Take for example the above paragraph. ChatGPT could translate those two sentences into dozens of languages within seconds. But AI would struggle to elegantly capture the meaning of the text plus the cacophony of all those concussive consonants that give it an intended feel. That takes artistry.
So if localization isn't just translation, what is it? The masters of localization consider every aspect of media - from what's inside the software to the marketing on YouTube ads - so that the localized version of the game aligns with the preferences and peccadilloes of various carvings of the international audience.
In most versions of the game, players came face to face with Adolf himself, but due to German laws, players from Munich to Hamburg played a game stripped of Nazi iconography - down to the führer's facial hair. This is one bristly example of localization.
With this week's special issue on Polygon, Culture Shock, we want to bring attention to the creativity, controversy, and commercial necessity of localization. And hopefully improve the conversation around the craft, too.
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