Game localization : the role of translation in cross-cultural communication

Game localization is a relatively new domain within Translation Studies and remains under-researched by academia. The game industry is projected to make up a significant portion of the global entertainment industry, with game localization playing an important part in bringing video games across borders, as a cultural and an entertainment product. Research into this domain can contribute to the understanding of the localization industry, with the possibility of specialized training being established to groom translation professionals for this industry. With the growth of the game development scene in China, an increasing number of games are developed with Chinese as a source language. These games are often localized into English for release in the North American market, or localized into other languages using English as a pivot language. However, few studies have been conducted on game localization from Chinese to English. This paper aims to address this research gap by conducting a qualitative study on the diegetic texts in a Chinese to English localized game, Strike of Kings. The challenges in cross-cultural communication between these two languages and cultures are identified. In addition, the translation strategies adopted in the localization process are analyzed, with the constraints imposed on game localization are discussed in this study.Master of Art