An In-Depth Look at Video Game Localization: Best Practices to Localize Your Video Game

The gaming market is booming globally: more and more people turn to games (video, mobile, and online), the reach of gaming companies is increasing daily, while the technologies like VR and AI are making the video game market even more enticing and immersive for ardent gamers and casual players alike. Here's a head-spinning number for you: the video game market is currently worth over $450 billion (according to Statista)!

This level of interest generates both opportunities and problems for gaming studios fighting for the spotlight. Localization represents a perfect case of such a duality: it is highly rewarding and beneficial to reach new markets but also comes with a side of language and cultural hazards that can damage your reputation (possibly forever!).

To make your localization efforts run better, we've created an in-depth guide to the video game localization process to make your life easier. Read on to get a more comprehensive picture of what translation and localization concerns can lurk out there and learn something from our review of a few franchises that get it right when it comes to localizing a game.

Video Game Localization Basics

In this article, we won't cover the basics of game content localization and instead dive right in the more substantial parts of this process. If you want to get more familiar with the essentials of gaming localization projects, head over to Guide to Video Game Localization Process: Localize with All the Basics Understood.

But what we can offer you here is some basic stats about the industry for a more in-depth look at what gaming is all about nowadays.

Gaming Market Stats

What's The Big Data has collected multiple numbers to break down some of the most important data available to paint a clearer picture of the market. Here are the most important takeaways:

• The number of gamers worldwide is forecast to reach 3.320 billion by the end of 2024.

• Asia has the highest number of gamers (1.48 billion) followed by Europe (715 million).

• 66% of gamers worldwide play video games for relaxation, other reasons include entertainment and problem-solving.

• Most popular game genres are action, shooters, and sports.

• 36% of all US gamers are aged between 18 and 34, followed by 24% aged below 18.

• Smartphones remain the most popular device for gaming.

Main Localization Challenges in Gaming

While many and not always easy to pinpoint, the issues of localization for game developers and translators can be categorized into a few main boxes. This way, the video game industry can address them in different languages without getting distracted too much from game development and focus on localization and translation.

1. Preserving Tone and Style Across Languages

A game’s tone is its soul. It’s what pulls players into a gritty wasteland or a whimsical fantasy. But capturing that vibe for translation in another language? Tough. Really tough.

Languages don’t work the same way. Humor? It might hit hard in one place and flop completely in another. Formal speech? It can sound smooth in one language and painfully awkward in the next. The essence often gets lost in translation, leaving the story or characters feeling flat.

And that’s a problem. Players notice when the charm fades or the jokes don’t land. It breaks the connection and pulls them out of the experience.

• Humor often doesn’t translate directly. Jokes tied to cultural references or wordplay can fall flat when presented to a different audience.

• Formal language in one region might come across as overly stiff or awkward in another.

For players: A sarcastic or witty character could seem bland or overly serious, breaking immersion and distancing players from the narrative.

2. Maintaining Consistency in Terminology

Video games are loaded with specialized terms: names of characters, locations, abilities, and lore-specific phrases. If these terms aren’t consistent across the game, confusion sets in. Consistency is even more critical for games with multiple sequels or expansions.

• Different translators or teams working on sections of the same game may interpret and therefore translate terms differently.

• A single item might be described using different names in dialogue, menus, and tutorials, creating frustration.

For players: Imagine being told to search for a “skill” in a tutorial, only to find it referred to as “ability” elsewhere. It’s confusing and pulls players out of the experience.

3. Adapting to Text Length Variations

Languages differ in how much space a sentence takes up. What’s concise in English might expand significantly in German or French, while Japanese or Chinese might be more compact. This becomes a problem when text needs to fit into fixed areas like UI menus, subtitles, or dialog boxes.

• Expanding text can break interfaces, causing text to overlap, truncate, or look cluttered.

• Compact languages may leave awkward empty spaces, making the interface look poorly designed.

For players: A cluttered or broken UI can make it hard to understand instructions or interact with the game smoothly, leading to frustration.

4. Accounting for Cultural Sensitivities

Games are often loaded with cultural references, symbols, and themes that might not resonate universally when it comes to localization and translation. A reference that is perfectly normal in one country might seem out of place—or even offensive—in another.

• Colors, symbols, or gestures may carry different meanings across cultures.

• Dialogue or visuals could unintentionally clash with local customs or values.

For players: A joke that feels harmless to one audience might be seen as disrespectful or inappropriate by another, leading to negative perceptions of the game.

5. Adjusting for Legal and Regulatory Differences

Different countries have varying legal standards when it comes to the content of games and their translation. Developers often need to modify elements like violence, political symbols, or even gambling mechanics to comply with local regulations.

• Violence levels might need to be toned down for certain regions.

• Content such as loot boxes could require changes to avoid gambling law violations.

For players: Changes made for compliance might alter gameplay significantly, leaving some audiences feeling like they’ve received a “watered-down” version of the game.

By understanding and addressing these challenges, developers and localization teams can create immersive experiences that resonate with players across the globe.

What You Need for the Game Localization Process

To address these challenges and any other obstacle that you might encounter on your way, you'll need a solid foundation on which to build your localization strategy. In other words, there are certain essentials that you just cannot overlook when launching efforts to localize the game you've developed into a target language (or languages).

Localization Team

It goes without saying, really. A good team can make sure your project thrives. Here's what roles you need to focus on in localization:

• Project Managers: The orchestrators who keep everyone in sync. They handle timelines, budgets, and the inevitable last-minute changes. In short, they make sure the localization train runs on time.

• Linguists: The heart and soul of localization. Linguists are translators, yes, but they’re also cultural interpreters, working to make every word resonate.

• Quality Assurance Specialists: The grammar guardians and style sentries. QA ensures that translations are accurate, appropriate, and error-free.

• Developers: Localization isn’t just about language; it’s about tech, too. Developers ensure your website or app can handle different alphabets, text lengths, and character sets without breaking a sweat (or the layout).

• Designers: Making sure your visuals translate is just as important as getting the words right. Designers adapt images, icons, and colors to make sure they resonate culturally.

Localization Kit

A localization kit (l10n kit) is a toolkit that helps adapt products or content for specific markets. regions, and locales. It pulls together everything translators and localization teams need to ensure the final product is truly top notch. It streamlines workflow, saves time (and money!), and reduces errors. On top of that, it’s reusable: future projects can build on the same framework.

The kit not only simplifies the process but also boosts user satisfaction by aligning content with local norms. It supports market penetration by making products relatable and appealing to new audiences. Here's what a localization kit typically includes:

• Source Content: Original files, style guides, glossaries.

• Technical Documentation: File formats, platform requirements, build instructions.

• Linguistic and Cultural Guidelines: Audience profiles, date formats, legal requirements.

• Contextual Info: Visual aids, user manuals.

• Project Details: Timelines, roles, quality checks.

Translation Management System (TMS)

To ensure the highest localization standards with your video game content, ideally you need to be well versed in the world of localization technology and software. But if linguistic technicalities and the sheer amount of translation work are not something you are accustomed to, the best way forward is to find a reliable translation management service (TMS). There are plenty of offers on the market, which complicates the process. The key factors to take into account when choosing one are: prices, functionality, processing speed, and simplicity.

Here’s a quick guide to help you: if you are a large game developer with plenty of resources and time to spare, Lokalise and Smartling are the way to go. They are expensive but efficient, you pay for what you get. If you have your own team of translators and managers, an established provider like TransPerfect is your choice. With it, your team of many professionals will get localization done in no time.

If you are a smaller company or a fresh-out-the-oven indie studio with limited budgets and pressing deadlines, Localit is your perfect choice. With its flexible pricing, AI-driven translation services, and quick processing speed, your localization will be done in no time. The service offers expertise, advanced tools, and a streamlined process to ensure your content is effectively adapted for each market without compromising quality.

With these three essential localization essentials under your belt, your game translation and localization of all game elements won't be a problem. Just make sure that you like the translated text in the end.

Localize with Best Practices

Localizing a game for global audiences is no small feat. To make the process smoother and ensure players everywhere have a blast, here are four best practices to keep in mind:

1. Code with Localization in Mind

From the get-go, design your game code to handle multiple languages and regions. This means keeping text separate from code, using formats like XML or JSON for easy translation. Also, steer clear of hardcoding text strings. This approach makes updates easier and reduces bugs.

Example: Imagine hardcoding English text into your game. When it's time to translate, you'd have to dig through code to find and change each string. By separating text, translators can work without messing with the code, speeding up the process and cutting down errors.

2. Plan Ahead for Localization

Don't treat localization as an afterthought. Integrate it into your development plan from the start. This means setting realistic timelines, budgeting for translation and testing, and considering cultural differences early on. Planning ahead prevents last-minute scrambles and ensures a smoother launch.

Example: If you plan for localization early, you can design UI elements to accommodate longer text in languages like German or Hungarian, avoiding cramped or cut-off text issues later.

3. Test Localized Versions Thoroughly

Once translations are in place, it's crucial to test the game in each language. Look for untranslated text, text overflow, and cultural appropriateness. Involve native speakers in testing to catch nuances and ensure the game feels natural.

Example: A game might display perfectly in English but have overlapping text in Spanish due to longer word lengths. Testing helps catch and fix these issues before release.

4. Be Mindful of Cultural Differences

What works in one culture might not in another. Colors, symbols, and references can have different meanings. Ensure your game's content is appropriate and relatable for each target audience to avoid misunderstandings or offense.

Example: A hand gesture considered positive in one country might be offensive in another. Like crossing your fingers, which is considered for good luck in the Western world, has a directly opposite meaning in Vietnam. Adjusting such elements ensures all players have a comfortable experience.

Localize Your Game: Best Cases

No game localization guide would be complete without benchmark localization examples that we all should be looking up to in order to get a better understanding of what a seamless translation process, language localization, and localization workflow can achieve if applied right. Out of many-many decent examples, we've chosen three games that we believe do it right (we've played—or rather "tested"—them ourselves too!).

Call of Duty

This is a very well known shooter with many years of history behind its back. Being a fan favorite, the game needs to keep fans all over the world engaged and involved as much as possible, particularly through effective localization experience. The game's publisher, Activision, runs an in-house localization office in Dublin and the latest instalment, Black Ops 6, is available in 12 languages, from English and German to Chinese and Korean.

Screenshots: Call of Duty Black Ops 6

With the sheer volume of weapon-related and other military terms and slang, it's essential to make the game content sound natural and look believable. With very distinct differences between various armies and military commands around the world, this is no easy feat but Call of Duty does get it right! Of course, there are mishaps (here and here), but as large as this company is, their content keeps breaking records and barriers year after year. And their localized games are in many ways responsible for that

Age of Empires

Here's another classic fan favorite that puts a huge emphasis on being not just accessible in many regions and locales around the world, but also staying true to the languages and cultures featured in the game. Being a historical strategy, the game blends epochs and civilizations to create an immersive experience gamers have enjoyed for decades.

Screenshots: Age of Empires IV

What the game gets rights:

• Hiring native speakers to voice over characters from different factions (Russia, France, Germany, etc.)

• Consulting with historians and experts to create a more engaging game (recently, the University of Arizona and Microsoft even joined forces to turn Age of Empires IV: Illuminated Histories into an innovative and one-of-a-kind online learning experience)

• Paying extra special attention to historical terms, phenomena, and events that make sense in all the localized versions of the game.

With these factors and many more at their disposal, Age of Empires ensures highest quality at all stages of the game experience.

Cities: Skylines

This city-building video game developed by Paradox Interactive is a great example of utilizing the industry-specific terms and notions in different languages and bringing them into the interface seamlessly and effortlessly, without overloading the player's attention span.

Screenshots: Cities: Skylines II

We've personally tested the latest version, Cities:Skylines II, in the languages we can speak (English, German, French, Dutch, and Russian), and can confirm that the localization team has done a fantastic job.

Localize Your Video Game as a Pro

Localizing your game isn’t just about translation—it’s about making every part of the game feel at home for your target market. From coding smart at the start of the game development process to thorough testing at the end, every step matters. A solid process of adapting a video game ensures your story, tone, and gameplay resonate with players, no matter where they are.

Stick to best practices for game localization, and you’ll avoid awkward text, cultural mishaps, or broken interfaces. Remember to think about all the parts of the game—UI, dialogue, visuals, and even sounds. They all play a role in creating an immersive experience.

Localization is an investment, but when done right, it helps you reach new markets and build a loyal player base. Use this complete guide as your starting point, and tackle localization early in your development process. The payoff? A game that’s truly global, enjoyed by millions worldwide.