Japanese Video Game Translation

Last updated on December 09, 2022

While graphics for Japanese video games continue to evolve, the language and dialogue translations are not always given proper attention. When provided by inexperienced translators, Japanese to English video game translation becomes choppy, silly, grammatically incorrect, culturally inaccurate, and otherwise inferior to the original Japanese video game, as you can see in our example below. Japanese to English translated video games are a major part of video game development, both for major companies as well as private or smaller game designers and developers. To get a free quote on any Japanese-English translation for video games, simply upload and send the document or text to be translated using the top menu, or type in the number of words, and you'll be given an estimate of our super low rates in seconds. You can also send us larger files at info@tomedes.com or connect to our live chat for immediate free consultation.

Use Experienced Japanese Video Game Translators - Avoid Becoming the Next Gamer Joke

So what happens when video game companies like Sega don't do their Japanese translation homework? A now out-of-business Sega Megadrive game created in 2003, called “Zero Wing” is only still remembered because of their very public Japanese to English translation blunder – which occurred in more than one game, and in more than one translation. The following is the notorious Japanese video game translation of this former Sega video game dialogue:

In 2101 A.D. war was beginning.

General: What happen?

Operator: Somebody set up us the bomb. We get signal.

General: What!

Operator: Main screen turn on.

General: It's you!

Cats: How are you gentlemen!! All your base are belong to us! You are on way to destruction.

General: What you say!

Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time. Ha ha ha ha.

General: Take off every “zig.” You know what you doing. Move “zig.” For great justice.

It's painfully clear in this translation blunder just how important to game development good Japanese to English video game translation is. Only professional human translation companies should be used for any kind of Japanese-English, or English-Japanese video game translation, no matter how large or small the game developer. There is simply no other substitute, no matter how advanced an automated system is supposed to be.

Better Translation Rates for Superior Japanese Video Game Localization

One of the top googled translation services listed for Japanese to English video games not only charges triple what Tomedes charges for the same high quality, accurate translations, but they fail to use English vocabulary correctly on their own landing page. How can you trust a translation service to accurately translate Japanese to English, when they do not use English properly on their own website?

Whether you are developing the next big WoW or MMORPG game, or you're just a serious gamer who needs a Japanese game to be translated - everyone can afford our Japanese-English video game translation. Our uncommonly low translation rates are at least 50% less than those of any other Japanese translation company.