The Process of Video Game Localisation : Case Study of Metro Exodus
Kucheba, Valerii (2022)
2022
Master's Programme in Game Studies
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2022-11-21
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202210267902
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202210267902
Tiivistelmä
The requirements for diverse media projects increase every day, following technological progress. One of the main points is the adaptation of video games for various target cultures. A video game is a highly constructed cultural artefact containing audiovisual components, specific mechanics, narrative elements, and several other important features. Correspondingly, these projects are exposed to adaptation for further distribution and use in the target market. Consequently, exploring such a multi-faceted operation as localisation has a significant impact on general comprehen sion of its structure and applicability. Moreover, the investigation emphasises the value of the proper transfer of diverse forms of culture-related realities.
This thesis investigates a video game as a product of adaptation, therefore diving into the technological procedure of localisation. In order to discover and unfold the stages and peculiari ties of applying localisation, this study provides different assumptions, ideas and templates on how people can understand the process of localisation and what phases it can imply. Moreover, it is essential to perform the complexity and contestability of changing the game elements. Metro Exodus was examined with a qualitative investigation, which was utilised from the perspective of formal analysis.
The analysis reveals the superiority of textual alterations compared to other types of modifica tions. Consequently, the main difficulties associated with the transfer of cultural-specific aspects from the original (Russian) to target (English) version of the game were identified as well as suit able approaches to their solution based on the derived cases, which illustrated both interesting and debatable translation solutions. The selected game is significant for this study because it possesses a simultaneous process of development and adaptation procedures. In addition, the absence of a distinct localisation unit, which commonly aims at adapting a project according to the requirements of a particular target market was identified as a critical and unique feature of Metro Exodus. The investigation of such localisation alternative caused enhanced attention to wards characters’ cues and other game-related texts.
This thesis investigates a video game as a product of adaptation, therefore diving into the technological procedure of localisation. In order to discover and unfold the stages and peculiari ties of applying localisation, this study provides different assumptions, ideas and templates on how people can understand the process of localisation and what phases it can imply. Moreover, it is essential to perform the complexity and contestability of changing the game elements. Metro Exodus was examined with a qualitative investigation, which was utilised from the perspective of formal analysis.
The analysis reveals the superiority of textual alterations compared to other types of modifica tions. Consequently, the main difficulties associated with the transfer of cultural-specific aspects from the original (Russian) to target (English) version of the game were identified as well as suit able approaches to their solution based on the derived cases, which illustrated both interesting and debatable translation solutions. The selected game is significant for this study because it possesses a simultaneous process of development and adaptation procedures. In addition, the absence of a distinct localisation unit, which commonly aims at adapting a project according to the requirements of a particular target market was identified as a critical and unique feature of Metro Exodus. The investigation of such localisation alternative caused enhanced attention to wards characters’ cues and other game-related texts.