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[Game Localization] Four Reasons Why You Need Game Localization

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However, games like those are rare. How many game titles do you know that can be understood and enjoyed without any text? Most games require text to tell the story and teach players how to play them. If a game is not localized, many gamers who were interested in that game won’t be able to find the information they want from the game’s help page, and will eventually stop playing because of the language barrier.

As you can see, localization can affect the gameplay environment in a variety of ways. Now, let’s dig deeper into why game localization is necessary.

1. Preventing Potential Issues
Due to National, Cultural Differences

Localization includes a process for games to be localized to fit the target language and culture.
To “localize” means to change game text and content so that they become acceptable to target audiences. For example, if the target country’s audience is
known to respond well to red, the game can incorporate more red into their UI and game screen.

In addition, different countries have different laws and cultures. Developers must find if the game has elements that may offend or are taboo to the target audience, and adjust them before releasing it to the new market. Religious and political expressions or statements in the game are usually not recommended, and must be removed.

2. Increasing Number of Downloads
through Localization

Localized games reach more gamers worldwide. For games released on a game market such as App Store, Google Play Store, or Steam, gamers generally decide whether to download it or not based on the game’s overview page.

If the overview of a certain game is written in the gamer’s own language, it will have a better chance to be downloaded in that country.

And if a developer goes through the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) process using frequently searched keywords of that country, the game will be exposed to more gamers, and thus increasing the number of downloads as well.

3. Increasing Revenue
through Localization

Once you get enough downloads, the next step is to create revenue from them. It is important to explain what content the gamers can purchase and how they can do that in the game.

According to a survey conducted by Common Sense Advisory, about 60% of gamers whose native language is not English do not make purchases on an English-based game platform. If you want to increase revenue from in-app purchases, make sure that the text explaining how to make a purchase in the game are translated correctly.

Incorrect translation gives gamers an impression that the game is unreliable and untrustworthy. Having the purchasing process explained in the native language helps increase revenue.

4. Increasing Customer Satisfaction
through Localization

Localization is a powerful tool to increase customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction must be considered from the moment potential customers log into an app store to download and play, to until they eventually delete the game. Proper localization can help gamers concentrate on playing the game, and this increases satisfaction.

And by providing a high quality localization, you will gain the trust of your customers. This also relates to customer satisfaction.

Did you find this article interesting? See you next time!