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Cultural Localization in Video Games: The Impact of Gameplay on Translations and Adaptations

This article explores the significant role of gameplay in the cultural localization of video games, emphasizing the growing importance of localization in the global gaming market. It examines how culture-specific elements, such as humor and references, are adapted in titles like "Theme Hospital," "Assassin's Creed," and "The Witcher 2." It discusses the challenges faced in translation, including the need for 'transcreation' of humor and the introduction of new cultural contexts. The findings highlight the balance between maintaining the original intent and adapting gameplay to fit diverse audiences.

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Cultural Localization in Video Games: The Impact of Gameplay on Translations and Adaptations

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  1. Ornella Lepre Imperial College London Translating, Adapting and Remaking in Video Games The Role of Gameplay in Cultural Localization

  2. Motivation and objectives Video Games – Increasingly Global Market Growingimportanceoflocalization Focus on gameplay

  3. Culture-specificelements (Theme Hospital, 1997) • e.g. • Cultural references (the ‘King syndrome’)

  4. Culture-specificelements (Theme Hospital, 1997) • e.g. • Cultural references (the ‘King syndrome’) • Intertextuality (“dr Jeckylltopsychiatry…”)

  5. Intertextuality - II Assassin’s Creed, 2007 The Witcher 2, 2011

  6. Intertextuality - III MontyPython and the HolyGrail(1974)…

  7. …Wormsseries (1997 - 2011)

  8. …Fallout: New Vegas (2010)

  9. Whatifwe don’t get the reference? • Mangiron (2010): ‘Transcreation’ of humour • Substitutejokes and obscure cultural references • Addnewjokes and cultural references • (e.g. byincludingdialects and accentsabsent in the original, • or addnewpuns and play-on-words)

  10. …butthisisnotalwayspossible (Dayof the Tentacle, 1993)

  11. Words and consequences…

  12. Let’s see, I was in the Chantrybefore. I trainedformanyyearstobecome a Templar, in fact. That’s where I learnedmostofmyskills. Possiblereplies: You don’t seemlike the religioussort. So youmentionedbefore. And whatskillsmightthosebe? Dragon Age: Origins, 2010

  13. Possiblereplies: You don’t seemlike the religioussort. So youmentionedbefore. And whatskillsmightthosebe? …andtheirtranslation: Non mi sembrate un tipo religioso. Come avete già detto in precedenza. Di quali abilità si tratta? [Whatskills are they?]

  14. Alistairdisapproves! (Oops!)

  15. Remake – localizeeverything! Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! Elite Beat Agents Game released in US and Europe Japanese version

  16. Japanesegame US game

  17. Japanesegame …new stories… US game

  18. Fewer cultural barriers, fewerchanges Italianversion US version

  19. Despiteall the changes, similarexperience Japanesegame US/UK version

  20. Conclusions More freedomto the translators, heavyadaptation? Centralrole of gameplay Stricterconstraints, lessfreedom?

  21. Conclusions More freedomto the translators, heavyadaptation? Centralrole of gameplay Stricterconstraints, lessfreedom? …Both!

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