What are the key mobile game localization practices?

Based on your budget, resources, and localization needs, select the most appropriate localization method. Common methods include: Outsourcing to Language Service Providers (LSPs): Partner with professional LSPs to manage the entire localization process, including translation, quality assurance, and project management. Crowdsourcing: Engage a community of bilingual or multilingual users to contribute to the localization effort, particularly for user-generated content or community-driven projects. Machine Translation with Human Post-Editing (MTPE): Utilize machine translation technology to generate initial translations, which are then refined and edited by human translators for accuracy and fluency.

Never resolve to Machine Translation or ChatGPT. Even a simple word like "Open" could be translated in many ways depending on the context, which cannot be comprehended by any modern AI. Use translation agencies, freelancers, or your fan base as a last resort, any of these will produce a text that is better suited for your audience.

While not every translator may actively play your game, it's important they're willing to engage, whether by playing or viewing a playthrough you've shared. Understanding the game's tone from the outset is crucial for accurate localization.

Various companies offer localization services, each with its own specialization. For instance, Logrus IT can adapt a wide range of products for new markets, whereas a company exclusively dealing with legal documents may lack the requisite experience to adequately localize video games. Alternatively, specialized services exist that allow direct hiring of freelance translators. While this option may be more cost-effective, it necessitates handling all localization quality assurance independently, a formidable task. Additionally, acting as the project manager and ensuring stylistic and terminological consistency among multiple freelancers can be demanding.

Graphics with textual information are a common feature in many games. Localizing these textual elements within graphics is crucial for ensuring that players from different linguistic backgrounds can fully engage with the game's narrative and mechanics. Redrawing graphical elements for localization is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, requiring coordination between graphic designers, translators, and game developers. Moreover, it may necessitate additional quality assurance to ensure that the localized graphics align with the overall visual style and theme of the game.