Let’s be honest: you may be a superb game developer or lead a team of extraordinary talents, but your team probably doesn’t speak all the languages you are going to localize your game into.
So, how can you trust that your translated game is as cool as the original and the gamers enjoy it as if created in their own language - perhaps with all those witty puns and creative jokes? Here’s where the localization QA testers step in. Keep reading to learn why localization testing can be a game-changer for your title.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Localization Quality Assurance (LQA) is the last stage in the game localization process. Primarily, it focuses on linguistic testing and translation quality review but also covers UI/UX evaluation, culturalization and internationalization.
In short, native speaking linguists with expertise in gaming and local culture play and review your game, making sure that there are no errors or problems - both linguistically and visually.
If the game is about to be published in multiple languages, every version should be tested by the appropriate native professional. If you’re uncertain about which languages to prioritize for localization in 2024, consider checking out this article.
Note: It’s especially important for languages that have two and more variations - European and Brazilian Portuguese, European and Canadian French, European and Latin American Spanish which can differ in Mexico, Argentina and Peru.
For instance, a general Spanish linguist can test the game for the South American market to assure proper grammar or punctuation, but may not be able to ensure the local language flavor by employment of local jokes, celebrities, and specific cultural references.
LQA confirms that the game is localized to all the desired languages, all strings are translated and no implementation issues are found. Plus, it checks on whether the translations are done with a natural flow and consistency.
LQA confirms that the game is localized to all the desired languages, all strings are translated, the terminology meets the hardware manufacturers requirements, and no implementation issues are found. Plus, it checks on whether the translations are done with a natural flow and consistency.
>> Learn how Rovio - the studio behind Angry Birds, accelerated LQA by 4x
Linguistic review together with formatting and layout checks are the integral parts of localization quality assurance in games. While not the main objective of LQA, some functionality issues or bugs can be identified and reported as well.
Now, let’s dig deeper into the most common issues LQA testers hunt for. We’ll start with linguistic review.
Linguistic review targets mistakes in written parts of a localized game, such as subtitles or UI. Typically, those are either related to translation accuracy (mistranslations, undertranslations), or to target language grammar. The linguistic QA testers not only find those mistakes, but also suggest how to fix them or provide alternative translations.
The typical language-related bugs in localized games are:
Example: “Fatal Fury Special” was full of inadvertly funny phrases, mainly because of the literal translation from Japanese. While the following phrase: “Your fists of evil are about to meet my steel wall of niceness.” may be source of great memes, it shouldn’t find place in a properly localized – and tested! game.
Formatting and layout checks are conducted to spot and fix for any design-related issues, such as:
At LocalizeDirect, we developed the following localization testing program:
When the QA specialists test the game localized in a few languages, they often do a “crosscheck” to find out whether the bug is repeated in other versions.
Remember: Some bugs may not be easy to reproduce and could reappear even after the LQA has been conducted.
Despite the popular belief that LQA testers are gamers that test the game simply by playing it over and over, they do in fact have specific tasks given by the clients to minimize the amount of work. The developers/owners of the game decide themselves how many levels gamers should check, and how many rounds to pass.
The LQA plan provided by LocalizeDirect is customized for every title and depends on the number of language assets the game has, the game size, languages are to be tested, and special requirements of the client.
Thanks to this customization, a comprehensive LQA process allows for a more accurate evaluation of the effort needed, often saving costs and unnecessary extra rounds of testing.
Important: Translation and LQA should be performed by different people - to eliminate the human factor and bring a fresh viewpoint to the game. If you order both translations and LQA from the same video game localization agency, make sure that those services are provided by two separate project teams.
Consider using LQA if:
Why not just proofreading? Proofreading, useful as it is, may not be enough as it won’t show whether the localized text is displayed properly in the game. Reviewing in context also grants the unique capacity to decide what is the best translation possible.
Simply: to save costs, avoid negative reviews, and have happy gamers. Finding and fixing bugs before the game publishing is always better than urgently fixing them post-launch.
The history of gaming is full of hilariously awesome mistranslations like “All your base are belong to us” or “Welcome to die!” that entertained gamers for decades and became an inspiration for many remixes, memes, and jokes. Who doesn’t love them? We surely do. But would you really like having your games remembered because of that?
If you want expert feedback on your translated game through LQA, reach out to us. Share your inquiries, and let’s start a conversation about how we can tailor a LQA plan specifically for your game.
One of the best ways to boost interest in your game in foreign markets is to localize it. Translating the text into the local language is likely to boost downloads or sales and increase player satisfaction in your target market, but it must be done properly with due care and attention.
German and Italian LQA testers talk about their work, typical translation issues they see in games, and why localization testing is a must for the German audience. Bonus: tips for the game devs on how to make the LQA process smooth and sound.
