Essential Things You Should Know About Chinese Game Localization
China has the world’s largest gaming market in terms of online population and game revenue. The Chinese game market is advantageous for those with the right product, an excellent understanding of the market, and a solid game translation and localization strategy.
Companies planning to enter the Chinese market should conduct extensive research and consult with experts who can assist them in developing and successfully launching their products in China.
This blog will look at the gaming market in China and its opportunities. And, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to Chinese game translation and localization to help businesses get started.
Reasons why Chinese Game Localization is Essential
The online gaming market is gradually segmenting. Since 2016, there has been a slow decline. According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, the industry is expected to reach 272 billion CNY ($38.5 billion) by the end of 2023.
China’s largest gaming companies have been trying to expand their games. For instance, Tencent provides client-based online gaming, mobile gaming, and browsing gaming. Netease specializes in mobile and browsing gaming. Perfect World, a well-known gaming company, currently offers various games.
So you can see the overall picture now. As a global game company, you must develop strong relationships with local gamers.
Chinese Mobile Game Market
China has more than 682 million mobile players, making it the world’s largest mobile gaming business. Domestic mobile gaming revenue increased to $29.2 billion in 2020, achieving the highest annual growth rate since 2017.
Gaming firms are looking to the pandemic to influence gamers’ behavior, spending, and engagement. The expansion of the Chinese mobile gaming market allows global gaming firms to enter new markets.
This is where Chinese game localization comes into play. As hardcore mobile gamers grow, so does the need for mobile game localization. A game localization firm can maximize the industry’s potential, whether it is game localization into Chinese or another language.
8 Right Ways to Localize your Game into Chinese
To capitalize on the enormous potential of the Chinese gaming market, you must translate your game from your language into Chinese while accounting for cultural and contextual differences between your domestic market and the Chinese market.
Here are some things to consider when localizing your game for the Chinese market:
#1. Notice Simplified vs. Traditional Chinese
China has two types of characters. Simplified Chinese is used in mainland China, whereas traditional Chinese is used in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is vital to choose the appropriate locale for your game: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese Hong Kong, or Traditional Chinese Taiwan.
#2. Mind Layout and Text Lengths
Because Chinese is a condensed language, the translated text frequently has fewer characters than the source text. However, because the characters are more complex, larger font size is recommended to ensure readability. This means the content will take up more vertical space, potentially shifting the layout of the interface.
#3. Consider Chinese User Interface (UI)
Most Chinese players prefer more colorful and dense user interfaces than their Western counterparts. You may also need to change the color palette, icon design, buttons, and other elements to satisfy the customers’ preferences. Regional designers can assist you in customizing your UIs to ensure they meet the expectations of Chinese customers.
#4. Understand Culturalization
China has a specific culture, and you may need to go further than translation and transcreation to ensure that your customers understand everything from stories and game roles to conversations and music. To adapt your text for the market, work with professionals familiar with the gaming industry.
For more essential information about Chinese localization, download our free white paper here.
#5. Develop Storyline and Folk Elements
While some gamers prefer Western titles and celebrities, most prefer localized content based on traditional stories, myths, creative writing, and books. You may need to rebrand your game to incorporate elements that will resonate with the audience while retaining the emotional appeal of the original text.
#6. Notice Sensitive Topics
When it comes to political material, game companies must tread carefully. For instance, Football Manager 2005 was banned because it regarded Taiwan and Tibet as independent states. Additionally, scenes involving blood, drugs, skulls, skeletons, gambling, sexual themes, or defamation of the Chinese government will undoubtedly result in your game being banned.
#7. Acknowledge Payments and QR Codes
If you want to increase conversions, make it simple for people to pay you. Mobile payment methods such as AliPay, TenPay, and UnionPay are popular among Chinese consumers. Also, whenever possible, include a QR code so that gamers can scan and pay with their fingerprints rather than typing in a string of credit card numbers.
#8. Know Short Product Cycle
Chinese players prefer gaming companies to release new content as soon as possible. To remain competitive, you must have a smooth process for implementing new features and quickly localizing them to stay profitable. Meanwhile, “lite” games have grown in popularity because they can be played on mobile devices.
Expert Help with Chinese Game Localization
China has a thriving gaming industry, but it is also complicated. Its cultural differences, unique payment schemes, and numerous language variants and dialects can challenge foreign companies hoping to capitalize on its robust and expanding market. Expert localization support can frequently mean the difference between a game’s success or failure in the Chinese market.
GTE Localize has a gaming division that specializes in localization. We can localize games in over 80 languages, including the major Chinese dialects, for any device, genre, or platform. We employ local linguists to ensure that the dialect and written variant are appropriate for the region you will expand.
Local linguists also assist us in incorporating Chinese themes into games and ensuring that they are acceptable to government officials. We have all the technology necessary to ensure that your localization is completed efficiently and accurately. Numerous customers are enjoying the games that we have localized.
Chinese Game localization is a specialty that necessitates a passion for gaming, excellent native linguistic skills, cultural sensitivity, and flawless representation of key gaming concepts. GTE Localize’s expert team can ensure that your localization is top-notch.
Fill out our contact form today, and we’ll get back to you to discuss your project.
