Like any other business, games studios are always looking to broaden their global audience. Translation has long been a no-brainer for game localization, yet stumbling blocks appear when thinking about how to handle audio. With dubbing often proving an expensive commitment for smaller markets, multilingual subtitles provide a cost-effective means to ensure your title can travel anywhere. And that’s easy, right? – just translate the words and put them on the screen.

Of course, in reality there’s a lot more to it than that. Let’s take a look at the ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ of multilingual subtitles in games, as well as how they can contribute to a more inclusive gaming environment.

Games are a unique form of storytelling, combining visual, auditory, and interactive elements to create immersive experiences. However, the narrative and dialogue are often central to understanding and enjoying the game. As mentioned, while some games will opt for full voice localization, this can be cost-prohibitive, leaving multilingual subtitles as an effective middle ground that ensures accessibility while keeping projects within budget. They provide access to the story, character development, and crucial gameplay instructions, ensuring that non-native speakers can fully engage with the game.

The importance of multilingual subtitles

To reach a broader demographic, as well as increase their market potential and foster a more diverse player base, developers need to implement multilingual subtitles to cater to every target market they have within their sights. Such a move offers inclusivity which not only benefits the players but also enhances the cultural richness of the gaming community as a whole.

But creating and implementing multilingual subtitles can present certain challenges, underlining the need for specialist language service providers. Let’s divide those challenges into three broad categories: technical, linguistic, and cultural issues.

Technical challenges

• Synchronization: Ensuring that subtitles are perfectly synchronized with the audio and visual elements of the game is a complex task. Any delay or mismatch can disrupt the player’s immersion and negatively impact their experience.
• Space constraints: Games often have limited screen space, and fitting subtitles without obstructing important visual information can be challenging. Developers must find a balance between readability and unobtrusiveness.
• Platform variability: Games are played on various platforms, from consoles to PCs and even mobile devices. Each platform has different screen sizes and resolutions, requiring subtitles to be adaptable and scalable.

Linguistic challenges

• Translation accuracy: Translating game dialogue and text requires more than just linguistic proficiency. Translators must capture the tone, humour, and cultural nuances of the original language, which can be particularly challenging in games with complex narratives or fantasy settings.
• Consistency: Maintaining consistency in terminology and style across different languages is crucial. Inconsistent translations can confuse players and detract from the overall experience.
• Localization of idioms and slang: Games often use idiomatic expressions, slang, and culturally specific references that do not have direct equivalents in other languages. Translators must find creative solutions to convey the same meaning and impact.

Cultural challenges

• Cultural sensitivity: What is acceptable or humorous in one culture may be offensive in another. Dedicated localization teams are aware of cultural sensitivities and can advise developers and publishers on how to suitably adapt content to avoid alienating or offending players.
• Contextual relevance: Certain game elements, such as historical references or cultural symbols, may not be familiar to all players. Providing context or adapting these elements can help ensure that the game is accessible and enjoyable for a global audience.

Strategies for effective localization

Now you can see what you have to deal with, it’s time to establish a strategy. Luckily, we can give you some pointers to start you on your way.

• Early integration: Incorporating localization considerations early in the game development process can help identify potential issues and address them proactively. This approach ensures that subtitles and other localized elements are seamlessly integrated into the game.
• Collaboration with native speakers: Working with native speakers and cultural experts can enhance translation accuracy and cultural relevance. These collaborators can provide valuable insights into linguistic nuances and cultural contexts.
• User testing: Conducting user testing with players from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds can help identify and rectify localization issues. Feedback from diverse players can guide improvements and ensure a more inclusive experience.
• Adaptive subtitles: Implementing adaptive subtitle systems that adjust font size, colour, and positioning based on the player’s preferences and platform can enhance readability and accessibility.

If you hadn’t realized it before, you will have figured out by now that multilingual subtitles must be carefully considered and implemented into your titles. They enable game developers to enter more territories, more effectively, by bridging language barriers. Any game localized this way will receive a better response from the target markets, which is good for the game developers, in terms of profitability, and good for the players, in terms of playing a great new game that they love.

It may seem like a lot of work, but the benefits of reaching a global audience and fostering cultural diversity are well worth it. The world of your game is a wonderful place – and you want everyone to be a part of it.

Are you looking to localize your game? Not sure whether subtitles or dubbing is the way forward? The Alpha Games team are ready to help – just contact us.