Game localization is a key factor; every second gamer waits for a quality translation of a new game before starting to play it

September 30 was celebrated as International Translation Day. On this occasion, the gaming online platform Fogame conducted a survey among its users to find out how important localization into their native language is for them.

And here are the results.

The Value of Game Translation

About half of the players (48%) stated that they do not start a game at all without a Russian localization. Another 42% consider translation important but not a decisive factor. Only 9% are willing to play in any case, even without translation.

It is particularly significant that every second player (57%) prefers to wait for a complete localization from the publisher before starting the game.

When choosing the game language, 83% of participants always choose Russian if it is available. For 15%, it depends on the specific project. Only 2% predominantly prefer the original version, most often in English.

What Is Important in Translation?

The most significant aspects for players are translated names of characters, items, and locations — this was the response of 74% of respondents. A slightly smaller number (71%) noted the importance of a localized interface. Half of the participants value voiceovers (50%) as well as the translation of subtitles and text (44%). Adaptation of jokes and cultural references was important for only 30% of those surveyed.

When Poor Localization Spoils the Impression

For 43% of players, a weak translation evokes negative feelings about the project. For 35%, this is important only in cases of gross errors. About 10% of players hardly pay attention to the quality of the translation.

Localization issues annoy many. The most prominent issues are untranslated interface elements (56%) and the use of machine translation (54%) that has not been processed by a literary editor.

Should Game Titles Be Translated?

There is no single answer to this question. 40% prefer original titles, 28% advocate for mandatory translation, while 17% suggest choosing based on context. For 15%, this factor does not matter.

Who Participated in the Survey?

The study involved 1065 users from various regions of Russia and the CIS countries.

Most respondents (83%) play video games daily. Another 15% play several times a week. Only about 1% admitted that they access games just a few times a month or less.

The audience turned out to be predominantly male (84%), with women making up 16%. The main age group is 35–45 years (47%). Another 30% are players aged 25–34 years, and about 20% are over 45.

In terms of occupation, the audience is diverse: 30% work in an office, 20% work remotely, 11% are developing their own businesses, and 6% are freelancers. Meanwhile, 31% chose the option 'Other', indicating various professions outside the provided list. There are very few students (about 1%).