라티 스 글로벌 [ Game Localization ] The Difficulties of Game Translation and Localization - 라티 스 글로벌 커뮤니케이션 스 
 Today , we ’ re going to talk about the difficulties of game translation and localization . 
 The game industry today is a high value - added industry encompassing entertainment , cutting - edge technologies such as motion capture , VR , and AR , and ideas such as story telling . The industry is projected to grow 10 . 9 %, with a total gaming population of 2 . 35396 billion , of which 2 . 22871 billion are mobile platform users , 1 . 2685 billion PC users , and 0 . 63833 billion console users in 2018 . ( Source : KOCCA , Global Game Industry Trends , 2018 ) 
 As you can see , the game industry has been growing thanks to the introduction of high speed Internet and new devices . Because of that , many games go on to challenge the global market , and most of them go through the necessary localization process . 
 However , localization itself does not guarantee the success of a game . The quality of localization matters . There are several factors that make game localization a daunting task . In this article , we will discuss what makes game translation and localization difficult . 
 Often game translators enter the game translation process with limited information provided . For example , if a given script has difficulty conveying the true meaning ( or humor ) of a line , the quality of the translation may vary greatly depending on the ability of the translator . 
 The translators working for Latis Global Communications are experienced game translators who know how to work with a fragmented context by considering the story background , the characters ’ relationship with each other and the target audience . For example , in - game dialogue is translated by acknowledging the characteristics of the speaker , the situation they ’ re in , tone and possible sarcasm , euphemisms , or symbolism . Without all these considerations , the translation could go very wrong . 
 And when all else fails , it ’ s always wise to ask the client for more contextual information about the text . 
 2 . Problems of Source and Text Files 
 Sometimes , the source text from the client has issues such as typos and term inconsistencies . For example , it is a problem if the source uses multiple different terms for a single skill or character . 
 If these errors are not addressed before the translation phase , they will become a problem when build testing later and the company has to spend more time and resources to standardize inconsistent terms . This could lead to a delay in the schedule . 
 To prevent this , Latis Global goes through a rigorous process of checking whether there are any errors in the file itself ( source rewriting ) and a glossary ( TB : Term Base ) to ensure that translation consistency and style are maintained . 
 Localizing a game title takes more time than most people think . Many people ask “ Why does it take so long to translate this many lines in a game ? ”. 
 Although the time it takes to localize a game varies from its genre and language , a game that contains a large volume of text takes more than half a year to localize . Text translation is only half the process as a build test is also required . 
 There also are many obstacles in translation . One of them is the length difference . For example , ‘ 검술 ’ in English is ‘ swordsmanship ’, and as you can see , its significantly longer than the source . The text length increases in translation and causes problems in - game . This takes some time to adjust but until the game is released , it is common for the localization team to have a tight schedule . 
 In the case of Latis Global , we provide services of the highest quality by putting in our best effort to keep the delivery date despite tight scheduling and issues that arise in that time . 
 Our experience is the key to maintaining this high quality in localization . Game developers and distributors who want to go abroad should always work with a trustworthy localization partner . 
 Did you find this article useful ? In the next article , we will discuss the four reasons why localization is necessary .