Localization as a key factor in the development of video games

Abstract

Video games have become the most important electronic entertainment software. Nowadays, the video game industry has bigger revenues than cinema and music industries, up to the point to have become a phenomenon that keeps on growing and expanding all throughout the world. But, in order to have that international impact that every game developer desires, localization and cultural adaptation are needed. That implies not just the textual aspects of the video game, but also all the cultural issues that may be found. That localization process is the most important tool in the release of a video game in other markets, but it’s not usually in the agenda of video game developers, as many of them tend to prioritise the technical aspect of the development and don’t start worrying about localization up until the final phases of the creation of the video game. In this paper, we will analyze what a video game is, study its most important features and research why the localization process is so important in order to ensure that players can fully enjoy the software in their own language.