It’s not a surprise that game localization has so many advantages for your games, but today we’re talking about something specific and quite important: player engagement and user retention.
Let’s start with what user retention means. Basically, user retention refers to a customer’s, and in our case a player’s, continued use of a product. Customer satisfaction leads to a higher user retention rate.
Let’s say you decide to invest in game localization and you already have a player base. What will happen after the game localization process?
1- Your ‘not-so-loyal’ foreign players will be more invested in your game. Of course, this will happen only if they can play in their preferred language.
2- The user acquisition rate will increase along with the user retention rate. New players will start playing your game because they’ll see that the game has language support. And most probably, these new players will keep playing your game.
This is only natural because gamers are prone to interact more with a game that feels like it was made for them. And sometimes, having language support leads to a sense of community, especially if there are forums in the target language as well. This will make the players feel like they belong to the community, and thus to the game.
Player Engagement and Game LocalizationPlayer engagement is no different from user retention. Game localization equals higher customer satisfaction, higher user retention, and higher player engagement. We always say that game localization is not just translating all the words from one language into another. It’s about adapting the game both linguistically and culturally. Players won’t keep playing your game if it feels too foreign or offensive to them. Here, the role game localization providers play is huge: they need to be experts in the target language and culture to be able to recreate the game in a way that feels like an original in the target culture.
I think it’s also very important to consider localizing all content, that is all content other than in-game texts. You need good marketing content to have a higher user acquisition and retention rate but if your players are seeing the marketing content in their non-native language, it will not be as effective. So, don’t forget to include your marketing texts in your localization plan as well.
Player support is another important factor in having higher player engagement and retention. Let’s say one of your players had a problem with the game and they need support. If they go to your website and see that frequently asked questions are not localized, they will be annoyed. Or you might have a chatbot that’s not in their language. Since all of your players deserve the same attention and value, if they cannot get the help they need, there’s only a small chance that they will keep being loyal to your game.
The intertwining relationship between game localization and player engagement/user retention is a dynamic force that significantly influences the success of a game in the global market. Game localization not only attracts new players but also fosters a sense of community, making players feel more connected to the game and each other. Therefore, investing in comprehensive game localization is crucial.
Written by
Ecenaz Batur
Marketing Specialist
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