Games across cultures: Localization in context of Asian digital games production

10.04.2026

This special issue focuses on the translation and localization of Asian digital games in the context of the global market. Unlike other Asian media products, which have experienced a significant global increase in popularity, especially in recent decades, Asian game production represents a stable and long-term part of the digital games industry with a rich history and traditions. Nevertheless, the process of their localization for different cultural and linguistic environments has never been without problems.

At the same time, Euro-American game products entering Asian markets are also subject to various forms of adaptation to meet local cultural norms, legislative requirements and audience preferences. Game localization thus represents a complex process of cultural negotiation that goes beyond the translation of the text itself and includes broader aesthetic, technological and social dimensions.

This special issue welcomes contributions that address (but are not limited to) the following thematic areas:

  • The history of Asian game localization and analysis of cultural and linguistic transformations accompanying their distribution (e.g., removal of religious symbols, tabooization of World War II, modification of character names and ages, or adjustments of cultural references such as food, local brands or pop-culture).
  • Contemporary localization practices of Asian game developers who aim to publish their product globally, or practices of global studios and ways they adjust digital games to be more acceptable in culturally specific Asian markets.
  • Cultural and linguistic practices of fan communities, including fan translations, modding, and other forms of participatory culture connected to the game text and player experience.
  • Current strategies for cultural bridging and enlightenment, including innovative marketing approaches, paratexts, or explanatory elements implemented directly in games.
  • The practical dimension of localization and translation, including analysis of workflows in different game studios, interviews with voice actors and localizers, user research, or exploration of different reception experiences (e.g., depending on (non)identification with the “otaku” community).
  • Player experience with localized games, including issues of empathy, critical thinking development, interdisciplinary understanding and perception of cultural authenticity, as well as perceptions of translation quality, faithfulness, or (un)suitability of select localization practices.
  • Market and distribution specifics of the game industry, including availability of titles, game imports, Asia-specific physical releases and dynamics of the global game market.

We invite research papers from various scientific disciplines that address the given topic of localization of Asian games for the global market and Euro-American games for the Asian territories. You can submit manuscripts of up to 7000 words in English to miroslav.macak@ucm.sk. In the subject, please note [SI: Localization of Asia/Western games]. If your paper includes figures (images, screenshots, etc.), please submit those in high resolution as separate graphic files.

This special issue is enthusiastically guest-edited by:

Miroslav Macák

Veronika Šašalová

Studies for inspiration:
Vazquez-Calvo, B., Zhang, L. T., Pascual, M., & Cassany, D. (2019). Fan translation of games, anime, and fanfiction. Language Learning & Technology, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/44672

Jiménez-Crespo, M.A. (2024). Localization in Translation. Routledge. https://doi.org/nvqv

Pettini, S. (2022). The translation of realia and irrealia in game localization: Culture-specificity between realism and fictionality. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003001935

Mangiron, C. (2015). The localisation of Japanese video games. The Journal of Internationalization and Localization, 2(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1075/jial.2.01man

Mangiron, C. (2018). Game on! Burning issues in game localisation. Journal of Audiovisual Translation, 1(1), 122–138. https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v1i1.48

Wu, Z., & Chen, Z. (2020). Localizing Chinese games for Southeast Asian markets A multidimensional perspective. Journal of Internationalization and Localization, 7(1-2), 49-68. https://doi.org/10.1075/jial.20003.wu

Chuang, J. (2025). A Study on Translation Strategies for Localization of Chinese Elements in Black Myth: Wukong Based on Cultural Adaptation Theory. International Linguistics Research, 8(2), 10–21. https://doi.org/10.30560/ilr.v8n2p10

Li, J., Hu, Y., & Wang, M. (2025). The Localization of Online Games: Taking the “League of Legends” as an Example. Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 7(1), 112–116. https://doi.org/10.53469/jssh.2025.7(01).16

Allen, M., & Sakamoto, R. (eds.) (2014). Japanese popular culture: Critical concepts in Asian studies Volume IV: Globalizing Japanese popular culture: The coolness of Japan?. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Japanese-Popular-Culture/Allen-Sakamoto/p/book/9780415827898

Chris, P. (2025, January 13). Who shaved Hitler’s mustache? The localizer. Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/gaming/506037/video-game-localization-explained

 

Important dates:

  • manuscript submission: by December 31, 2026
  • reviewer feedback and editorial decision: by March 31, 2027
  • revised manuscript submission: by April 30, 2027
  • publication: June 2027