What can one say about the gaming industry? An industry that is constantly growing, that is predicted to make nearly $500 billion in revenue in 2024 and is an integral part of the global economy. Given how mobile gaming is growing, localization helps game developers potentially target over 7 billion smartphone users. Moreover, there are currently 3.5 billion gamers worldwide, with the only barrier of communication stopping them from trying new games. Given the size of the market, people regularly avail video game translation services to help them market their games in different regions.
The process of video game translations is not new at all. In fact, this started way back in the 1970s, picked up more traction in the 1980s, and became the standard during the 90s. While currently, all the popular global games are localized in one way or another. One of the first games to be localized was ‘Pac-Man’, whose original name was ‘Puck Man’ when released in Japan. The name of ‘Puck Man’ was introduced because the creator did not want people in the USA to misspell the game’s name into something that is offensive.
How Did Localization Trends in Gaming Change? An Overview
When mobile games came into the market, localization of games hit an all-time boom when compared to history. Currently, if anyone wants to go global with their game, they absolutely need a good translation agency on their side. Take the example of Final Fantasy in 1997, the game franchise has maintained a consistent tone and standard thanks to long-term partnerships with their localizers. Anyway, let’s begin with how localization began and where it is going.
The 1970s: When it First Started
The era when arcade gaming began and it was really a riot. People absolutely loved the arcade game scene. The first titles at that time which were immensely popular were Computer Space, The Oregon Trail, Pong, Space Invaders, Pacman, Asteroids, Galaxian, Combat, Breakout, Lunar Lander, Sea Wolf, and Zork.
During this time, localization was very minimal such as changes in character names, game names, and certain forms of subbing. This was more than enough at the time, because there were very few game developers. But that began to change when gaming consoles started rolling out. One of the more prominent ones was ATARI and Nintendo.
The 1980s: Game Localization Got Traction
This is when gamers began dubbing and subbing their games. Main menus were also adapted during this time. However, the concept of native speaking linguists was not common as yet. This resulted in some hilarious and in today’s time even downright racist localizations. Accuracy was often off, with incorrect translations, especially for Japanese games. You should definitely check some of these games out, just for a laugh. This was the time when documentation and packaging began rolling out in multiple languages for international distribution. Even today, this standard practice is adopted. It was best done by Super Mario Bros who translated their documentation and packaging into English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.
The 1990s: Demand was Increased
This was the time when cinematic scenes in games began to increase. Though cinematic scenes also existed in the previous era, in the ’90s they became more realistic and engaging. Moreover, in the 90s localized scenes became common. First with the introduction of subtitles and later dubbing was also involved, as users began to demand for it. As localization made games more accessible to users, developers saw profits soar and the demand also increased. The late 90s saw many games receive multilingual voiceovers and this is exactly why they were so memorable. Remember the first Final Fantasy game also came out in the 90s and its localization is what made it into a global phenomenon. Baldur’s Gate was the first RPG game to get localized and it was dubbed into various languages.
The 2000s: Localization is the Standard
The advancement of technology in the 2000s really set the mood for the future. Technology helped facilitate localization and made it more accessible. A number of translation and localization companies began setting up operations. For most game developers, it was easy to outsource the task. During this time, multiple actors were hired for dubbing games and cultural nuances were also beginning to be catered to. Previously, games were first released in their native languages. But during this time, games in all languages were introduced at the same time.
What to Expect in the Future?
These days game developers and companies have in-house dedicated teams with the latest software and resources to help them efficiently localize games. There are many localization companies that offer seamless error-free translations. Moreover, AI voice and translation tools are further speeding up the process. We can expect the localization process to become cheaper with advancements in technology. Moreover, we can expect a lot of AI integration in this field. For instance, celebrities sell copyrights to their voices which can be used by AI to say whatever you type and in whatever language you want. Localization will most likely become absolutely necessary in order to make your game globally successful.
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This post brought to you by Atif Sharif
photo: iStock
