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Localization
한국어로 쓰인 로컬라이징 가이드라인은 여기에서 확인할 수 있습니다. (Localization Guidelines in Korean)
日本語のガイドラインはこちら. (Localization Guidelines in Japanese)
Please do not remove the Japanese - original, Korean, and Europe titles from the "Alternative Name" fields when adding Localized data. Because our API partners rely on that data, we move/delete already existing information in phases. If "Alternative Names" is deleted with a contribution, your entry may be discarded.
This does not apply to incorrect or bad data.
On IGDB, English (NA standard) is the default language. Localized data refers to official information released in a specific country and in the native tongue of that region (or to simplify: how the game is known in that region.)
You can currently contribute localized information to a 'Localized Title' and a 'Localized Cover' in the following languages/regions:
- Japanese/Japan
- Korean/Korea
- Europe
Please keep in mind that each localized region is unique, and is limited to one cover and one title. If you try to add more than one submission per language, you will receive an error message and won't be able to submit your contribution for validation.
Localization will be validated separately from other game contributions, and the resolution time will vary depending on volume.
The title must be official (localized and not translated) and written in that country's alphabet (such as Kana for Japanese and Hangul for Korean).
- Please refrain from using a romanized title. That can be added as an 'Alternative Name.'
- Stylized titles should also be added to ‘Alternative Name’ (see examples below) as Japanese title - stylized.
Localization does not always imply a direct translation of the title. Instead of being translated verbatim into the language, a game will frequently have a whole new name in a specific location (“Yakuza” (NA/EU) vs. “Like a Dragon” (JP)).
Please ensure that you are adding the official localized title rather than a translation.
When adding a Japanese title, please think of the following:
- Using middle dots/interpunct is acceptable (especially if the game title is long) because it divides the words and makes it easier to read.
Example: 遊戯王デュエルモンスターズ レガシー・オブ・ザ・デュエリスト:リンク・エボリューション
- It is acceptable to include a full-width colon in games that only include kana (example: オリ:ザ・コレクション). Please use half-width or a "normal" space for titles that contain both English roman letters and Japanese characters.
- Do not use stylization such as stars, hearts, and emoticons/emojis. Please put that under Japanese title - stylized in Alternative title.
- Please remove - and ~, especially if they are only used to frame a specific word. These would also be classified as stylization.
Example:
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Yakuza 0 is the NA title for ‘Ryuu ga Gotoku 0: Chikai no Basho’. The localized title for Yakuza 0 is 龍が如く0 誓いの場所.
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Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Burst Forth!! Choro-gon Breath has a ☆ in the title that we would classify as ‘Stylized’. For a Localized Japanese title, we would add the title without it, such as 小林さんちのメイドラゴン炸裂! ! ちょろゴンブレス.
We have a section called "Symbols and Roman Letters in Japanese Original Titles" in our guidelines for Japanese Spelling: Romanization that may be useful when adding Japanese Localization.
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Laid-Back Camp: Virtual - Fumoto Campsite is the NA title for ゆるキャン 麓キャンプ場編. The game also came out in Korea, localized as 유루캠Δ VIRTUAL CAMP 산기슭 캠핑장 편.
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Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds was released in Korea as 바람의 나라.
Note: We are currently working on guidelines for Korean spelling in Romanization.
Europe is used for games with multiple title variations depending on the region of release (for example: EU vs NA). Think of Europe as games released in the PAL region. It does not refer to a specific country, such as "Germany," or "France". A European title is usually still in English and should follow our original guidelines for 'Titles'.
If the European and North American titles are the same, please leave the Localized title field blank.
- If you want to add a title in a language that isn't listed under Localization, go to the General tab and select 'Alternative Names.' Additional languages will be added at a later time.
- If you want us to add a specific region for Localization, please send us a suggestion via UserVoice.
Example:
- In Europe, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando was renamed Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked and Loaded. So, for 'Europe,' we would use that title for localization.
- Bully was released in the EU region as Canis Canem Edit.
- Pokémon Sun has multiple Localized titles (such as Spanish, German, Italian and French) but none of them would fit as a title for Europe. So for this example, we would add the Japanese title ポケットモンスターサン and keep the Europe field blank.
The NA title should be added to our 'General' tab. If no NA title exists (for example, a game that has not been released in the West/has not received an English localization), we will use the original title (and in romanization if applicable).
Example:
- Onegai My Melody: Yume no Kuni no Daibouken - A DS game in the My Melody franchise only released in Japan.
- Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis - A party game released in France only (based on a French movie)
A localized cover should follow the same cover guidelines that we have for our standard covers. Please read them before submitting a contribution: Cover Guidelines
- Verify that the title you add matches the title on the cover (stylization excluded).
- The image should have a minimum resolution of 600x800 and a 3x4 ratio, with no company/platform logos or age rating marks.
- If you create your own cover, make sure to use official artwork and logos.
- Always try to upload the cover for the game's initial release. If that is no longer available, a later cover is acceptable.
- Unless you’re adding a cover for a specific game type (i.e. Edition, DLC, Season etc.) the main cover should always be used for the main game.
- In some cases, a written title and a logo on a cover may not always match. A good example would be when a game is released in Japan with a title in Kana, but the cover has a romanized logo. For these cases, we would accept the cover with the romanization (as long as it's official) but we would want the title to stay in kana.
Example:
- Resident Evil 2 has the title バイオハザード 2 in Japanese, but the main title on the cover is romanized as Biohazard 2.
- Final Fantasy in Japan uses both Kana and the Roman alphabet due to its popularity. For the sake of Localization, we would go with the Kana ファイナルファンタジー.
- Games like Until Dawn, ended up getting a double title in Japan and was called Until Dawn 惨劇の山荘. Here it makes sense to keep both.
For other unusual cases, we may hold a discussion before deciding what to do.
Removing data for a language will result in the deletion of the entire localization. When removing data for any reason, make sure you have sources/links to send us along with the contribution (using the comments channel).
- I want to add localized data to a game, but there is no specific title/cover for Europe. Can I use the French or Spanish title as the European title?
No. If a game does not have a dedicated title or cover for Europe, leave that section blank. When we expand our localization form to include more countries, other specific titles, such as a French, Spanish, or Italian title, will be placed under that language.
- I'd like to add localized data to a game that has the same title and cover in North America and Europe. Should I add it?
No. It would be redundant information. Leave the EU section empty if the game's name is the same in both regions.
- I'm going to add localized data to a game that's only been released in Japan. Do I add the Japanese romanization as the EU title?
No. We recommend that you only include a Japanese Kanji/Kana title for Japan and leave EU blank. If a game has not yet been released in the West, the romanized title is utilized for IGDB pages. That's not the same as official NA or EU localization.
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