Video Game Localization: Great Examples of a Job Well Done

The gaming industry is huge and equally cutthroat. The new genres, offers, and types of games come out all the time, while fans seem to have unlimited choice when it comes to spending their time in front of a screen. Did you know that almost 14,000 games were released in 2023 on Steam and that this yearly number has been steadily growing for the last 6 years? Just look at the graph below:

Source: Statista

Just to put this number into perspective: if you played all of these games released in 2023 for just one hour, it would take you almost 600 days to complete this mission.

This high level of competition demands effective solutions when it comes to launching and promoting your game, especially in localizing and adapting it to new markets and regions. But where should you get a reference point? What is a “good localization” and what mistakes should you watch out for?

To help you navigate this digital entertainment landscape for a successful breakthrough, we’ve created an overview of video games that get localization right and leave a lasting impression on the demanding gaming community. Ready? Let’s dive in!

What is Video Game Localization?

In short, it is the process of adapting or producing your video game and its contents for a target market. Depending on the genre and layout of your game, it could be a long and meticulous process or a quick and painless one. What remains true for both cases is that it’s important to get it right. Read our guides to learn more about this here and here.

Why Localization is Important

There are many reasons why a good localization effort can leave a lasting impression in the minds of fans. You might be surprised by some of them!

• Better Experience in a Local Language: Quite an obvious one, really. The more tailored your game content is for the target market, the better the response among the particular gaming community will be. English dominates the world, there’s no doubt about that, but making your game accessible to other locales will only bolster trust between your gaming studio and gamers, whether they speak Chinese, Hungarian, or Arabic.

• Increased Profits: Another one that goes without saying. Gamers form strong communities and can always recommend your game to their friends and so on. You’ll be very happy to see your bank balance sheet once a localization project is complete and a version of your game in a target language is rolled out.

• Good Way to Learn a Language: Classrooms are not for everyone. Some prefer to get creative with their education and mix pleasure with background learning that does not necessarily require doing homework and whatnot. Constant repetition of words, phrases, and concepts in a specific context is a great way to enrich your vocabulary. This immersive experience can be extremely beneficial and should not be overlooked.

• More Knowledge about a Particular Subject: This one is tied closely to the previous point but deserves to stand alone. Specialized games like Plague Inc., Farming Simulator 22, Sid Meier’s Civilization, or even Call of Duty can help you expand your knowledge on certain subjects, be it medicine or history, not just in your own language but in a different one too. And all while enjoying yourself and having a great time.

Games that Perfected Localization

What makes a game great when it’s localized? There’s no universal answer to this question (unless you consider “being perfect in every possible sense” as a realistic target). But what we can do to get closer to understanding this is review some great examples of games that should be seen as a beacon of light for other gaming companies fighting for the spotlight.

World of Warcraft

Being a true towering figure in the world of MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), World of Warcraft has quite a reputation to uphold. The game celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 and is known to pretty much anyone who has played any video games in their lives and beyond.

• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment

• Number of Active Players: over 9 million (as of December 2024)

• Languages: English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (LatAm and EU), French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Korean

With a well-developed world, lots of events, lore, and equipment, the game needs to stay on top of things to be marketable and engaging at the same time. World of Warcraft uses clever translations for different races (Jinyu race or Waterspeakers become Euracles is French, a portmanteau of eau (water) and oracle), visual adjustments (eliminated gory elements in China where such scenes are prohibited), and localization of payment options and character names to dominate the market and attract more players. This creative and methodical approach is definitely something to take on board.

Screenshot: World of Warcraft in Arabic

Assassin’s Creed

This is another legend in the gaming community. With the first instalment in the series coming out back in 2007, the game has endured transformations and expansions on a large scale but stayed true to their core fan community and consistently produced incredible immersive experiences for players all over the world, not least thanks to its localization efforts.

• Publisher: Ubisoft

• Number of Games: 13 main ones

• Languages (for the latest game): Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

The latest instalment in the series, Mirage, offers a variety of options for speakers of major languages around the world. The audio is available not just in English but also in Arabic among others, which represents a significant challenge as there are dozens of dialects of modern Arabic spread across the world. Ubisoft partnered with top Arabic translation services to make sure the wording and style are on point. The company also put a lot of effort into selecting voice actors that can really bring the characters to life. Ubisoft's localization teams, along with their language service provider, do a ton of research to make sure the voices match the character's background, art, and overall style. And that’s just one language!

These achievements were not left unnoticed, securing a Best Localization & Best Voice Actor award for the company at the True Gaming | Video Games & Esports Marketing Agency Awards in 2023. This is a testament to how hard work can produce fantastic results.

Screenshot: Ubisoft Linkedin

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

This is a relative newcomer compared to the other two, but a very popular one nonetheless! With its impressive localization, it’s easy to forget that the worldwide hit was originally in Polish. But a steady approach that mixed creativity, meticulousness, and resourcefulness created a true fan favorite.

Publisher: CD Projekt

Number of Awards: over 800

Languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Simplified Chinese

What makes The Witcher 3 is such a good example is the pure dedication that created this masterpiece. To get a better understanding of the game and its peculiarities, the translation team even moved to Poland for a while to get the outstanding result the gaming community appreciated in the best way possible. Being a role-playing game, the number of dialogues, elements, and other content was staggering, but this didn’t stop the team from working tirelessly to deliver the highest quality gaming experience players are after. The result? In 2020, Gamesradar listed The Witcher 3 as the top best game of our generation!

Screenshot: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

From clever riddles adapted perfectly to different languages, to modifying visual content to fit specific country regulations, to shining a bright light on the mystical world of somewhat lesser known Slavic folklore, the game created a one-of-a-kind spectacle of entertainment that is duly appreciated even today, almost a decade since its initial release. Give it a try if you haven’t yet, you’ll be glued to your screen!

Key Takeaways

The examples covered in the article are distinctly different both in the scale of their challenges and starting points. But they do have a lot in common when it comes to how they approach localization. Here are the main takeaways:

Be Creative

Remember that games are played by real people who exist in a specific context of their given locations. They respond well to humor, clever wordplay, and irony. Attack localization and translation from a very simple angle: how do we make the game relatable and engaging. Don’t take the short route of just transcribing certain words and terms, play around with the target language, twist it in a way that conveys something more than just a mere mix of sounds (where possible, of course). This way, you’ll add an extra layer of interest and involvement which will keep players coming back.

Don’t Go It Alone

Localization is no easy feat, especially when multiple languages and locales are involved. It’s true that the three video games we covered have a very distinctive advantage: enormous resources at their disposal. Their publishers and developers were at liberty to hire and contract the crème de la crème of the translation and localization industry to produce a top notch result. But don’t despair! Nowadays, you can lift some weight off your shoulders by employing translation management services (TMS) that will streamline your workflow and improve output. TMS like Localit uses the power of AI to ensure uniformity and precision of translation, coupled with lightning fast speeds and the ability to chat with your team members within the platform. Localit also offers a free trial to take its functions and interface for a ride.

Stay Meticulous

Small details make a big picture. When you play a game, you want to be fully immersed in the experience. Whether it's a leisurely exercise or a quick escape from reality, video games provide a perfect outlet for de-stressing and relaxing (although sometimes they can also make players rage quit). Be that as it may, small mistakes and gaffes can bit by bit take players out of this world of virtual entertainment, frustrating them and making them regret the purchase. Don’t overlook anything, try to put yourself in the shoes of gamers and see the product from their perspective. Punctuation, grammar, uniformity of terms, reasonable visual elements, and so on are crucial to ensure an engaging game.

Learn Localization from the Best

Your video game deserves to be noticed by the whole world. Make it happen by localizing it for global audiences with a sharp eye for detail and reliable partners like professional translators and TMS platforms like Localit. Combining a professional team with examples from the best in the business, you won’t have to worry about launching your video game in a new market. After all, the pros are pros for a reason.