Before going any further, take out your phone from your pocket, open the Play Store or App Store on it, and search with the keyword “game.” Are you done? Alright, now you see a list of games on your screen, a never-ending list. What does that indicate? This shows you the importance of developing a game that is different from all that is already available. And how are you planning to create a game with innovative ideas that players start loving at first sight?
It may sound lyrical to you, but if you are a developer, you should be interested in it. In this article, we will reveal the secret of how you can give an excellent gaming experience and win the hearts of global users.
You can captivate players by transporting them to fantastical worlds, true. But do you know that it is impossible without breaking down language barriers? Suppose you are developing a game in English, only 18.07% of the world population will be your potential users. It means you are missing out on 81.93% of the world’s population by just not getting your game localized by a professional translation company.
What is Game Localization?
It is the process of customizing game components and content to appeal to your target audience’s language and cultural preferences. Localization goes beyond mere translation, which simply converts words from one language into another. It requires expertise and deep knowledge of the target audience’s local requirements. Therefore, it is crucial to acquire a video game localization agency. They ensure accuracy and meticulously adapt the entire game to craft an immersive gaming experience. Let’s look at the localization strategies that will help you craft a game by:
Understanding the Linguistic and Cultural Sensitivities
The first step in creating a game localization strategy is to learn about your target audience’s language and culture. As a developer, it will assist you in understanding your audience’s local preferences while building a game that offers a personalized experience.
To make your game linguistically accurate, do in-depth language research. Identify regional dialects, idiomatic expressions, and slang to ensure accurate and natural-sounding translations. Moreover, you should analyze the culture to understand the target region’s social norms, values, and beliefs. This will help you to avoid cultural faux pas.
For example, if you are creating a game for the Chinese market, avoid using skulls in visuals. Because they signify bad luck and evil in the Chinese culture. Just like that, every region has specified linguistic and cultural nuances that should be localized accurately.
Adapting Narrative and Storyline
The next step is to adapt the game’s narrative and storyline with culturally relevant elements to resonate with the target audience. This includes character localization, such as adapting the character’s personalities, names, costumes, and interactions. For example, in Tekken 8, the character “Shaheen” represents the Arab culture through its outfit and his signature intro dialogue – .لا أريد إيذاءك، لكن سأقاتلك إذا اضطررت.
Other than the storyline and characters, localize the jokes, humor, and puns for diverse cultures effectively while preserving the intended comedic effect. It is crucial to refine the humor and dialogues to sound native in the target language.
Localizing Gameplay Mechanics
The gaming world has changed a lot. The time of those sophisticated games with minimalistic controls has gone. In today’s advanced world, game mechanics have become complex and require personalization and complete understanding for better functionality.
Therefore, localizing the game’s language and storyline isn’t enough, you should emphasize adjusting the pacing of gameplay to match the target audience’s expectations. Incorporate cultural-specific challenges and objectives that resonate with the target audience.
Audio and Video Localization
Localizing the game’s audio and video elements significantly contributes to the immersive user experience. You can hire native voice actors to match the voice style and accent of the target audience. Even the background music should be culturally relevant and exactly according to the expectations and preferences of your audience. It’s better to know the music taste of your target audience, as some might like light soulful music, and some want rock or heavy metal music.
Moreover, do not forget to localize visual elements such as imagery, graphics, UI, and symbolism. They improve the user experience and provide a sense of relativity, resulting in a successful global reach.
Testing and Iteration
Localization of the game elements is not the final step. Once the localization process is done, playtest your game to identify and rectify errors. The best way is to pick players from the target market for pre-testing of your game. They pay attention to each step from installation to the end of the game and give feedback on the localized version.
This process also includes testing the game on different platforms and devices to check the compatibility of the game and also to ensure that the localized elements fit well across different platforms.
Localization from a professional app translation company helps in meticulously crafting immersive gaming experiences. They perfectly adapt the game to resonate with the target audience by considering linguistic and cultural nuances, adapting the storyline, and localizing gameplay mechanics, audio, and visuals through testing and iteration.
