How many times a day do you usually use your phone? When’s the last time you used it today? These two questions, no matter who you ask, highlight the importance that our phones have in our daily lives, whether it is for business, necessity or simply for fun. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that there are a total of around 2.7 billion mobile gamers worldwide and the revenue generated by this market is estimated to be around $100 billion. We know what you are thinking, you want to enter this profitable market do you? Well, hate to break it to you, but you might need game localization if you are looking to target multiple markets. Don’t worry, you are in good hands. Here are the best practices for mobile game localization.
Why Does Mobile Game Localization Matter?
Game localization it’s the process of adapting every aspect of your game, text, audio, visuals, and even gameplay elements to meet the linguistic, cultural, and legal requirements of different regions. This means making sure your game feels natural and engaging to players, no matter where they are in the world. Whether it’s altering in-game jokes that might not make sense outside of your home market or changing visuals to align with local sensitivities, localization ensures your game is accessible and enjoyable for a global audience. This applies to mobile game localization as well, which boasts an incredibly diverse audience both linguistically and culturally.
Best Practices for Mobile Game Localization
Now that we understand what game localization is, let’s look at some of the best practices specifically for mobile games localization. Mobile gaming is unique due to its accessibility, broad global reach, diverse user base and different monetization models. Because of that, when localizing your mobile game there are some key factors that must not be overlooked. Here are some of the best practices to ensure your game localization can yield maximum results.
Conduct Market Research
Before you jump into localization, it’s crucial to do your homework on the market you’re targeting. Market research helps you identify which regions are best suited for your game and where you’ll get the most return on your investment. Understanding the local gaming landscape, things like competitor presence, preferred game genres, and even local gaming trends can give you a clear picture of whether your game will resonate in that region. This research will help you avoid launching a game in a market where players might not be interested, or where there’s already stiff competition. By analyzing which markets align best with your game’s style and monetization model, you can focus your localization efforts where they’re most likely to pay off.
Hire Professional Game Localization Companies
If you want your mobile game to succeed globally, it’s important to work with a professional game localization company. Forget about that super smart guy your friend told you about, forget about your cousin that loves to travel and swears he can speak a lot of languages, forget about them all. If you are looking to get a quality result that will yield real tangible benefits than professional game localization companies are your only option, there’s no in between. A good localization company will make sure the language feels natural and fits the culture. Plus, they can handle market research, they can advise you on regional preferences or things that might not work well and they can help you with updates etc. Hiring experts means your game will be better received by players everywhere, leading to better results.
Adapting Monetization Model
Free-to-play games have two main types of monetization models, either ad-based or through in-app purchase. When entering different markets, it’s important to analyze the preferred monetization model as well as the spending habits of players. Some markets are known for higher in-app purchase rates, while others may have more price-sensitive players who don’t spend as much. Keeping these factors in mind will help you make a more informed decision about which markets might yield the most revenue
Optimize Your User Interface (UI)
Different languages take up varying amounts of space, and text can expand or contract depending on the language. For example, German or Russian can be much longer than English, while Chinese may take up less space. If your UI isn’t designed with this in mind, you could end up with awkward text overflow or cramped layouts that make your game hard to navigate. You also need to consider things like reading direction, as some languages, like Arabic, are read from right to left, requiring a mirrored layout. Considering these aspects right from the start will help you save time, money and countless headaches.
Provide Context for Translators
One of the best practices for mobile game localization, though it can and should be applied to every kind of localization for that matter, is to give the translators enough information about context. Simply handing over the text for translation isn’t enough. This means giving them access to important details like character backgrounds, gameplay mechanics, and even visual references. Without context, translators might miss the intended tone or meaning, leading to awkward or inaccurate translations. A glossary of key terms and a style guide can also be really helpful. This ensures that specific phrases, names, and jargon are handled consistently throughout the game. The more information you provide upfront, the easier it is for translators to deliver natural, high-quality localization that fits your game’s world and engages players.
Conduct Thorough Testing
Once your game has been localized, it’s essential to run thorough testing to make sure everything works as it should. Text might overflow, UI elements might have issues, or there may be bugs as a result of the localization process. It’s also important to check how well the game functions on various devices and operating systems across regions. Thorough testing ensures that your game is polished and well-received by players in all markets, avoiding any unpleasant surprises after launch.
Update Regularly
Localization doesn’t stop once your game is launched. To stay relevant and keep players engaged, regular updates are essential. This might include launching new events, new features etc. but also refining the localized versions as needed. Player feedback is a valuable resource. You might discover that some localized elements need tweaking, or that new in-game events or promotions should be adapted to fit local holidays or trends. Keeping your game updated for each market ensures that players feel like the game is alive and tailored to them, which helps with long-term retention.
Conclusion
Localizing a mobile game is no small task, but if you are looking to break into the global market it’s your best option for success. Keeping all these factors in mind will certainly help you develop a solid localization strategy, reduce headaches and yield the best results possible. Additionally, even though they might feel a little extra, these steps will also help you save money, as they will limit the amount of unnecessary rework and ensure your efforts are put into the right markets. There’s a reason why we called them the best practices for mobile game localization after all!