it comes to game localization. Some sentences may be completely impossible to understand without the visual context. Although game developers often provide a list of instructions that include the overall context for the game, it’s often insufficient.

In addition, sometimes genders aren’t clear in the dialogue itself, and without a proper context and clarification of the main characters, confusion and mistranslations are bound to happen.

Surely, game developers don’t want mistranslations in their game.

The key to avoiding this issue is two main things: A skilled translator and a cooperative team of developers.

The translator needs to be skilled enough to note when a certain part of the game needs more context or further clarifications to send a query to the developing team. 

On the other hand, many game developers fail to respond in time to the translation team’s queries, which can either hinder the process and delay deadlines or cause mistranslations that would require money and time to correct.

What else?

Well, that’s it for game localization challenges when it comes to language and translation. But game localization is so much more than translations, and includes many other aspects.

Want to know more about the somewhat technical challenges of game localization? We want to tell you!

Stay tuned for our next blog!