Gaming companies face many challenges in the process of localized operations, including language barriers, cultural differences, legal compliance, market competition, etc. This article will explore these challenges in detail and provide strategies for coping with them.
language disability
Language is the primary challenge of localization, and the quality of translation directly affects the player experience. In the process of exporting games, how to make players with different language systems "understand" the worldview of the game and feel that the culture of their country or region is truly respected is the core task of localization.
Most players want to use their native language rather than a foreign language for entertainment. If the game is not localized carefully, players may directly choose other games. Studies have shown that more than 70% of consumers prefer to use game software and user interfaces in their native language.
In role-playing games, quotes used by non-player characters (NPCs) to communicate with the player are key to conveying important information. During the translation process, the translator needs to understand the core meaning of the quotation and then convey that meaning using similar expressions in the target language.
Slang is also an important consideration. Established clients and target groups often have their own set of slang, and translators need to adapt the content to the cultural context of the target market so as not to offend new players.
Placeholders are short codes in sentences, such as %s, %1$@, which will be replaced by in-game text. During the localization process, translators are not allowed to delete or change placeholders, otherwise it will affect the in-game experience. This requires special attention.
Localization is not just about language conversion, but also about entering the target market in a more down-to-earth manner, allowing players and users to get started with a lower threshold and not even realize that the content is produced in other countries.
cultural difference
Cultural customs and values vary greatly from region to region, and gambling games need to adapt to local culture. Cultural localization is not just about language translation, but also about making the game content acceptable to local players at the cultural level. Ignoring cultural localization can affect the player experience at best, or even cause political and religious issues, or even lead to the game being banned.
There are two ways of cultural localization: passive and active. Passive localization is to modify the problem quickly after it is discovered, while active localization is to add necessary cultural elements during the game development stage. Obviously, active localization is more effective and can avoid later modifications and adjustments.
During the game planning phase, if you identify a specific market as a target, cultural localization should be considered. For example, the Japanese market is significantly influenced by the two-dimensional culture. Games entering this market need to incorporate relevant elements in the initial design and use local planning talents and developers.
Cultural localization can not only enhance the game experience of players, but also avoid cultural misunderstandings. Each country or region has a unique history and culture. It is unrealistic for game manufacturers to quickly master the culture of multiple regions in a short period of time. They need to accumulate experience through a large amount of literature study and academic accumulation.
When promoting localization, the team should listen to the professional opinions of overseas manufacturers, because they are more familiar with the user habits and risk points of the target market. Establishing a good cooperative relationship with local game manufacturers and polishing the product from multiple dimensions such as user research, user portraits, and competitive product analysis can reduce the chance of making mistakes.
Legal Compliance
When gambling and gaming companies conduct localized operations, legal compliance is a crucial link. There are significant differences in the laws and regulations on gambling games in various countries, and companies must ensure that their products comply with local legal requirements to avoid potential legal risks.
For example, in Vietnam, there are strict regulations for the review of advertising content. According to the Law on Punishment of Administrative Violations in Culture, Sports, Tourism and Advertising, advertising copy must be expressed in Vietnamese, and foreign language text cannot exceed three-quarters of the Vietnamese text ratio. If these details are ignored, it may result in fines or even rectification.
In Brazil, card games were recognized as games of skill and therefore allowed to operate after 2012. Similar to the situation in India, gaming companies need to understand and comply with these specific legal provisions to ensure that their game content and operations are legal.
In addition, the continuous improvement of global regulations also requires game companies to maintain a high degree of legal compliance in different markets. Companies need to cooperate with local service providers to ensure the effectiveness of game operations and avoid legal risks.
In the process of promoting localization, game manufacturers need to respect the local culture of the overseas destination and abide by local laws and regulations. Establishing a good cooperative relationship with local game manufacturers can help companies better understand user habits and risk points, thereby reducing legal risks in operations.
market competition
When gaming companies enter new local markets, market competition is a challenge that cannot be ignored. There are usually some strong competitors in the local market, which not only have advantages in brand awareness, but also have deep market experience and user base.
In order to gain a foothold in the highly competitive market, new entrants need to develop effective market strategies. This includes in-depth understanding of local market culture and user needs, and ensuring that game content can attract and retain local players.
Cooperation with local partners is one of the key strategies to cope with market competition. By cooperating with local enterprises, gaming companies can use their resources and experience to better adapt to the local market environment and enhance their market competitiveness.
In addition, using digital platforms such as social media for operations is also an effective marketing strategy. Through these platforms, gaming companies can interact more directly with local users, understand their needs and feedback, and continuously optimize game content and services.
customer habbit
Understanding and adapting to the gaming habits and preferences of local users is the key to improving user stickiness. There are significant differences in game types, gameplay and consumption habits among users in different regions. For example, the annual growth rate of the gaming market in Southeast Asia is expected to reach 8.5%, with Indonesia’s annual growth rate reaching 31.1%.
In the process of game design, the development team needs to fully understand and respect local culture. For example, Moonton Technology has launched localized content in countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar and South Korea, designed characters that conform to local history and culture, and integrated Chinese cultural elements into the character appearance design.
In addition, game companies also need to customize the release rhythm according to the user habits of different markets. For example, Moonton Technology chose night markets and other places for offline promotion in Malaysia, while in the Philippines it cooperated with popular local traditional sports stars such as Philippine boxing champion Pacquiao and the Philippine men's basketball team.
Language is an important factor in the game localization process. Studies have shown that more than 70% of consumers prefer game software and user interfaces in their native language. Therefore, game companies need to ensure translation quality to enhance user experience and game playability.
Localization is not just about language conversion, but also about cultural adaptation. For example, the success of Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft in the Korean market is largely due to their cultural localization efforts. Game companies should consider cultural localization at the planning stage and use local game planning talents and developers.
Technical Support
In the localized operation of gambling games, technical support is a key factor to ensure that the game runs stably on different devices and network environments. Game manufacturers need to ensure that games can run smoothly on various devices, including PCs, mobile phones and tablets. Different devices have different hardware configurations and operating systems, which requires the technical team to conduct extensive compatibility testing to ensure that the game runs seamlessly on all target devices.
In addition, the diversity of network environments is also an important challenge. Network infrastructure and network speeds vary greatly in different regions, and game manufacturers need to optimize the network code of their games to adapt to various network conditions. By using CDN (content distribution network) and other network optimization technologies, delays can be effectively reduced and players' gaming experience improved.
In terms of technical support, game manufacturers also need to provide localized technical support services. This includes establishing a localized customer service team that can respond to players' technical questions and feedback in a timely manner in the local language. By setting up technical support centers in target markets, game manufacturers can more quickly resolve technical issues encountered by players and improve user satisfaction.
To ensure the effectiveness of technical support, game manufacturers should establish close cooperative relationships with local technical partners. These partners can provide valuable local market knowledge and technical resources to help game manufacturers better cope with technical challenges in localized operations. For example, in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, finding suitable local partners can help game manufacturers better adapt to local network environments and user needs.
Finally, data analysis also plays an important role in technical support. Through data analysis of local market demand and user behavior, game manufacturers can continuously optimize the technical performance and user experience of the game. Data analysis can not only help identify and solve technical problems, but also provide a basis for future technical improvements.
data analysis
Data analysis plays a vital role in the localized operation of gambling games. Through data analysis, game companies can gain a deep understanding of local market needs and user behavior, thereby optimizing game operation strategies. For example, Funplus Games emphasizes the core points of issuance verification and project establishment in its operation process, identifies the preferences of core users through data analysis, and formulates market strategies based on this.
Data analysis not only helps game companies understand user preferences, but also identifies potential opportunities and risks in the market. By analyzing user behavior, game companies can find out which features and content are most popular, and optimize them in subsequent updates and iterations. FunPlus Games continuously adjusts game content based on market feedback through an iteration cycle of about two months to ensure that the game always remains fresh.
In addition, data analysis can also help game companies optimize advertising strategies. FunPlus Games uses advertising tools such as Google AC to optimize advertising reach through data analysis, further increasing ROI and return value. This data-based advertising optimization strategy can help game companies attract users more effectively in the global market.
In localized operations, data analysis can also be used to monitor and evaluate market competition. By analyzing competitors, game companies can understand the competitive situation in the market and adjust their operating strategies accordingly. For example, when promoting localization, Shengqu Games will use multiple dimensions such as user research, user portraits, and competitive product analysis to ensure that the product can stand out in the target market.
In short, data analysis is an indispensable tool for gaming companies in localized operations. Through in-depth data analysis, gaming companies can better understand local market demand, optimize game content and operational strategies, and thus succeed in the fierce market competition.
Partner
In the process of localizing the operation of gambling games, it is crucial to establish a good relationship with local partners. Partners can not only provide valuable market insights, but also help companies better understand and adapt to local culture and user habits.
FunPlus Games has emphasized the importance of localization in its overseas operations, pointing out that users in various regions have significant differences from external brand linkage to gaming habits. This requires overseas companies to make great efforts to localize their game operations and refine their operations.
Cooperation with local partners is not limited to market insights, but also includes support for legal compliance. Different countries and regions have different laws and regulations on gambling games, and partners can help companies ensure that game content and operations comply with local legal requirements.
In addition, local partners can also provide help in technical support. Ensuring the stable operation of the game on different devices and network environments is one of the keys to localized operations. The technical resources and experience of partners can greatly enhance the user experience of the game.
By working closely with local partners, gaming companies can conduct marketing and user acquisition more effectively. The local resources and channels of partners can help companies quickly build brand awareness and attract more local users.
In short, establishing a good relationship with local partners is the key to the successful localization of gaming companies. The resources and experience of partners can not only help companies better adapt to the local market, but also provide all-round support in terms of legal compliance, technical support and marketing promotion.
