Localization is the adaptation of a video game at multiple levels to make it appealing for a new market and it greatly contributes to its success. Research regarding localization has been increasing for some years, but there are still close to no studies that analyze it from a development perspective. Through a survey of the developers of the video games available in Spanish on Steam (a popular video game digital distribution platform), we will show that the size and experience of the developing company influence the choice of the translator, the possibility to receive reference images, and the level of internationalization and revision applied. The sooner the localization is scheduled, the more likely the game is to be translated by a professional who can’t play the game before translating it. The results hint at a multifaceted and relatively inexperienced industry that could learn from the experience of other companies.
Díaz CintasJ. (2009). Introduction—audiovisual translation: An overview of its potential. In Díaz CintasJ. (Ed.), New trends in audiovisual translation (pp. 1-20). Multilingual Matters.
13.
Díaz-CintasJ.Muñoz SánchezP. (2006). Fansubs: Audiovisual translation in an amateur environment. The Journal of Specialised Translation, 6, 37-52. https://jostrans.org/issue06/art_diaz_munoz.php
GineJ. (2009). Localization: The pathway to truly global game development. Localization Summit, Game Developers Conference, San Francisco, 23 March. Manuscript.
KourganoffV. (1971). La recherche scientifique. Paris: PUF.
19.
Lacave RoderoC.Molina DíazA. I.Fernández GuerreroM.Redondo DuqueM. Á. (2015). Análisis de la fiabilidad y validez de un cuestionario docente. Paper presented at the XXI Jornadas de la Enseñanza Universitaria de la Informática, 136-143. http://bioinfo.uib.es/∼joemiro/aenui/procJenui/Jen2015/la_anal.pdf
Mejías-ClimentL. (2021a). Clasificaciones de videojuegos: Una propuesta práctica para estudios empíricos. Revista Tradumàtica: Traducció i Tecnologies De La Informació i La Comunicació, 19, 22-46. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/tradumatica.242
23.
Mejías-ClimentL. (2021b). Enhancing Video Game Localization Through Dubbing. Springer Nature.
ToftedahlM.BacklundP.EngströmH. (2018). Localization from an indie game production perspective: Why, when and how?Paper presented at the 2018 DiGRA International Conference: The Game is the Message, Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1244827&dswid=1122
Zorrakin-GoikoetxeaI. (2022a). Estudio descriptivo de la localización de videojuegos al español: relación entre el proceso, el producto y la recepción. Doctoral thesis. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).
35.
Zorrakin-GoikoetxeaI. (2022b). The Use and Reception of Varieties of Spanish in Videogames. Journal of Audiovisual Translation, 5(2), 93-113. https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v5i2.2022.203
36.
Zorrakin-GoikoetxeaI. (2022c). Transcreación y adaptación cultural en videojuegos: proceso, producto y recepción. TRANS: Revista De Traductología, 26, 213-231. https://doi.org/10.24310/TRANS.2022.v26i1.14565
