logo image
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • Design Thinking – February 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs
MENU
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • Design Thinking – February 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs

Advertise on Slator! Download the 2021 Online Media Kit Now

  • Slator Market Intelligence
  • Slator Advertising Services
  • Slator Advisory
  • Login
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Advertisement
Early Releases on Apple’s New Arcade Service Bode Well for Game Localizers

1 year ago

October 29, 2019

Early Releases on Apple’s New Arcade Service Bode Well for Game Localizers

Demand Drivers ·

by Seyma Albarino

On October 29, 2019

1 year ago
Demand Drivers ·

by Seyma Albarino

On October 29, 2019

Early Releases on Apple’s New Arcade Service Bode Well for Game Localizers

Apple’s subscription-based gaming platform, Apple Arcade, became widely available in September 2019, signalling what looks like a wider and significant shift in the gaming landscape. At the time of writing, over 100 games have been released on the service and this number is set to grow. If Apple Arcade’s current games are any indicator, it may also mean developers will spend more on game localization.

Although Slator could not find a localization requirement published in any official Apple document, Apple may ask developers to localize their games before going live on Apple Arcade. (Apple did not respond to our request for comment.)

Andrew Webster, Games Editor at The Verge, told Slator that a language requirement is “something that a large number of developers told me when asking about Apple Arcade” as part of his research for an article on the process of localizing the detective game Tangle Tower. 

Advertisement

In a survey of 50 game apps currently available on Apple Arcade, Slator found that almost half had been localized into exactly 14 languages — which hints that 14 may be the threshold number required for launching on Arcade.

Slator 2020 Language Industry Market Report

Data and Research, Slator reports
55 pages. Total market size, biz dev and sales insights, TMS & MT review, buyer segment analysis, M&A, Covid impact & outlook.
$480 BUY NOW

The most common line-up for those languages includes Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. (Games that were available in just one language were typically in English.)

Naturally, some games are more challenging to localize than others.

Noodlecake’s The Enchanted World, a puzzle game inspired by the developers’ childhood in war-torn Bosnia, was intended to be light on text. Word games like Local No. 12’s Dear Reader, which turns classic literature into wordplay, will necessarily require well-thought-out localization for the game to function in other languages. (Game designer Eric Zimmerman told Slator the company plans to release translated versions of Dear Reader sometime in 2020.)

Developers declined to comment on Apple’s language requirements for Arcade because they are all bound by strict confidentiality agreements, but expressed enthusiasm for game localization in general and for Apple Arcade in particular.

Slator 2019 Game Localization Report

Slator 2019 Game Localization Report

Data and Research
Figures, insights, and case studies on the game localization space from both sell-side and buy-side.
$85 BUY NOW

Tim Garbos, Creative Director at Triband, said the company had always planned to localize What the Golf?, which is now available in 17 languages. “Translations are just one of many things developers can use to make games more accessible to everyone,” he said.

Radiangames developer Luke Schneider said that localizing games into multiple languages “certainly adds more work to some kinds of tasks for us as developers, but broadening the reach of Arcade is a worthwhile and noble goal.” Radiangames’ Speed Demons is currently out in 14 languages.

Whether localizing games is an official requirement or unspoken expectation, Apple Arcade may trigger a greater demand for game localization. That said, Apple is just one player among many in the industry. For a comprehensive look at game localization, check out Slator’s 2019 Game Localization Report.

TAGS

Andrew WebsterAppleApple ArcadeappsDear ReaderEric Zimmermangame appsgame localizationgamingLocal No. 12localizationLuke SchneiderNoodlecakeRadiangamesSpeed DemonsTangle TowerThe Enchanted WorldThe VergeTim GarbosTribandWhat the Golf
SHARE
Seyma Albarino

By Seyma Albarino

Staff Writer at Slator. Linguist, music blogger and reader of all things dystopian. Based in Chicago after adventures on three continents.

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SLATOR WEEKLY

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

SUBSCRIBE

SlatorSweepSlatorPro
ResearchRFP CENTER

PUBLISH

PRESS RELEASEDIRECTORY LISTING
JOB ADEVENT LISTING

Bespoke advisory including speaking, briefings and M&A

SLATOR ADVISORY
Advertisement

Featured Reports

See all
Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

by Slator

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

by Slator

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

by Slator

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

by Slator

Press Releases

See all
Rheinschrift Language Services – Strategic Improvements and Workforce Expansion in 2021

Rheinschrift Language Services – Strategic Improvements and Workforce Expansion in 2021

by Rheinschrift Language Services

Memsource Acquires Phrase

Memsource Acquires Phrase

by Memsource

Across Systems will be part of the Volaris Group

Across Systems will be part of the Volaris Group

by Across Systems GmbH

Upcoming Events

See All
  1. Handling Sensitive Information Webinar

    Handling Sensitive Calls with Limited English Proficient Consumers

    by Lionbridge

    · February 10

    Learn more about how Lionbridge Over-the-Phone Interpretation Services can help bridge communication gaps with limited...

    More info FREE

Featured Companies

See all
Text United

Text United

Memsource

Memsource

Wordbank

Wordbank

Protranslating

Protranslating

Seprotec

Seprotec

Versacom

Versacom

SDL

SDL

Smartling

Smartling

Lingotek

Lingotek

XTM International

XTM International

Smartcat

Smartcat

Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders

STAR Group

STAR Group

memoQ Translation Technologies

memoQ Translation Technologies

Advertisement

Popular articles

Why Netflix Shut Down Its Translation Portal Hermes

Why Netflix Shut Down Its Translation Portal Hermes

by Esther Bond

Top Language Industry Quotes of 2020

Top Language Industry Quotes of 2020

by Monica Jamieson

The Slator 2020 Language Service Provider Index

The Slator 2020 Language Service Provider Index

by Slator

SlatorPod: The Weekly Language Industry Podcast

connect with us

footer logo

Slator makes business sense of the language services and technology market.

Our Company

  • Support
  • About us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to the Slator Weekly

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

© 2021 Slator. All rights reserved.

Sign up to the Slator Weekly

Join over 13,000 subscribers and get the latest language industry intelligence every Friday

Your information will never be shared with third parties. No Spam.