Cat got your Tongue?
Calling all video game fans!
Most of us, when we sit back, relax and throw on a video game, take for granted the fluidity of written speech, controls or technical terms. It’s not the first thing we think about when we’re trying to have fun. However, that Japanese game you love so much and sounds so natural in English, that didn’t happen overnight.
A lot of hard work happens behind the scenes to adapt a language model for gameplay in a foreign market.
This is called “localisation”
Anyone can grab a dictionary and translate a sentence 1:1. The difficulty lies in translating not only the words, but the spirit of the game. This means translators need to keep in mind cultural differences which may or may not be acceptable, or flow well in another language or community.
The goal is to present the game, not as translated work, but to appear as if it were made in that language. A great translator can take a character and make them feel authentic to the market they are translating for. The work goes beyond translating just words, but also idioms, catch phrases, pop culture references and humour, in a way that makes sense in the target language. Another trick to localisation, is making sure the translated script fits in the pre-existing parameters of the game, (speech bubbles, the length of time the character’s mouth is moving, etc.)
This requires a lot of communication and back and forth, between developers, and translating agencies to make sure everything feels natural, and ensure cultural awareness.
Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar
Translationz had the pleasure of working with Brisbane based game developers, ‘Abandoned Sheep’ on localising their recent game release, ‘Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar’ for players to enjoy in Chinese, French, German and Brazilian Portuguese!
Schrödinger’s Cat Burglar puts a spin on the classic thought experiment and asks: Can these split cats escape from the clutches of the evil Dr.’s laboratory?
Our translators welcomed the challenge. Provided with the storyline, the script, and using the cultural context they are familiar with, they set out to realise the spirit of the game. The best part of all, they got the chance to play the game all the way through to check the flow of the translation and test for any bugs.
From the title alone, this stood to be a creative and thoughtful endeavor. There are two puns in one here! The double entendre for cat burglar, immediately resonates with an English-speaking audience, and informs them from the get-go that this story involves crime, and has cute cats, while also tying in a very famous quantum physics idea that we can pick up on right away.
How do you set out to make sure both qualities are adapted into each language, while still carrying that sense of humour?
This is what our translators do best at Translationz
Great localization takes time, care, and a translator who understands both cultures — not just both languages. It takes someone who will ask questions, push back on missing context, and argue about whether a character would really say that. It takes someone who treats your game like it deserves to be loved by every player who picks it up.
Ready to take your game global?
Your game may have been created for one market, but its players could be anywhere.
If you’re a game developer, publisher or studio looking to bring your game to new audiences, Translationz can help you make sure the humour, personality, dialogue and player experience work just as well in another language as they do in the original.
From script and UI localisation to cultural adaptation, linguistic testing and in-game review, our experienced language professionals work with your team to make your game feel like it was created for each market, not simply translated for it.
Planning your next release or considering new international markets? Get in touch with Translationz to discuss how we can help make your game ready for players around the world.