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Behind the global success of Japanese video games lies the delicate task of appealing to overseas players, whose expectations about issues such as sexism are increasingly influencing the content of major titles.
The majority of sales for blockbuster games now occur outside of Japan, and everything from slang to character costumes must be carefully considered for a global audience.
It’s a complex process that has come a long way since the “Wild West” days of the 1980s and ’90s, one prominent “localization” team told AFP.
“There were no rules or ‘industry standards,’ and the quality of localization could vary widely from title to title,” said the SEGA of America team that developed the latest game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It is part of the blockbuster movie series “Ryu ga Gotoku” and will be released on Friday.
Back then, translators faced constraints such as text boxes being too small, and game developers themselves sometimes worked in less-than-perfect English.
It also meant that many games of the time, especially those with a lot of dialogue, didn’t come out of Japan.
“Thankfully, the industry, and perhaps more importantly the consumer, has changed a lot since then, allowing us to stay truer to the cultural and emotional content of Japanese games than ever before. ” said the Sega team.
Localization is now integral to the design process, keeping international gamers in mind from the beginning.
Frank Genty, senior localization manager at Japanese gaming giant Bandai Namco, said that as the #MeToo movement changes mindsets, one key example is “how Japanese game developers dress their heroines.” He said.
“We tell them that the cleavage is showing a little too much, or the skirt is a little too short,” he told AFP.
“We weren’t very flexible before, but now we’re more proactive about these kinds of topics.”
– “Pac-Man” –
The game’s localization puzzles inspired the 1980 arcade sensation “Pac-Man”, and literal translations of “Pac-Man” were considered too dangerous as they could be destroyed.
Some of the best-selling games, such as Mario, Final Fantasy, and Pokémon, include fantasy worlds that are distinctly non-Japanese, allowing for some flexibility in adaptation.
But for a series like Yakuza, which is set in a real location and uses Japanese underworld slang, this task becomes more difficult.
It is important to understand correctly. About 70% of the revenue from recent titles in the Yakuza series comes from overseas.
But in recent years, the job has become easier due to a growing interest in manga, anime, and broader Japanese culture.
“Now people know what ramen is… there’s no need to say ‘noodles’ anymore,” Genty said.
His team at Bandai Namco’s European headquarters has translated games such as the fighting game series Tekken and the hit role-playing game Elden Ring into 12 languages.
Pierre Froget, Bandai’s localization project manager, said the job was as much a cultural challenge as it was a linguistic one.
“Players, whatever their country of origin, should understand and feel the same as players who play in their native language.”
– “I can’t accept it anymore” –
A greater understanding of Japanese culture among players means adaptations can be more subtle. The “Ryu ga Gotoku” series is currently called “Like a Dragon,” which is closer to the original Japanese.
LGBTQ caricatures and sexist platitudes were also removed.
Masayoshi Yokoyama, the series’ executive producer, told AFP: “Many expressions that were normal in Japan in the first Like a Dragon game are no longer acceptable today.”
“We ask teams in the U.S. and Europe to read the game scripts, and they tell us if there’s anything that’s not acceptable in their countries,” he said.
Froje said changes often focus on “alcohol, politics and religion,” but there are also different cultural reference points.
“When you see someone in Europe wearing black boots and a big leather coat, you might think of Nazi military uniforms,” he said.
With worldwide release dates now the norm, these decisions must be made within tighter deadlines than before.
Despite improved communication between developers and localization teams, challenges remain, especially when translating games into languages other than English.
“Efforts have been made to understand the needs of the English-speaking world,” Froje said.
However, in German, with its long sentences and other linguistic quirks, localization can be “considered even more difficult” by the design team.
Still, Froje believes in his mission. “To create a connection with Japanese culture and help Europeans discover its depth, while respecting both the game and the players.”
Mac/Cuff/Khan
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