Udemy

Introduction to Game Localization

Name: Introduction to Game Localization
Price: 74.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (1330 reviews)

4.5(1,330)3k studentsALL LEVELSEnglish

Korshub's take

Three Career Paths, One Specialized Skill Set

Game localization is translation's harder sibling. A broken translation doesn't just read awkwardly—it breaks immersion, confuses players, and signals carelessness at a moment when they're most engaged. This course walks through all three roles: translator, linguistic tester, and project manager, so you can pick your specialty.

You'll learn the actual workflows: how to onboard yourself to an unfamiliar game, decode the reference materials, handle variables and character-count constraints without mangling meaning, and write bug reports developers actually act on. The course also covers transcreation—adapting names, dialogue, songs, and cultural references so they land emotionally in another language. In-house versus freelance trade-offs are laid bare, so you can choose your ideal path knowing the real costs and rewards.

About this course

If you play localized games, this probably sounds familiar…

You’re playing your favorite game on a rainy winter afternoon. “Cool graphics! Amazing playability! Killer music! Stunning action! Wait a minute… What’s with all the spelling mistakes? That text doesn’t make sense! Who on earth translated this game!? I could’ve done a better job myself!”

Engage players in the game story

Learn the basic concepts behind game localization and specialize as a game translator, linguistic tester or game localization project manager.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Stages of the game localization process
Introduction to game internationalization, the game translation process, different review methods, the importance of linguistic testing. Examine the challenges you’ll face in each stage and decide which part of the process you’d like to work on!
Differences between working in-house and as a freelancer
Learn how to get acquainted with the game you’ll be translating, what reference material looks like, how to report queries, and examine general rates and salaries before you establish your own. Compare pros and cons, and select your ideal lifestyle!
The technical aspects
Get a handle on translating texts with codes, conquer those dreaded variables and learn how not to exceed character limitations. All with real examples and plenty of practical exercises! Spend more time translating and less worrying about technical issues!
Translation and transcreation
Translating a game is nothing like translating software, laws or contracts. It’s actually great fun! (That’s the brotherhood’s best kept secret: you’ll get paid for doing something fascinating!). You’ll have a blast learning how to define characters by how they speak, and translating names, character descriptions and even songs and poems! Improve your creativity and let your words take players on a rollercoaster of emotions!
Game localization testing
You’d be amazed by the amount of errors that appear when the translated text is implemented in the game. This module teaches you to identify the main types of linguistic bugs and to write straightforward, useful and professional reports. Contribute to a successful translation by reporting bugs and improvements to polish the text until it’s perfect!