Game localization is essential for reaching a global audience and ensuring a game is adaptable to various cultures. It can enhance market visibility, improve rankings, and increase sales worldwide. Follow these best practices for effective localization:
Best Practices for Game Localization
These seven practices will help you localize your game successfully, making it more appealing and accessible to global players.
1. Construct a Pre-Flight Stage
Ensure that your translators fully understand your game’s content and vision. This will allow them to adapt the game to the target culture while maintaining the brand’s voice.
2. Frame a Detailed Style Guide
Create a comprehensive style guide with all the necessary details about your game. This will guide translators and help maintain consistency in terms of tone, grammar, and formatting.
3. Build a Simple and Contextual Glossary
Develop a glossary of game-specific terms with clear translations and contextual explanations to maintain consistency across the game’s language and localization.
4. Provide Additional Contexts for Your Game Content
Use visuals, screenshots, and sample scenarios to give translators a better understanding of how content will be displayed in the game.
5. Account for Precise Culturalization
Cultural accuracy is crucial. Consider historical, cultural, and religious factors during localization to avoid misinterpretation. Small changes in symbols, characters, or designs can address cultural nuances.
6. Avoid Hard Coding
Avoid hard coding game content. Use external files for localizable elements like dates, numbers, and time to ensure smoother translation.
7. Always Prepare a Flexible Game Design
Design your game with flexibility in mind, leaving space for additional characters or text that may arise from translation. Different languages may require more space, so ensure the design accommodates this.
Conclusion
By following these seven best practices, you can create a localized game that resonates with players worldwide. Ensure quality assurance throughout the process to offer the best gaming experience.
