Intro With the growth of the gaming industry, game localization has become an indispensable tool not just for big studios, but also for indie developers looking to boost their sales. Did you know just how huge the impact of game localization on game sales can be? Many developers have experienced huge growth thanks to game…

Intro

With the growth of the gaming industry, game localization has become an indispensable tool not just for big studios, but also for indie developers looking to boost their sales. Did you know just how huge the impact of game localization on game sales can be? Many developers have experienced huge growth thanks to game localization, and there’s plenty of data to back that up, let’s jump right in!

How Does Game Localization Impact Game Sales?

If we want to determine the impact of game localization on game sales, we need to look at the extensive data we have on the impact of language on consumer behavior, revenue and size of different gaming markets, and the effects and benefits that localization has on platforms like Steam. All this data can help us determine the impact of game localization on game sales.

The Importance of Language on Consumer Behavior

According to the “Can’t read, won’t buy” study, conducted by CSA Research, language plays a huge role in shaping and influencing consumer choices. The study took into consideration the importance of language in attracting new customers and retaining old ones.

The Impact of Localization in Attracting New Customers

The study showed how consumers are far more likely to make purchases when content is available in their native language. This behavior extends to gaming, where players prefer and are more inclined to buy games they can understand and enjoy fully.

The Impact of Localization on Customer Retention

Player retention is another key benefit of game localization. As the “Can’t read, won’t buy” study highlighted, consumers are more likely to repurchase a product when it’s presented in their native language. This applies to games as well, when users play a high-quality localized game they are more likely to buy future games from the same developer.

The Impact of Game Localization on Game Sales and Visibility on Steam

Another way to see the true impact of game localization on game sales is by looking at the huge role that localization plays in boosting profit and publicity. Steam published a detailed presentation on how the platform recommends games to its users. Steam visibility, according to the presentation, is a mix between algorithmic recommendations and curated features. For example, in the Steam Top Sellers section, which is algorithmic, games are displayed based on the user’s regional preference. In other words, the list is localized based on the user’s region.

Steam also made clear how the only factor that always plays a role in algorithmic visibility is localization, while other factors like store page traffic, review score, Wishlists and early access usually don’t. Localization is also recommended in order to qualify for curated promotions, which are very competitive and harder to get, but can massively boost your visibility.

The Impact of Localization on Game Reviews

Another way in which localization can indirectly boost sales is through game reviews. A great source of publicity are other people’s experiences, as a matter of fact, positive reviews can help your game get more attention, creating a positive word-of-mouth effect and building a strong reputation. This can attract attention from content creators, or simply, other players. On the flipside however, it has been shown that people tend to give more attention to negative reviews, and when we consider that up to 16% of game reviews mention localization one way or another, we can see how poor localization can turn your game into a disaster.

The Role of Steam Page Localization

Localizing your game’s Steam page is another way that can significantly impact visibility, and a result, sales. How To Market A Game published a blog on the role that localizing your Steam page has on visibility and Wishlist additions. The study was done during “resting periods” of 100 developers, meaning when they were not doing any promotions. What came out of this research, is that localized pages average 4.5 times more Wishlist additions than unlocalized pages. While Wishlist additions don’t always convert into sales, they are generally a good indicator of potential sales.

Steam Demographics and Gaming Markets

Other numbers to support the impact of game localization on game sales are Steam demographics and other data on various gaming markets. When we look at the most popular languages on Steam of 2024, we can see that only about 33% of its users navigate the platform in English. This means that a game that has been released just in English will be relevant, visible and fully enjoyable by only 33% of Steam users, missing out on the other 67% of users. When we look at the most popular languages on the platform in 2024, we can see how just localizing into the first 6 languages (English, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German) will cover about 85% of the Steam population.

If you also look at data from Newzoo, in 2022, the top 10 markets and countries by revenues were the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, and Brazil. Together, these 10 countries generated nearly 78% of the global revenue.

Tips for Developers to Maximize Your Localization Efforts

A common issue we usually encounter when talking to indie developers is that they have had past experiences where despite localization, they haven’t seen a huge increase in revenue, or at least not enough to justify the investment. When that happens, it is usually because they localized for the wrong markets. Here’s some tips to avoid that.

Use Regional Listings on Steam and Market Research

In a Q&A session on YouTube, Alden Kroll, from Valve, explained how to use regional listings as a form of analytics to determine in which markets to localize to maximize return on investment. The same advice can be found on How To Market A Game’s blog on the benefits of localizing your Steam page. While Wishlists are not guaranteed to transform into conversion, they can still give you a general idea on what regions are most interested in your game. Additionally, you can do a DIY market research, for an even clearer picture.

Engage in Forums, Social Media Mlatforms, and Discord

To maximize the effectiveness of your localization efforts, you can also engage with your potential audience directly. Join forums, social media platforms, and Discord communities where gamers discuss and recommend games. These platforms can provide insights on what different regions and language groups are looking for in games. They can also be crucial in providing feedback, and help you with game testing.

Conclusion

So, to wrap things up, next time somebody tries to deny the impact of game localization on game sales, you can show them directly this blog. From directly impacting consumer behavior, helping you get new customers and retain old ones, to significantly optimizing all your publishing and marketing efforts, as shown in the Steam presentation, localization can massively boost your sales and visibility.

So, why are you still waiting? Get in touch with us, we’ll take care of you!

The Impact of Game Localization on Game Sales