If you are reading this article, you may have already thought about the localization of your videogame. This is a critical step that opens broad opportunities and brings your game a new audience. Localization is not a mere translation of some of the game’s parts. It is a complex process that has multiple steps like the translation of code, cut scenes, dialogues, in-game text boxes, and many more. Many of us seek professional help to solve the tough localization questions. However, you need to know the basics of the process to cover all the essential translation points. Let us look at the crucial steps of game localization.
1. Decide on the budget.
If you are on a tight budget overall, or you are an indie developer, you may use the help of such free services like Google Translate or fan translation. In either case, you will need to edit and proofread your final result. Alternatively, if you are a major developer, you may find that professional translation companies have different prices. The price usually depends on the amount of work you need. They include plain translation, editing, proofreading, and quality checks via software. Each of them may add to the cost of localization.
2. Decide on the language.