video games japanese video game developer publisher square_enix formally companies called square enix prior translating games north_america pal region late 1980s released games major regions continues release games today depending multiple factors viability platforms condition game process localization changed time having person team short time tight memory capacities having team preparing simultaneous launches multiple languages companies major projects final_fantasy proved successful launch video game franchises majority games produced companies localized western audiences process given high priority square international success final_fantasy vii recruited start dedicated localization department company enix remained translation department merger square cases teams individuals attached particular recent years process localization undergone changes mainly difficult experiences titles square_enix developed titles localized form order appeal western market staff localization staff square enix works mainly japanese english way american english british english french italian german spanish prior merger square enix enix initially localization department western releases close contact original development teams square initially localization department worked regularly contractual basis following massive international success company looked improving quality translated products game widely criticized rushed translation handled entirely company house translator time end square tasked originally programmer creating dedicated localization team major project members including staff grew include employees years merger square enix late 2000s self contained series games linked story events similar elements square_enix use localization team case titles set fictional world translator associated games noted translator worked nintendo remake game boy advance port sequels approach translation allocated localization quality assurance marketing staff play build game focus group study localization team hours gameplay company localization project period starts style naming schemes chosen translation phase voiced sections translated text files cross checked multiple editors text integrated graphic sound changes game goes quality assurance period weeks months japanese teams look bugs teams check linguistic issues localization team plays game phase translates help finally game sent hardware manufacturers approved challenges localization teams include space limitation data storage screen space achieving natural dialogue flow despite multiple plot branches script lines stored order voiced footage recorded lip movement dealing file length lip limitations team works different games series final_fantasy need adopt different writing styles depending setting games point consider humorous elements translate properly english different cultural expectations character interactions localization process depends factors development teams wishes budget schedule translation usually starts late development titles like translated japanese english initial development making appear like additional planners actual titles like actually developed english translated japanese remnant adopted approach featuring motion capture dialogue english japanese actors company wish create title international market early like recent years heavy use speech patterns archaic thee thou square greatly focused worldwide commercial success final_fantasy vii later years original joined editors catch grammar spelling errors prior development standard localization process title involved dual development company sound localization departments meant difficulties arise constant changes dialogue future large scale titles house development tool called developed ensure parts process properly synchronized centralized development troubled localization spearheaded game translator japanese counterpart recent years localization teams tended adopt different approaches translation localization remain faithful original japanese large changes long story outline remains method adopted sequels alterations order english dialogue sound natural choosing voice actors company prefers avoid known film television actors citing casting souls experiences described translation project square handled internally company pure hell stated started change company approach localization game moving work closely original development teams improving communication introducing time editors troublesome time secret said nearly killed translation completed month japanese release square wanted catch holiday season localization handled chaotic according lack poor communication departments continuing changes script cutscenes led turbulent development script changes large sections dialogue needed translated recorded english actors lack necessary emotional drive scenes contrast smith good working relationship localization titles like final release worked closely ensure western versions faithful vision challenging localization final_fantasy title feature voice acting team faced problems making dialogue compatible english speaking audience lip roughly game characters lip movement original japanese dialogue changes translating video games square enix tries account cultural differences japan western territories involves dialogue altering graphics animations sounds instance visual references japanese folk heroes changed depict game designed mainly children better known west according trying explain original development teams changes needed range frustrating downright hilarious generally older development teams trust making changes newer teams reluctant usually build trust gradually localization team chose preserve japanese elements ensure game cultural aspect remained intact smith worked preserve original script meaning english reproduce japanese found original version translator ended different accents identify factions game final script small team resulting rough script inconsistencies famous originally meant merging air earth original game translated localization secret forced trim vast amounts character dialogue awkward fixed text font later stating satisfied result recognized high quality localization original japanese text bland english version use archaic medieval old english words dialogue ports remakes older games dialogue changed added team case title altered reasons final released western regions iii fact original iii received western release originally called great warrior saga changed current title tie final_fantasy series known popular west earliest successful japanese role playing games title changed dragon warrior confuse similarly titled role playing game title discontinued square enix registered dragon quest trademark use copyright issues released original japanese title wonderful world gameplay altered felt game easy difficult western audience older final_fantasy titles altered easy play west japan remakes ports generally restored difficulty gameplay received notable cuts north american release hand final fantasy difficult localized versions western market judged familiar real time strategy genre japanese market western release game changed suit western players including removing rpg elements akin action game censorship affect localized versions games require mature themes remarks phrases altering graphics removing parts scenes common nes eras drastic later video game content rating systems established original western releases early games final_fantasy featured multiple occurrences form censorship received censorship european release including removal nazi like uniform commonly goes way instance sequence involving violence female character censored japanese version restored american european releases references religion removed references caused square consider releasing north_america releases square enix expressed willingness worldwide simultaneous releases norm concerning final fantasy time original english european release producer stated japanese north american australian simultaneous releases possible translating japanese english possible european countries difficulty finding good japanese european languages fact second hand translations english akin chinese team later integrated fledged french german localization teams achieving simultaneous release japanese different languages example synchronized localization company started localization process alongside game development delay local international releases localized house square_enix supervision compared predecessor featured english voice overs featured english japanese german french similar game featured voice work low number cutscenes explained fact team want new voice recording dominate creation new content initial release western release lightning returns final fantasy delayed months large dialogue changes game time mechanic needed translated recorded viability game platform affect localization release case playstation portable exclusive eventually come west high definition port playstation xbox localized technical problems company recently started releasing japanese voice tracks downloadable content case lightning returns final fantasy titles published access games developed aspect square_enix policy concerning western release games games appealed western japanese audiences worldwide success japan aimed caused strategy additional content localized versions expand original games example found contradictions story worked director scenario writer game rewrite sections add explanatory dialogue original version viii journey cursed king voice overs orchestral music recorded western releases original japanese version generally gameplay content left original game time constraints completed added localized versions expanded localized versions games series like released japan releases usually based direct port north american releases text translated japanese japanese subtitles english dialogue include features previously available western version alongside additions reception praised square enix high quality translations especially space allocated text dialogue expanded new released versions games writing site said quality square_enix gone best praise criticism given individual games quality company game feature voice acting drew criticism regard audio presentation received fairly positive response final received praise poor lip aspects actors performances criticized english release ended receiving seventh award outstanding achievement character performance final highly praised qualities
Localization of Square Enix video games