Phenomenon of computer game in translation discourse

Abstract

The article introduces a phenomenon of computer game as an emerging field in translation studies. The development and expanding of the world industry of interactive entertainment demands a proficient video games translation of high quality as the international market of video products is dominated by American and Japanese producers. The author discusses the issues of videogames translation in the concept field of localization as a videogames is not only an audiovisual product but a software product. The concept of translation and translator’s competence is about to leave the traditional equivalency paradigm and needs the application of other dimensions. The article discusses the genre classification of videogames, characteristics and difficulties of RPG translation, various simulators translation. The author analyses the most popular translation strategies used by the modern translators of multimedia products: foreignization – keeping a “foreign flavor” of the text; domestication – texts adaptation to the particular features and standards of the target culture; no translation strategy – leaving the original titles, names, culture references without translation. The dominant translation strategy influences the localization strategy and others.

Keywords

• computer game
• videogame
• audiovisual text
• localization
• adaptation
• translation
• localization strategies
• domestication
• foreignization
• no translation strategy