知识科普 | 不玩游戏的译者可以做游戏本地化吗？

翻译技术教育与研究

2024-09-09

最近你的朋友圈有没有被游戏本地化刷屏

小编作为一名半专业人士

有一个大大的疑问

如果我从来不玩电子游戏

或者说只玩过4399

是不是就和游戏本地化行业无缘了呢？

Ofer Tirosh的文章详细地展示了游戏本地化的全貌

游戏本地化≠翻译≠游戏

这篇文章分享给大家

Game Localization: The Complete Guide

By Ofer Tirosh

Ofer Tirosh is the founder and CEO of Tomedes, a language technology and translation company that supports business growth through a range of innovative localization strategies. He has been helping companies reach their global goals since 2007.

Web: https://www.tomedes.com/translator-hub/game-localization-guide/

注：中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

The world is home to 3.09 billion active video game players. By 2024, that figure is expected to shoot up to 3.32 billion players. As player numbers increase, the localization of video games becomes more and more important.

全球有30.9亿活跃的视频游戏玩家。到2024年，这一数字预计将飙升至33.2亿。随着玩家数量的增加，视频游戏的本地化变得越来越重要。

Well-executed localization enables game developers to make money around the world. It makes players in each country feel that the game was developed with them in mind, delivering an immersive experience. A sound localization strategy will involve work on:

出色的本地化使游戏开发商能够在全球范围内赚钱。它让每个国家的玩家都能感受到游戏是为他们量身打造的，带来身临其境的体验。完善的本地化战略包括以下方面的工作：

The game, including its name, dialogue and artwork
The packaging, manual and any other inserts
Cultural elements
Legal elements

游戏，包括游戏名称、对话和插图
包装、手册和任何其他插页
文化元素
法律元素

1What Is Game Localization?

游戏本地化是什么？

Video game localization is adapting the game's meaning for new regions, translating text, adapting imagery, and adjusting cultural references to resonate with local players. The localization of video games depends on the game's genre. But to give you a summary, we listed the most common components that require translation:

电子游戏本地化是针对新的地区调整游戏的内涵，翻译文字、调整图像和调整文化参考资料，以引起当地玩家的共鸣。视频游戏的本地化取决于游戏的类型。但为了给您一个总结，我们列出了需要翻译的最常见内容：

User Interface (UI)
NPC or Non-Player Character Dialogues
Quest Descriptions
In-game Announcement
用户界面 (UI)
NPC 或非玩家角色对话
任务描述
游戏内公告

2Video Game Localization Vs Translation

电子游戏本地化Vs 翻译

The localization process involves much more than just video game translations. Translation is an important part of the process, as the game needs to be right in terms of its dialogue and packaging language, but it is only one element of the work required to localize a game fully.

本地化过程涉及的不仅仅是视频游戏翻译。翻译是这一过程的重要组成部分，因为游戏的对话和包装语言必须正确无误，但这只是游戏完全本地化所需的工作之一。

3Localization of Video Game Elements

电子游戏元素的本地化

Localizing a video game involves tackling a range of different elements:

视频游戏的本地化需要解决一系列不同的问题：

Language – professional translation into the native tongue of the target audience for dialogue, menus, cuts scenes, manuals and more, potentially with voice-acting for some in-game elements.
Cultural references – adjusting these to match the target players’ expectations.
Technical changes – adapting hardware and software to suit local requirements, such as hotkey re-mapping or changing the number of frames per second to move from NTSC to PAL.
Music – changing songs into different languages or to comply with different licensing restrictions.
Graphics – adapting characters, scenery and more to support players to identify with and immerse themselves in the game.
Legal requirements – ensuring game content and packaging meets age ratings in each country in which it will be distributed.

语言 - 将对话、菜单、剪辑场景、手册等翻译成目标受众的母语，并可能为某些游戏元素配音。
文化参考--调整这些内容，以符合目标玩家的期望。
技术更改--调整硬件和软件以适应本地要求，例如重新映射热键或更改每秒帧数，以便从NTSC转为PAL。
音乐--将歌曲改成不同的语言或符合不同的许可限制。
图形--调整角色、场景等，使玩家能够认同并沉浸在游戏中。
法律要求--确保游戏内容和包装符合每个发行国家的年龄分级。

4Why Should You Localize Your Video Game?

为什么要对游戏进行本地化？

By localizing your video game, you can:

通过将游戏本地化，您可以

Maximize your returns.
Connect with new audiences.
Generate new revenue opportunities (merchandise, for example).
Build a reputation that supports cross-platform demand.

实现收益最大化
与新受众建立联系
创造新的收入机会（例如商品）
建立支持跨平台需求的声誉

Why is game localization important? Well, PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2022-26 reports that the gaming industry could be worth $321 billion by 2026. Quite simply, a game developer who localizes their game has a chance to capture a larger share of that market than one who doesn’t.

游戏本地化为何重要？普华永道的《2022-26 年全球娱乐和媒体展望》报告指出，到2026年，游戏产业的价值将达到3210亿美元。很简单，游戏开发商如果将其游戏本地化，就有机会比不本地化的开发商占据更大的市场份额。

A massive expansion in the number of available platforms is one of the reasons that gaming has become so much more widespread. Another is the continual improvements we’ve seen in both technology and connectivity over the past 20 years. This has enabled gaming to become a global experience like never before, with plenty of countries keen to challenge the powerhouses of China, the US and Japan.

可用平台数量的大幅增加是游戏变得如此普及的原因之一。另一个原因是，在过去20年里，我们看到技术和连接性都在不断改进。这使得游戏成为一种前所未有的全球性体验，许多国家都热衷于挑战中国、美国和日本等强国。

Of course, reaching a global audience means translating and localizing games into multiple languages. Few companies understand this better than Apple, which in August 2020 became the first US company to reach a $2 trillion market cap. Apple’s App Store is available in 175 countries and territories. To service those, Apple supports 40 different languages. Obviously, not every game developer is going to have dreams on this scale, but Apple provides a strong example of where a successful localization strategy can get you.

当然，面向全球受众意味着将游戏翻译成多种语言并进行本地化。很少有公司比苹果公司更了解这一点，2020年8月，苹果公司成为首家市值达到2万亿美元的美国公司。苹果的App Store在175个国家和地区提供服务。为了服务这些国家和地区，苹果支持40种不同的语言。显然，并不是每个游戏开发商都能拥有如此规模的梦想，但苹果公司为成功的本地化战略提供了一个强有力的范例。

All of which is to say that you should localize your video game because doing so opens your work up to millions more players – and their wallets! In fact, given that there are over 2.5 billion gamers on the planet these days, localizing games could give you access to billions more players, not just millions. For example:

综上所述，您应该对您的视频游戏进行本地化，因为这样做可以让您的作品面向更多的玩家--以及他们的钱包！事实上，如今全球有超过25亿游戏玩家，游戏本地化可以让你接触到更多玩家，而不仅仅是数百万玩家。例如

China is home to 900.6 million internet users, generating video game revenue of USD 36,540 million.
In the US, 273.7 million people are online, producing gaming revenue of USD 35,510 million.
In Japan, 121.2 million internet users generate a video game revenue of USD 18,683 million.
The Republic of Korea, Germany and the UK all individually generate more than 5,000 million in gaming revenue.

中国有9.006亿网民，电子游戏收入达365.40亿美元。
在美国，有2.737亿人上网，创造了355.10亿美元的游戏收入。
在日本，1.212亿互联网用户创造了186.83亿美元的视频游戏收入。
大韩民国、德国和英国的游戏收入均超过50亿美元。

5Planning Your Game Localization Project

规划游戏本地化项目

Here are some things to consider when planning your video game localization:

以下是在规划电子游戏本地化时需要考虑的一些事项：

The resources that you’ll need, from staff to budget to voiceover artists.
Which countries or regions you plan to localize the game for.
What the translation will entail – that is, what precisely you need to translate.
Whether modifications will be needed to text and visual elements outside of the in-game dialogue and instructions (for example to street signs or billboards contained within the game).
Who will be undertaking the translation work – will you be bootstrapping it or hiring a professional localization agency?

您需要的资源，从员工、预算到配音艺术家。
您计划将游戏本地化到哪些国家或地区。
翻译的内容--即您需要翻译的具体内容。
是否需要修改游戏内对话和说明之外的文字和视觉元素（例如游戏中的路标或广告牌）。
谁将承担翻译工作--您是自行翻译还是聘请专业的本地化机构？

6How to Localize Your Game

如何将游戏本地化

Undertaking a successful video game localization process means being organized. There are plenty of moving parts to such a project, so plan the work out with a timeline, find a reliable game localization management system, and bring in a translation agency with a solid reputation and plenty of localization experience. Headline items for your plan should include:

成功完成视频游戏本地化过程意味着要有条不紊。这样一个项目有很多活动部分，因此要制定工作计划和时间表，找到一个可靠的游戏本地化管理系统，并请一家声誉良好、具有丰富本地化经验的翻译公司来完成。计划的标题项目应包括

Content analysis.
Create a localization kit.
Export your strings.
Import your content to a translation management system (TMS).
Translation proper.
Creating localized versions.
Localization testing.

内容分析。
创建本地化工具包。
导出字符串。
将内容导入翻译管理系统 (TMS)。
正确翻译。
创建本地化版本。
本地化测试。

7Let’s take a look at each of these tasks in turn.

下面让我们依次来看看这些任务。

1. Content analysis: This is your chance to map out fully what you will need to localize, from dialogue to music, and everything in between.

内容分析：这是您全面规划需要本地化的内容的机会，从对话到音乐，以及介于两者之间的所有内容。

2. Creating a localization kit: Bring together everything you will need to undertake the localization project. Files, instructions, resources of all types… if it’s part of the project, it needs to be in your kit.

创建本地化工具包：汇集开展本地化项目所需的一切。文件、说明、各种类型的资源......只要是项目的一部分，都需要放在你的工具包中。

3. Exporting your strings: Produce resource files with your strings and translatable content.

导出字符串：生成包含字符串和可翻译内容的资源文件。

4. Import your content into a TMS: Facilitate the commencement of the language-based phase of the localization process. Your localization company will guide you through this part of the process carefully, as there are different localization standards for different operating systems.

将内容导入 TMS：为本地化流程中基于语言的阶段的开始提供便利。由于不同的操作系统有不同的本地化标准，您的本地化公司会认真指导您完成这部分流程。

5. Translation: Your translator(s) will first read your localization kit, and then get to work on translating your content via the TMS.

翻译：译员将首先阅读您的本地化工具包，然后通过TMS开始翻译您的内容。

6. Creating localized versions: This ensures that the other, non-text-based elements of the game all suit the local region for which it is destined. Do you need to change the appearance of your characters, for example, or the way that a particular location looks? When it comes to localization, games that need a lot of work at this stage need careful attention so that all elements marry up in the final version, just as they did in the original.

创建本地化版本：这将确保游戏中的其他非文本元素都能适应当地的游戏环境。例如，您是否需要改变角色的外观或某个特定地点的外观？说到本地化，在这一阶段需要做大量工作的游戏需要仔细关注，以便所有元素在最终版本中都能与原版相匹配。

7. Localization testing: This is the final stage in the process before you integrate your translation with your adapted visual elements, check the quality of both. For the videogame translation, ask your agency to provide proofreaders for the languages that you don’t speak. These should not be the same individuals who undertook the translation as a fresh pair of eyes is far more likely to catch any typos. Then it’s time to pull it all together. Be ready to mold your code slightly in order to knit the updated visual elements with the translated copy. Then check, check, and check again to ensure that each localized function works as well as the original game.

本地化测试：这是将翻译与改编后的视觉元素整合之前的最后阶段，检查两者的质量。对于电子游戏翻译，请您的公司为您不会说的语言提供校对人员。这些校对人员不应与负责翻译的人员相同，因为一双新的眼睛更有可能发现任何错别字。然后就是将所有内容整合在一起。准备好稍微修改一下代码，以便将更新的视觉元素与翻译后的文案结合起来。然后检查、检查、再检查，确保每个本地化功能都能像原版游戏一样运行良好。

Additional Tips

In addition to the steps above, use these video game localization pro tips to ensure your localization project runs smoothly:

其他提示

除上述步骤外，还可使用这些视频游戏本地化专业提示，确保您的本地化项目顺利进行：

1. Make sure you commit sufficient time to make your localization kit as comprehensive as possible, as this will positively impact the efficiency of your localization work. From player personas to character profiles and formatting preferences, include everything you can think of.、

确保投入足够的时间使您的本地化工具包尽可能全面，因为这将对本地化工作的效率产生积极影响。从玩家角色到角色资料和格式偏好，包括您能想到的一切。

2. Always use native speakers of the target language (never the source language) for each translation, as this will drive up the quality of the output.

每次翻译一定要使用目标语言（而不是源语言）的母语人士，因为这会提高翻译质量。

3. Pay particular attention to localizing cultural references, idioms, and jokes – getting these right is key to creating a truly immersive player experience.

要特别注意文化参考、成语和笑话的本地化--正确处理这些内容是创造真正身临其境的玩家体验的关键。

8Examples of Great Game Localizations

优秀游戏本地化案例

From arcade game localization to million dollar blockbusters, the gaming industry is awash with successful localization examples, such as:

从街机游戏本地化到价值百万美元的大片，游戏行业中不乏成功的本地化案例，例如

Dragon Quest XI
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Final Fantasy XII

Dragon Quest XI, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Final Fantasy XII have each been skillfully localized into approximately 5-10 languages, catering to a global audience. The exceptional quality of their localization is a result of meticulous attention to cultural nuances, precise translations, and well-executed voice acting. In the case of Dragon Quest XI, the localization team went above and beyond by adapting Japanese puns and humor to suit local tastes in each language. This dedication to cultural sensitivity has enabled players worldwide to enjoy immersive gaming experiences while preserving the true essence of the original stories and connecting with the games' distinctive charm and wit.

《勇者斗恶龙XI》、《巫师3：狂猎》和《最终幻想XII》都被巧妙地本地化为大约5-10种语言，以满足全球受众的需求。出色的本地化质量得益于对文化细微差别的细致关注、精确的翻译和出色的配音。在《勇者斗恶龙XI》中，本地化团队更是不遗余力地对日语双关语和幽默进行了改编，以适应每种语言的当地口味。这种对文化敏感性的执着追求，让世界各地的玩家在享受身临其境的游戏体验的同时，还保留了原作故事的真正精髓，并与游戏的独特魅力和诙谐相得益彰。

9Approach

方法

Not every developer has a spare $100 million sitting in the bank, ready to spend on producing and localizing a video game. For many developers, budget is a key consideration, meaning that it’s time to weigh up the merits of bootstrapping your game localization versus hiring a professional localization service.

并不是每个开发商都有1亿美元的闲置资金，可以随时用于制作和本地化一款视频游戏。对于许多开发商来说，预算是一个重要的考虑因素，这意味着需要权衡自发进行游戏本地化与聘请专业本地化服务的利弊。

10Bootstrapping Your Own Localization Team

开启您自己的本地化团队

If you already have some linguistic expertise in-house, bootstrapping could be an option. To assemble your own localization team, you’ll need:

如果公司内部已经具备一些语言方面的专业知识，则可以选择引导式本地化。要组建自己的本地化团队，您需要：

A market researcher to establish appetite for your game in the region(s) you’re considering.
A local linguist who speaks the target language natively.
A tech-savvy team member who can implement the necessary software and hardware changes.
A legal expert to advise you on localizing age ratings, packaging requirements, any warnings that need to be in the manual or game, and so on.

一位市场调研人员，以确定您的游戏在您考虑的地区的受欢迎程度。
一位当地语言专家，能说目标语言。
一位精通技术的团队成员，能够实施必要的软件和硬件更改。
一位法律专家，就年龄分级、包装要求、手册或游戏中需要出现的任何警告等问题向您提供本地化建议。

11Hiring a Game Localization Service Provider聘请游戏本地化服务提供商

If all that sounds like a lot of hassle, you could engage a video game localization service instead. Doing so will provide you with the experience and expertise you need to make your localization project a success. Yes, it will cost more than bootstrapping, but you can get to market faster and start maximizing your returns sooner.

如果所有这些听起来都很麻烦，那么您可以聘请视频游戏本地化服务提供商。这样做将为您提供成功实施本地化项目所需的经验和专业知识。是的，这样做的成本会比自力更生高，但您可以更快地进入市场，更早地开始最大化您的回报。

12Summary

总结

The global video game industry is growing rapidly, creating plenty of opportunities for game designers and developers to make money. If you plan to do so through localization, ensure your finished product delivers a seamless, immersive player experience to maximize your chances of success.

全球视频游戏产业发展迅速，为游戏设计者和开发者创造了大量赚钱的机会。如果您打算通过本地化来赚钱，请确保您的成品能给玩家带来无缝、身临其境的体验，从而最大限度地提高成功机会。

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