Movilizing Games to Go Global: internationalization and localization

The days of the Cold War are long past and have been replaced by the hottest topic of global warming. ‘Colonization’ and ‘super power’ may have become dirty words these days when global harmony and fair play are the mantras for the survival of our planet.

However, in recent years, a new power entity has emerged slowly but steadily on the horizon: Enter the Super Power app store!

In 2014, Japan and South Korea made great strides and outpaced the US. USA In revenue with Google Play. Reports put China at n. # 3 for revenue in the Apple app store. Southeast Asia is a huge emerging market: Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam account for almost all of the gaming revenue in this area of ​​the planet.

What is the conclusion of all this?

1. Language is not a barrier.

2. The appeal of games and mobile games is a global phenomenon.

3. There is a lot of money involved and this means ruthless competition and careful planning to drive successful apps and games.

4. The internationalization and localization of games and applications drive mobility in applications and games.

5. Not least, the human quest for easy entertainment is now literally in the palms of the hands, holding the mobile phone. Never has the opposable thumb been put into such vigorous use.

The game must go on!

A stationary stone collects moss

The driving force behind any business is profit. The world of video games is no different. This is a highly competitive world and the gaming market is deadly. To survive, evolve, and bring home the bacon, apps and games must not only be entertaining for the boy next door: they must capture new platforms and markets. And they must be quick and furious about it or stay on the road.

How can they do this?

Internationalization and localization

This two-step process is what allows a game to adapt to different regional and linguistic cultures. Must include:

Review the language and regional settings that will determine which location is used, as well as the date, time, and number formats.

Adapting the user interface

The code must handle text in multiple languages.

Regional settings (not language) should drive data formatting, as multiple countries can use the same language, as well as the same person traveling through different countries.

The user interface must be “mirrored” when using languages ​​from right to left; The only exception here would probably be the phone numbers.

It is also necessary to test the application or the internationalized game to detect automatic design and chain problems that are not part of the internationalization-localization process.

Enjoyment MUST be stress free

The game is to be enjoyed; the player cannot be subjected to a confusing and frustrating experience. There is also no place to be culturally and politically inappropriate or downright offensive. Localization of the game should also ensure that the translated, internationalized and localized version is faithful to the original.

Many players take their games very seriously. Localization of games, including those on mobile platforms (localization of iOS or Android), should allow players to fully immerse themselves. All the enjoyment in the games is to transport the player to a fantasy world more attractive than reality, where lives can be restored in battles with strange creatures in unknown exotic lands! Nothing should interrupt this “voluntary suspension of disbelief”.

Localization must be from the word GO

Game localization cannot be an afterthought and game developers would benefit from getting rid of the “let’s see it” attitude. Successful developers have understood that video game localization is an integral part of the development cycle along with coding, designing, or writing. In the early stages, when the games were designed and played on limited and limited platforms, this ‘last minute state’ might have been acceptable. But with the proliferation of mobile technology and the growing demand for games across linguistic, cultural, and geographic boundaries, the location of video games has become important.

Localization- NO translation

Now it must be made very clear that the internationalization and localization of games is not just about language. It encompasses cultural symbols, costumes, ethos, environment … everything that goes up to make civilizations, in fact!

There are many pitfalls to avoid:

Piracy concerns and the importance of timely market capture can lead to translations in incomplete games. The context must be clear when translating the text whatever the stage of development of the game. The complete image must be taken into account.

Localization should be an early consideration in game development, as cultural concepts must be clear from day 1. For example: scantily clad female characters can be a problem in some countries. If this is not considered early in the design cycle, it could become an expensive and intractable headache when the game has to move to more socially conservative markets.

Games must evolve with current events. Consider the example of how a series of pedophilia cases in Belgium discouraged the use of the word ‘pedometer’ in a game about weight loss due to the negative connotation of that prefix.

Separate text files make the game modifiable and the translated versions can be pasted into the localized version.

A freeze or cut-off date for text changes is a very good idea to control translation costs and keep game development on time.

Consider cultural issues, taboos, and sensitivities from the start.

Accents are important for voiceovers. A cowboy with a Texan touch is ridiculous in a video game aimed at the Chinese market.

Who does the location?

Game developers invest millions in game development. So there’s no point in cutting corners when it comes to video game localization to break into new markets.

Cheap translations aimed at cost control can result in a show of complete failure and make the developer an international laughingstock.

Whether it is artwork, translation, marketing, packaging, or bridging the cultural divide, it is a highly skilled job that is the domain of skilled and talented professionals.

Time is of the absolute essence to capture the mood of the markets.

Discretion and trust are absolutely necessary to combat the evil threat of piracy looming over intellectual property.

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