We all know that video games, comics, mobile games, gaming consoles and apps are no longer just fun activities for kids and teens. More and more we see adults joining in, and even becoming addicted to these fascinating pastimes. The widespread growth and reach of these products has become staggering, and even more obvious as comics commonly transcend the pages they’re printed on to become video games and/or films. And we’ve even seen highly successful and popular video games being adapted for the big screen. So, as you can see, they share a very close relationship.

Translation and Localization

So, because of this globalization and widespread growth, the tasks of localization and translation are becoming even more important. When adapting a video game, comic or movie, there are several factors to consider; depending on the target language and culture. Depending on the plot or story, video games and comics can often contain a lot of violent language, sexual language, swearing, and expressions related to historical events; so we must always show care and consideration because different cultures and audiences can be very sensitive to such narratives.

Adaptation

It’s in these cases that adaptation comes into play, a topic we’ve discussed in previous posts. In fact, many people will state that, in these cases, the translation now becomes a transcreation, whereby the translation becomes more focused on feelings. When it comes to video games, we must remember that they are software which come with instructions, so these will require a more technical translation. However, the story is more related to film scripts or literary texts where the translator is required to be more creative, taking into account the guidelines and rules for this type of translation.

Several Translators May Need to Work Together

It’s certainly an entertaining mix, and when it comes to translating this type of material it’s often necessary for several translators with their different areas of expertise to work together on a project. Because this type of translation has become very common, it’s important to take these reminders into account. In summarizing, when translating video games, comics and movies we follow similar rules regarding cultural and language adaptation, space and time constraints for text, and more importantly – the need for creativity.