L10N Journal

Introduction

Mária Koscelníková — 2024-12-31

Introduction to the issue Video Games in the World: Localization in the Spotlight.

The visibility of Chinese game localizers on Gcores:

Dody M. H. Chen — 2024-12-31

The study aims to shed light on the content-sharing activities of Chinese game localizers on Gcores ( 机核 ), a Chinese game medium. Two main research questions are discussed. First, what are the characteristics of online content sharing by game localizers about game localization? Second, what implications can these sharing activities bring to the theories of the visibility of translators? On the one hand, through netnography and practice-led research, the researcher, as a content creator on Gcores, introduces the process and features of online content sharing. On the other hand, through content and discourse analysis of the shared information, as well as the comments posted by the online audience, the implications of sharing are further investigated, including personal branding, networking, business collaboration, and game distribution. The findings shed light on the interconnection between game localization, the visibility of translators, the game community, and media communication.

The Paradigm Shift of Indirect Translation in Contemporary Video Game Development and Localization

Katarína Bodišová — 2024-12-31

This article aims to introduce new insights into the utilization of indirect translation in video game localization by uncovering a new potential localization process unique to video games. It presents indirect translation as a pivotal way to spread language accessibility in smaller languages and markets, focusing on Japanese video games and their accessibility using English as a pivot language. It offers an overview of the Slovak gaming market and the state of Japanese-to-Slovak translation in Slovakia. It then leads to showcasing indirect translation in video game localization in the past and introduces a new way of integrating indirect translation based on the localization of Final Fantasy XVI.

Descriptive analysis of Basque video games from the perspective of localization

Itziar Zorrakin-Goikoetxea — 2024-12-31

There are increasingly more video games available in Basque, but academic research in this field is still very limited. To start filling this gap, we conducted the present study in two phases and reflected on the Basque translation and localization of video games. First, we created a catalog from Game Erauntsia Elkartea’s list of Basque video games. Then, we have distributed a survey among developers to gather information about the translation process. The results show that we can distinguish four different types of localization, and that free fan translations, as well as translations performed by a team member of the development company are the most common in Basque.

Translation Challenges in English to French Video Game Localization

Matilda Lailey — 2024-12-31

An interview between Matilda Lailey, Carme Mangiron, Alice Ray, Lucie Prunier, Lucile Danilov, and an anonymous localizer.

Final Variable

2024-12-31

The Final Variable section introduces the following publications:

Routledge Handbook of Esports;

Multilingual (December issue);

The Routledge Handbook of Role-Playing Game Studies.