Slavic local color in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt localization

Abstract

Games localization presents itself as a primarily target-oriented activity, wherein the game developers anticipate a fluent translation that will cater for the needs and expectations of the target players. And yet, when we are dealing with games with a prominent local colour such as The Witcher III: Wild Hunt it seems that the translation can follow one of two possible paths: domestication or foreignization. The present article investigates the Slavic local colour found in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt to determine which of those paths were chosen by its translator and whether this has any ramifications for game localization practice. To this end the concept of game localization and its goals is confronted with well-known concepts of translation studies; The Witcher III: Wild Hunt game and its protagonist are described and the elements of the Slavic local colour present in the title are outlined. Finally, analyses of the characters’ idiolect and the Slavic rite of Forefather’s Eve are provided and followed by conclusions.