Game Localization · All Services
RPG Maker Localization — MV and MZ Translation Pipeline
Native translators. Engine-specific expertise. LocQA in your build. Get a free quote →
RPG Maker MV and MZ store all game content in JSON data files — dialogues, item names, skill descriptions, map events, and system strings are distributed across dozens of JSON files in the project’s data/ directory. There is no single string table to export; a complete RPG Maker localization requires parsing every JSON file for human-readable strings while preserving the data structure. Plugin systems (particularly Yanfly/Visustella, FOSSIL/Galvs Scripts) add their own string storage, further expanding the extraction scope. SandVox provides RPG Maker localization from JSON audit through LocQA in a running RPG Maker build.
Common Localization Challenges
- JSON data file scope — RPG Maker MV and MZ store strings across Actors.json, Armors.json, Classes.json, CommonEvents.json, Enemies.json, Items.json, Map001.json through Map999.json, Skills.json, States.json, System.json, Troops.json, Weapons.json — each must be parsed and returned with correct JSON structure intact
- Plugin string handling — popular plugin suites (Yanfly Engine Plugins, VisuStella MZ, FOSSIL, Galvs Scripts) store their own configurable strings in plugin parameters, which are separate from the core JSON data files and require separate extraction
- Bitmap font requirement — RPG Maker MV uses bitmap fonts by default; CJK localization requires bitmap fonts with the required glyph coverage included as font assets; RPG Maker MZ improved this with TrueType font support, but CJK font inclusion and glyph coverage must still be verified
- Message window character limits — RPG Maker’s message window displays a fixed number of characters per line; languages with different character widths (CJK full-width characters vs. Latin half-width) or text expansion (German, Russian) require message window size adjustments or text reformatting
- Control codes in message strings — RPG Maker messages use control codes (\N for actor names, \V for variables, \I for icons, \C for color codes) that must be preserved exactly in translated strings; displaced or altered control codes produce visual artifacts or crashes
- Map event dialogue — event dialogue stored in Map files is often the largest localization component; maps must be processed one by one, and dialogue context is only visible by playing the map — requiring detailed context screenshots or build access for translators
What We Deliver
- JSON data file extraction — parsing all RPG Maker MV/MZ data files and extracting human-readable strings while preserving JSON structure
- Plugin parameter string extraction for Yanfly, VisuStella, FOSSIL, and other common plugin suites
- Translation using memoQ with per-project Translation Memory, RPG Maker control code protection, and terminology glossary
- Control code validation — automated and manual verification that \N, \V, \I, \C and other control codes are preserved correctly in translated strings
- CJK font specification and bitmap font guidance for MV; TrueType font configuration for MZ
- JSON file reconstruction — returning translated files with correct JSON structure for direct replacement in the data/ directory
- LocQA in running RPG Maker MV/MZ builds — message window rendering, control code behavior, font rendering, text overflow, plugin string display
How a Project Works
- Scoping: RPG Maker version (MV or MZ), plugin suite inventory (Yanfly/VisuStella/other), estimated string count, platform targets (PC, mobile, console port)
- JSON audit — parsing all data files and plugins for translatable strings; flagging control codes, conditional branches, and runtime-assembled strings
- String extraction to memoQ with control code protection tags
- Translation with RPG Maker-specific context (character name, item description, battle message) and message window character limit flags
- JSON file reconstruction — translated files returned in original structure for drop-in replacement
- LocQA in running RPG Maker build — message rendering, control codes, font coverage, window size verification
Languages Available
Japanese · Korean · Simplified Chinese · Traditional Chinese · German · French · Spanish · Brazilian Portuguese · Italian · Russian · Polish · Dutch
Frequently Asked Questions
How many strings does a typical RPG Maker game have?
String counts vary enormously by game scope. A short RPG Maker game (3–5 hours) typically has 10,000–30,000 words of translatable content across all data files. A longer title with many events and plugin-generated content can reach 50,000–100,000+ words. The word count is dominated by dialogue in Map files and CommonEvents.json. We provide an exact word count after running the JSON extraction pass — scope the project before committing to a timeline.
What happens to control codes during translation?
RPG Maker control codes (\N[1] for actor name #1, \V[5] for variable #5, \I[3] for icon #3, \C[2] for color change) must be preserved exactly in translated strings — they cannot be reordered or omitted. We use memoQ’s tag protection system to lock control codes as non-translatable inline tags, so translators can only modify the surrounding text. Automated QA checks verify all control codes are present and correctly formatted before delivery. This prevents the most common RPG Maker localization bug: dialogue that crashes or displays incorrectly because a control code was altered.
Does RPG Maker MZ support CJK languages better than MV?
MZ has improved CJK support over MV. MV uses bitmap fonts by default — CJK requires a complete bitmap font asset with the required glyph ranges, which is large and limited in flexibility. MZ supports TrueType fonts, which handles CJK more naturally, but you still need to include a font file with the required glyph coverage and configure the message system to use it. Both require explicit font setup for CJK — CJK does not render correctly out of the box in either MV or MZ without font configuration.
Can SandVox localize RPG Maker games deployed on consoles?
Yes. RPG Maker MZ titles can be deployed on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox through official and community deployment tools (Gotcha Gotcha Games publish Switch ports; PS4/PS5 and Xbox ports go through various channels). Console deployment adds platform-specific localization requirements on top of the RPG Maker translation: trophy/achievement text, store metadata, and platform certification localization items. We scope console-specific requirements during the initial audit.
Start Your RPG Maker Localization Project
Tell us your word count, target languages, and timeline. We’ll send a fixed-price quote within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
RPG Maker MZ and MV use JSON data files (.json) for game data including dialogue, item names, and skills — these can be exported and translated using dedicated tools. The most common localization pipeline for RPG Maker games uses the RPG Maker MZ Translator plugin or third-party tools like GarlicBread’s Translator++. Older RPG Maker engines (VX Ace, XP) use .rvdata2/.rxdata files requiring specialized extractors. Dialogue is stored in Map JSON files, while items, skills, and system text are in separate JSON files. SandVox handles complete RPG Maker localization extraction and re-import for all RPG Maker versions.
Standard RPG Maker MZ/MV use web fonts loaded at runtime. The default font (Gothic) does not cover CJK characters. For Japanese, Chinese, or Korean localization, the game must specify a CJK font — typically by loading a web font via the game’s font configuration, or by placing a font file in the game’s fonts directory and referencing it in the core scripts. Many Japanese-origin RPG Maker games already use Japanese fonts; Western RPG Maker games localizing into CJK must add a CJK font to the game package. SandVox provides CJK font setup as part of RPG Maker CJK localization.
Yes. Translator++ and similar tools support multi-language projects where all languages share the same source structure. The game uses a language-switching plugin (e.g., TDDP LanguageSwitcher or VisuMZ MessageCore language switching) to load the correct translation at runtime. This allows a single game build to support 10+ languages selected from the title screen. SandVox configures multi-language RPG Maker projects and delivers all translation data in the plugin’s required format.
RPG Maker games range from very short (a game jam entry with 2,000 words) to enormous (commercial RPGs with 500,000+ words). A typical indie RPG Maker game (20,000–80,000 words) into Japanese costs approximately $3,600–$28,000. Into German, approximately $2,400–$17,600. SandVox offers RPG Maker-specific localization packages that include extraction, translation, font setup, and re-import testing — you provide the game files and receive the localized files back ready to package.