Video Game Translation: Art or Science?

Video game localization took root in the late 70s when Japanese developers began to seek expansion opportunities in the American market. Since then, it's remained controversial within the wider gaming community, spurring countless debates over standard localization practices and translation quality.

But why is this? Game localization allows players all over the globe to immerse themselves in foreign-made games, fostering intercultural exchange and allowing them to enjoy a diverse array of content. How is that controversial?

Simply put, it's because game localization isn't an exact science. At first glance, translation is a straightforward 1:1 operation wherein one language is algorithmically mapped onto another through rules and dictionaries. But when we talk about video game translation, we're not really talking about translation — we're talking about localization and culturalization. Unlike simple translation, the quality of localization — especially in creative fields like literature, film, and gaming — comes down to artistry.

There is no infallible set of steps that will produce the perfect translation, leaving room for different interpretations of what’s “right” or “wrong,” and what’s “good” or “bad.”

Purists will say that a translation is bad if it’s not a 1:1 replication of the source language. It seems like every other week that fans are outraged over a “botched” English translation, asserting that the original Japanese version is far superior and that the localized version is a disservice to the game’s creators.

Others agree that there’s a need for some creativity, though the degree varies depending on who you ask. To quote beloved translator, blogger, and community specialist Greg Moore, “It’s simply not a binary thing. At its simplest it’s an inexact science; at its most complex, it’s an art. Usually, it’s some degree of both.”

Communication Over Correctness

All languages have fundamental differences. No matter what language pair you’re working with, there will never be a true and unequivocally correct translation for any given phrase. There will always be a factor of choice — of interpretation, word choice, tone, and style — that can drastically change the effect of a phrase, regardless of how similar it is to the original. Even if the meaning is almost the same, the reaction it evokes from the audience may not be. Ultimately, it is not a translator’s job to stay 100% true to the literal meaning of the source text. A translator’s job is to make those choices to elicit the intended reaction.

Of course, there is always a balance to be had between following the original and taking creative liberties. We would hope that our writing wouldn’t be so radically different as to be inaccurate, but sometimes, the most faithful adaptations are those that heavily rework the meaning of a single phrase to adhere to the meaning of the story as a whole.

Word by word, phrase by phrase, translating too closely to the original can actually skew the meaning of the work. Analyzing large swathes of text to uncover their desired effect and reading between the lines to figure out the original author’s intent is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the original.

Moore said it best:

The Burden of the Translator

In this manner, the quality of a translation comes down to the discernment of the translator. Their conscious and unconscious biases, their personal experiences and worldview, what questions they ask, and how they answer said questions — out of all the factors that go into video game localization, these things will have perhaps the biggest influence on its outcome.

The translator carries the burden of interpreting the true meaning of the source text for an audience that cannot understand it. They are tasked with understanding the values of the creators and those of their audience and working to reconcile the two to form a wholly new work. No matter how closely the translator sticks to the original in content, style, and tone, they must, by nature, create some aspects of it, introducing the risk that they may inappropriately insert their own beliefs or attitudes.

Even when done sensibly and with as little bias as possible, translation is ultimately a creative work: impossible to interpret precisely or judge objectively.

As Moore said, “There’s always a risk that some people won’t share the sensibility projected by the localizer — especially with an audience as broad and disparate as all of the Western world.”

So, if localization is so subjective, how can you distinguish a good translator from a bad one?

The Attributes of a Good Translator

First and foremost, a good translator must have a deep understanding of the original language and culture. In Japanese, for example, honorific speech is used to designate a person’s status vis-à-vis another person. Anyone could guess that honorifics have an impact on word choice, but an experienced translator would use them to inform the overall character and their personality — how they view the world, how they react to stressors, and how their relationship dynamics are shaped — a good translator would know that all this information can be drawn from a character’s use of honorifics and how they refer to themselves subconsciously.

In addition to understanding the original and localized languages, a good translator must also be intimately familiar with the target audience. They must be able to not only analyze the source work effectively but also understand the values of the target audience to create a faithful adaptation that echoes the themes, messages, morals, and impact of the original.

While they will usually be a native to the region of their target audience, a good translator will also have a broad range of life experience and exposure to other cultures and locales. They understand the target audience because they are the target audience, but they also have the worldly outlook required to navigate the complexities of intercultural communication.

This worldly outlook allows them to look beyond surface-level logic to incorporate current cultural and societal context. For example, if a game set in the Middle Ages touched on cousin marriage, your first thought might be, “Cousin marriage was acceptable in the Middle Ages, and since this game is set in the Middle Ages, it should be fine." A good translator would recognize that, in today's cultural and societal context, cousin marriage is a debated topic that might not be well-received by large portions of the target audience and would adapt accordingly.

A good translator must also be curious. They must be willing to put their pride aside and admit when they don’t know something. They are always digging deeper, readily asking questions like:

“Why did the original author choose these specific words? What message is this scene trying to convey? What reaction does the author want from the audience? What conclusion is he trying to lead them to?”

“How can I produce the same reaction and message while being respectful to the original? How can I capture the essence without abandoning integrity?”

“How would my target audience interpret the original as-is? What changes do I need to make to ensure that this scene comes across the same as the original?”

“What cultural context, geopolitical issues, or current events might skew the perception of this work in the target audience? How can we respectfully work around those?”

Above all, a good translator sees beyond the words in front of them. They strive to understand not only the involved languages and cultures but also the vision of the writers and developers they’re working with. They understand the essence of a story and prioritize capturing it above all else. This approach leads to a more holistic localization based on a broader view of the work, leading to more fleshed-out and satisfying storytelling.

As translation is a highly creative task, it’s essential to have linguists whose experiences, knowledge, background, and worldview lend themselves to the nature of a work rather than clash with it.