How Much Does Game Localisation Cost?

This article is for producers and studio leads building a localisation budget for a PC, console or mobile game. It explains how localisation is usually priced, which line items studios forget, and where savings are safe.

We do not quote prices here, because every game is different and the real cost depends on your files. Instead, the sections below show how to estimate the size of the job, what to ask for in a quote and how to compare quotes fairly.

How is game localisation usually priced?

Game localisation is usually priced per source word for translation, and per hour or per day for testing, engineering and project management. Voice-over is priced separately, typically by recording time or by number of lines.

The per-word rate covers translation and, in most professional workflows, an independent review by a second linguist. Rates vary by language pair, subject matter and volume. As one public reference point, Google Play's paid translation service for store listings says that ordering "costs as little as USD 0.07 per word, and translations are completed within seven days" (Google Play Console Help). That service covers listing text only, not in-game strings, testing or culturalisation.

For general UK per-word pricing across all kinds of documents, see our guide to translation cost per word in the UK.

What makes up the total cost of localising a game?

The total cost of localising a game is the sum of several separate services, and translation is only one of them. The table below shows the usual line items and what makes each one larger or smaller.

How do you estimate the word count of a game?

The word count of a game is the number of player-facing words in your string files, minus anything that should not be translated. Counting it accurately is the single most useful thing you can do before asking for quotes.

1. Export every player-facing string into a spreadsheet or a standard format such as XLIFF, CSV or JSON.
2. Remove non-translatable content, such as internal IDs, debug text, placeholder variables and developer notes.
3. Separate content types: interface, dialogue, item and skill descriptions, tutorials, store copy and legal text.
4. Identify repetitions, because identical strings are usually charged at a reduced rate or not at all once a translation memory exists.
5. Add character limits for strings that must fit buttons or menus, so translators can quote and plan for them.
6. Flag text in images and video, which needs extra engineering or art work and is easy to miss.

Text length matters as well as word count. The W3C cites IBM guidance that English strings of up to 10 characters can grow by 200–300% in translation, and strings over 70 characters by about 130% (W3C: Text size in translation). Short interface labels therefore cause the most layout rework, which adds engineering and testing time.

Which other costs come with launching a game in a new market?

Launching in a new market can add costs that have nothing to do with words, mainly age ratings, store assets and support. These are often missed in early budgets.

Age ratings

Physical and some console releases need a rating from the local body. In Germany, the USK lists its regular classification committee procedure at "1.500 EUR" for 20 working days, with express and ad hoc options at higher fees, all exclusive of VAT (USK cost overview). Many digital storefronts instead use the IARC questionnaire, and Google Play's content rating guidance states that "Apps without a content rating will be removed from the Play Store."

Store pages and marketing

Store descriptions, screenshots with text, trailers with subtitles and press materials all need localising. Steam allows a localised description, images and trailers for each language.

Live operations

Patches, events, seasonal content and player support continue after launch. Budget a monthly allowance per language rather than treating localisation as a one-off.

How can you reduce game localisation cost without cutting quality?

The safest way to reduce game localisation cost is to remove waste before translation starts, not to remove review or testing afterwards. Each measure below lowers cost without lowering quality.

• Internationalise early. Externalise strings, avoid concatenation and support Unicode fonts, so engineering costs stay low. Our guide to UI string localisation best practices explains how.
• Freeze the text. Translating while the script is still changing means paying twice.
• Provide context. Screenshots, character bios and string descriptions cut queries and rework.
• Build a glossary and style guide. Fixed names for items, skills and places keep translators consistent; see our guide to glossaries and style guides.
• Reuse translation memory. Updates and sequels reuse previous translations, as explained in our guide to translation memory.
• Subtitle instead of dubbing where the genre allows; our guide to voice-over and subtitling for games compares the options.
• Localise the store page first to test demand before committing to the full game.

Is machine translation a cheaper option for games?

Machine translation can lower the cost of some game text, but it is risky for dialogue, humour, lore and anything a player reads closely. It works best for large volumes of repetitive text, followed by full human post-editing and in-game testing.

Even platform services are open about the limits. Google Play's free store-listing translation carries the warning: "As these are machine translations, they are not reviewed or approved by humans." For how a human-edited workflow works, see machine translation post-editing explained.

What should a game localisation quote include?

A useful game localisation quote breaks the price down by language and service, so you can compare providers and drop items you do not need. Check that each quote states:

• the word count it is based on, and how repetitions and matches are treated;
• whether review by a second linguist is included;
• whether in-game LQA is included, and for how many hours or which platforms;
• how queries from translators are handled and who answers them;
• the file formats returned and any engineering assumptions;
• what happens to the price when strings change after hand-off.

Common mistakes when budgeting for game localisation

Most budget overruns in game localisation come from late changes and missing line items rather than from translation rates. Avoid these:

• Budgeting for translation but not for LQA testing, then paying for urgent fixes after launch.
• Sending text before the script is final, so changed strings are translated twice.
• Forgetting text baked into textures, videos and UI art.
• Comparing quotes on the per-word rate alone, when one includes review and testing and another does not.
• Choosing too many languages at once; our guide to which languages to localise a game into first helps you prioritise.

For the full localisation process, from script translation to marketing, see our guide to video game localisation.

How TranslationWorks can help

TranslationWorks is a UK-based translation agency that provides game and software localisation through its IT and gaming translation team, using native-speaking linguists in 150+ languages. We translate interface strings, dialogue, item text and store listings, and our transcreation service adapts marketing copy and taglines.

To get an accurate figure, send us your string export, target languages and platforms. We will analyse the word count and repetitions, and return an itemised quote per language so you can see exactly what you are paying for. We are ISO 17100 certified, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 registered and Cyber Essentials certified. Get a free quote for your game localisation within 24 hours.