A well-localized game should be perceived by players as if it was originally created in their language. When a translation is carefully adapted while fully respecting the source, gamers can easily be immersed in the virtual world, experience new emotions, and consider the concepts introduced by the developers.
But that’s not always how it goes. Sometimes players are confronted with localization bugs — translation errors that prevent that type of immersion or even their progression through the game. In this article, we look at what localization bugs are, what different types there are, and, most importantly, what to do to avoid errors like that and achieve the high-quality localization of your project.
What are localization bugs?
Localization bugs are errors that occur during the translation and adaptation of a game into another language. They may involve the text, the voiceover, the graphics, or the interface. Bugs like these can spoil players’ impressions of a game and ruin their playing experience.
There are several types of these bugs:
- Errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. These are one of the most common types of textual bug that can spoil players’ impressions of a game.
- Semantic errors. These can occur when idioms are translated literally, when context is not understood properly, or when the translation is simply of poor quality.
- Incorrect display of text. When the text in a game remains in the source language or is not displayed at all, the effect on comprehension is serious.
- Voiceover bugs. This concerns missing character voiceovers or poor synchronization of sound and subtitles.
- Cultural inappropriateness. The use of inappropriate jokes, metaphors, or references to politics or controversial political figures.
Japanese players are used to local talents, many of whom don’t even venture into the international market. With limited knowledge of English, they prefer to play in Japanese, which poses a serious obstacle for unlocalized games.
What types of localization bugs are there?
In this section, we will briefly illustrate the different possible types of localization bugs. You will be able to identify which type an error is, what it relates to, and how seriously it affects gameplay. Use the proposed classification to check the localization of your project and correct errors before the game is released.
Grammar and stylistic issues
Errors of this type occur when:
- The translator incorrectly interprets the source text or does not have sufficient contextual information. As a result, the meaning of a phrase is distorted.
- Idioms or set phrases are translated literally and thus lose their meaning.
- There were mistakes in the source text, and these are carried over into the translation.
- The text was translated using AI and then not properly checked.
Lack of consistency in terminology
In the game Legends of Zelda: A Link to the Past, players were faced with two names for the same location—Kakariko Village and Kakariko Town. Inconsistent translation can confuse players. For people to understand exactly which place is being referred to, it is better to choose one designation and use it throughout the story.
Incorrect translation
In one game, “Super Dad Chest” was translated into Chinese as 超級爸爸胸部 (“chest” as in part of the body) rather than 超級爸爸寶箱 (“chest” as in box). The translator missed the context and the double meaning of the word “chest.”Whether this was the product of an inexperienced translator or machine translation, the result was that an in-game item was named as a body part. This immediately looks awkward and amateurish.
Incorrect translation resulting from inaccurate references
During the translation of Bermuda Adventures, the client’s references showed jingle bells, so that was the term used in the translation. However, at the testing stage, it was discovered the artists had drawn a handbell — a completely different item. The Spanish translation was corrected: cascabel was replaced with campanita, so that the text and the graphics matched.
Translation howlers
The phrase “All your base are belong to us” from the game Zero Wing has become one of the most famous localization errors. The game was released in 1989 by the Japanese company Toaplan and later localized for the European market. The poor quality of translation from Japanese to English turned a phrase that should have meant “All of your bases are under our control” into “All your base are belong to us.” In the early 2000s, gamers began to use the phrase in images and clips, and it became a viral meme. Something similar happened with the localization of the game Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. Where the translation should have been “I’ll kill you tonight,” the phrase used instead was “I’ll kill you and the night!” This translation gaff briefly broke the internet and became a popular meme. These moments are funny, but do nothing for the developer’s reputation.
Stylistic inconsistency
Part of a translator’s job is to ensure that the terminology used is appropriate to the period in which the action takes place. Take, for example, the case of a game patch created in the style of Ancient Egypt. At the LQA stage, it was noticed that the list of locations included the very modern-sounding “Break Rooms.” This was changed to “Private Quarters” to better fit the historic atmosphere.
Grammar mistakes
In an English translation, there is a mistake with tenses. Instead of the phrase “Did something happen?” a character says, “Did something happened?” Native speakers will immediately notice the error and get the feeling that not much attention has been paid to the text.
Visual issues
Stylistic inconsistency
In a game that uses pixel fonts, there may be comprehension difficulties in Chinese. For example, the characters for the word “enemy” (敌人) may look just like 故人—”an old friend who has died.” Or the characters for the word “dagger” (匕首) can be read as “seven heads” (七首). Some Chinese characters look very similar, while having completely different meanings. This can lead to misunderstandings or incomprehension, which is why it is vital to pay attention to fonts.
Incorrect display of fonts
Chinese players complained about the localization of the game Ori and the Will of the Wisps. The default font in the game did not support several Chinese characters, leaving only blank spaces in their place. If users can see errors like this in the final product, it means LQA was not performed or was performed poorly.
Lack of line breaks in long texts
Line breaks allow you to fit text in more compactly, meaning that words do not spill out of dialogue windows and the material is easy to read. Sometimes, line breaks are lost in translation, and then the sentence fits awkwardly into the interface or becomes unreadable. In this screenshot from the game System Shock, you can see how part of the story text “spills” out of the dialogue window.
Part of the text is not translated
An obvious example of a lack of LQA is when one of the lines of a character’s speech is not translated from Japanese into English.
Cultural issues
Mistakes like this occur when the translator fails to correctly recognize or convey the cultural context of the source text. It is vital to understand the culture and traditions of the country for which the game is being localized. You must also bear in mind factors that may pose questions or cause offense to players from another country.
Mistakes in units of measurement
In the English version of the game, the instruction says: “Set oven to 347°F.” Chinese translation: 將烤箱溫度設定為 347 °F. Expected result: 將烤箱溫度設定為 175 °C. This is a typical culturalization error, when the units of measurement used locally are ignored. In this case, the temperature should be converted from Fahrenheit to Celsius. If this is not done, the player may be confused or may use the wrong equipment, preventing them from progressing through the game.
Blasphemy
In the game Kakuto Chojin, the hero fights in an Arab-style arena, where the background music includes a chant from the Koran. Muslims found the use of a religious theme in a game of this type offensive, and the game was banned in all Muslim countries. One poor decision by the developer led to reputational damage and financial loss.
What is the cause of localization bugs?
Localization bugs can have various causes. These are the most common:
- Lack of time and resources. Localization is only undertaken in the final stages of the project, when there is little time left. Tight deadlines lead to compromises in the quality of the translation.
- Poor-quality source material. For example, when the lockit is a mess or there is a lack of context. It is very important for dialogues to be translated in the correct order and for each string in the interface to be clearly linked to what is happening in the game. Furthermore, if the original text of the game contains errors and ambiguous phrasing, this will make the translators’ job more difficult.
- Poor communication with the developers. If the translators do not correctly understand the context, setting, or perspective of the game, they will make more errors.
- Using only machine translation. In an effort to save money, some publishers turn to AI, without commissioning post-editing by a real person.
- Cultural differences. The adaptation of a game into a different language often demands the localization of jokes, idioms, and references in order for them to make sense.
- Technical problems. It is vital that differences in writing, coding, and text field sizes for different languages be taken into account.
- Lack of testing. If localized versions of a game are not fully tested for bugs, then errors will go unnoticed.
- Frequent content updates. If the source is updated several times during the translation process, this makes the tasks of synchronizing and agreeing translations harder.
To avoid bugs, it is important to assign sufficient time and resources to localization. Establishing effective communication and testing protocols is also vital.
What can be the consequences of localization bugs?
- Loss of meaning. Errors may distort the sense of dialogues, quests, or instructions.
- Unhappy players. Bugs may lead to disappointment and negative reviews of the game.
- Reduced sales. Discontented players may decide not to buy the game or DLC due to bad reviews.
- Legal problems. An incorrect translation may break the law or the rules of the target market.
In general, bugs like these demonstrate a careless, inattentive attitude on the part of the developers, spoiling the reputation of the game and the studio, while also reducing enjoyment of the gameplay for part of the audience with barriers to comprehension.
How can localization bugs be avoided?
- Plan localization at the early stages of development. You need to consider in advance how the text will look in different languages—the length of lines, reading direction, fonts, etc.
- Employ professional native-speaker translators who have a good understanding of games. It isn’t worth trying to economize on the quality of translation.
- Test the game before releasing it to the general public. This will help identify and correct errors at an early stage before they are seen by players.
- Use special translation management software. CAT tools will help ensure consistency in terminology and keep track of context. For example, you can use MemoQ or SDL Trados Studio. A centralized repository of translations makes it easier to support several languages and to ensure localization remains consistent across the whole game.
- Use support documentation. Make sure that your project has a style guide and that you have compiled references before translation begins. This will significantly simplify the translation work, ensuring the result matches the context exactly and retains the style of your project.
- Assign sufficient time and resources for full-scale localization. A quality localization takes time and money. A reduced budget or tight deadlines will result in compromises. This will inevitably lead to errors, oversights, and a loss in the atmosphere and ideas of the original.
- Track player reviews after release. Players can identify errors that the developers have not noticed in testing. You can integrate a feedback system into your game, which will make it easier to fix localization bugs quickly.
- Outsource localization testing. A properly performed test will help make the translation natural and accurate. Check your game for all types of bugs to ensure they are corrected in good time and you can give players the best experience of your project.
Don’t risk the reputation of your product—trust Inlingo to test your localization. Leave a request for LQA services, and we will be in touch to discuss the details.