Localization
On IGDB, English is the default language (NA standard). 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 localization are 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 queue's SLA 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).
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- A written title and a logo on a cover may not always match. This is acceptable as long as the data is official and correct.
Example:
- Resident Evil 2 is 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).