Intertextuality and Cultural Specifics in Video Game Localization

Abstract

Intertextuality is a common occurrence in video games that adds to a player’s experience. As games are also naturally influenced by their country and culture of origin, it would be difficult to find a completely acultural video game with no cultural references whatsoever, or one that references no kind of popular culture. Through the author’s own observations and short-case studies based on the author’s own experiences as a player, this article aims to describe different kinds of intertextuality and cultural references and the ways translators have approached specific cases using transcreation, its overall concept, and the issues of intertextuality in Slovakia.