Home Gaming Square Enix might Kickstart games to the West

Square Enix might Kickstart games to the West

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Dragon quest

Gamers have come to understand that game localization isn’t just a matter of running all the text through Google Translate. It’s a much more intricate and complicated process which involves both time and money. That’s why many games made in Japan never make it to the West. However, Square Enix is aware that fans want their games, and they are looking at more ways to bring them to other parts of the world.

GameSpot is reporting that in the latest issue of Game Informer, Square Enix Europe CEO Phil Rogers explained that localization comes up often. Square Enix is humbled to have such a loyal and dedicated fan base and assures us all that the company is increasingly thinking globally and trying to ensure that the tools are in place to localize games where possible. While some games might never make it to other parts of the world, Rogers agrees that it’s a “very natural” idea to use crowdfunding to help fund localization for specific titles.

I think it’s a really interesting idea. I would love to try and work with that, to find a way, because ultimately we want to satisfy the demands of the fans. I think also, our fans are very rational. They understand, and if we explain things, they often go, ‘Oh, I get that now. Thanks for explaining.’ They know it’s complex, or very expensive, and it’s not as simply as you say as using Google Translate.

To get that essence of it actually translated requires this amount of resource. To see if fans want to sign up for it and say, ‘This is the absolute demand for it,’ and we can set targets and say if we achieve that, then we can do it. I think that’s a relationship that seems very natural to build. I’d love to see how we get that to work.

I don’t really have a big problem with crowd funding for something like this. It proves to the publisher that there is interest in the title getting localized and that there’s a market for the game. Obviously, I would expect the publisher to then kick in some extra funding for the project, but if some crowdfunding would prove that these games could be profitable if brought to other countries, or that they wouldn’t be and those resources should be allocated elsewhere, then it seems like a win/win situation for everyone.

Last Updated: October 13, 2015

4 Comments

  1. Grand Admiral Chief

    October 13, 2015 at 08:05

    That header just screams UMAR!

    Reply

    • (Umar) Must be Cipher

      October 13, 2015 at 08:21

      Lol Dragon Quest 8, actually one of my favorite games. OvG is quite fond of it too I believe.

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 13, 2015 at 08:14

    No. That’s not what crowdfunding is for. What’s next? Putting it on Steam’s early access? You’re a goddamn publisher, put on your big boys pants and take the risk yourselves. There’s plenty of ways to gauge interest besides a glorified preorder scam masquerading as crowd funding. Fuck you*. That’s bullshit. It’s not cheap, but it’s also not expensive – fund it yourselves you cheap bastards.

    *Square Enix, not Zoe. 😉

    Reply

  3. (Umar) Must be Cipher

    October 13, 2015 at 08:20

    Still a bit iffy about this idea…but localization isn’t as easy as we’d like to believe and if we have a means to actually get these games over here…I’d be down for supporting them the idea.

    Reply

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