Game Localization · All Services
Simulation Game Localization
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Simulation games — city builders, economic sims, life sims, management titles — present a distinct set of localization challenges. The language is functional and data-dense: tooltips must be precise, procedural text templates must read naturally across all variable combinations, and numeric formatting (currencies, measurements, dates) must conform to target-market conventions. SandVox provides simulation game localization built for the complexity of systems-driven content.
Unique Localization Challenges
- Procedural text templates: system-generated strings must read naturally for every possible variable combination in the target language
- Dense UI localization: tooltips, stat labels, and menu items carry critical gameplay information — brevity and accuracy must coexist
- Numeric and unit formatting: currencies, measurements, dates, and population figures must follow target-market conventions (comma vs. decimal separators, metric vs. imperial)
- Real-world references in content: city names, institutions, regulations, and place names may require localization or cultural adaptation
- Economic terminology consistency: ‘budget’, ‘deficit’, ‘revenue’, ‘tax’ — terms with precise meanings must be applied consistently across all UI and tutorial content
What We Localize
- UI strings and menu localization
- Procedural text template localization
- Economic and system terminology glossary
- Tutorial and onboarding content
- Numeric and unit formatting review
- Community content and patch notes
Our Process
- Terminology alignment: build a glossary of economic, social, and system-specific terms before translation begins
- String extraction and context review: assess all procedural templates for variable combinations before translating
- UI localization with space constraints: adapt text to fit data-dense UI containers in the target language
- Numeric and format review: verify currency, date, unit, and separator conventions for each target market
- LocQA in-context: test all strings in game to verify procedural text renders correctly for all variable states
- Delivery in original format with translation memory for live-service updates
Languages Available
German · French · Spanish · Portuguese (BR) · Japanese · Korean · Chinese (Simplified) · Russian · Polish · Italian
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes simulation game localization different from other genres?
Simulation games have high proportions of UI text, procedural strings, and data-dense tooltips — content types where translation errors have direct gameplay impact. A mistranslated economic term or a procedural template that breaks for certain variable combinations can prevent players from understanding core mechanics. Simulation localization requires deep functional review, not just linguistic review.
How do you handle procedural text in simulation games?
We review all procedural text templates before translation begins, mapping every variable combination to ensure the translated template reads naturally in all states. German and Russian, for example, require different word order and agreement rules for procedural strings — what works as a template in English often needs structural redesign for inflected languages.
Do you handle numeric formatting for different markets?
Yes. Number formatting conventions vary significantly: Germany uses a period for thousands separators and a comma for decimals (1.000,00 vs. English 1,000.00); many markets use different currency symbol positions. We review all numeric formatting as part of simulation game LocQA.
Can you handle live-service simulation games with regular content updates?
Absolutely. We operate dedicated retainer cycles for live-service simulation titles, delivering localized update content — new buildings, events, balance patch UI text, seasonal content — on weekly or bi-weekly schedules with consistent terminology.
Start Your Simulation Game Localization Project
Tell us your word count, target languages, and timeline. We’ll send a quote within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Simulation games (farming sims, life sims, city builders, management games) often have very high item name density — thousands of items, buildings, crops, tools, and objects each requiring a localized name that is concise enough to fit UI labels. Japanese and Chinese localizations often benefit from the contraction property of CJK scripts for item names, but German and French item names frequently overflow labels. Simulation games also require careful cultural adaptation — crops, foods, and cultural items that don’t exist in the target culture need creative solutions that feel natural to local players.
Simulation games are among the most localization-dependent genres. Stardew Valley’s Japanese localization is frequently cited as a key factor in its success in Japan. Animal Crossing’s deep cultural adaptation for Japanese players demonstrates how simulation games reward careful localization investment. The cozy, slice-of-life nature of many sim games means players spend hundreds of hours with the text — quality matters more than in action games where players may skip dialogue. SandVox approaches simulation game localization with literary care, not just technical accuracy.
A typical indie farming/life sim (30,000–80,000 words) costs $5,400–$28,000 per language for text-only localization. If the game has voice-over (like later Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons titles), voice localization adds significantly. Japanese localization for a successful farming sim is usually the highest-ROI investment: Japanese players are the core market for the genre and will spend heavily on a game that earns their trust. SandVox recommends Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, German, and French as the priority languages for simulation games.
Yes — more than most genres. Crops and produce specific to one culture (okra, durian, quesadillas) need localized alternatives or footnotes that feel natural. Holiday events tied to Western holidays (Christmas, Easter, Halloween) may need adaptation for East Asian markets. Names of characters and places often need adjustment for cultural resonance. SandVox’s simulation game localization includes a cultural adaptation review pass, not just linguistic translation, to ensure the localized version feels native rather than foreign.