Brazilians ask for game translation and boost dubbing market

The growth of the games market in Brazil has driven the demand for adapting games to Portuguese. The movement brought to the country companies specialized in the so-called localization of games: the translation of game screens and manuals, the insertion of subtitles, the dubbing of voices and, in some cases, the adaptation so that the game fits the culture of the country. target.

Brazilian Portuguese was the fourth most sought after language by game developers in 2020 for the localization process, according to Localize Direct, a multinational in the sector. The Brazilian market attracted 8.5% of demand, behind the German (11.8%), French (11.1%) and Spanish (8.6%).

Launching a game in multiple languages ​​or contracting for a language adaptation boosts sales in new markets, and Latin America is an expanding frontier.

The continent represents only 4% of the world market, which turns around R$ 1 trillion a year, but grows above the global average, according to the consultancy Newzoo.

The games market grew 10% in Latin America in the year to April 2022, a movement of around R$44 billion. It is almost double the global growth average, which in the same period was 5.4%.

Until the beginning of the last decade, however, the cost of making games more attractive to speakers of another language did not outweigh the benefits. According to sound engineer Rubens Scharlack, 48, eight of whom at the localization company Keywords Brasil, one of the reasons was widespread piracy.

Anti-piracy barriers boost game localization

The arrival of the PlayStation 4 (Sony) and Xbox One (Microsoft), starting in 2013, reversed this scenario. Modern consoles exploit online games more, and the need for frequent updates by the user practically makes piracy impossible, says Scharlack.

The distribution of games has become more profitable and this has fueled the interest in the localization service and the search for professionals in the area.

This is the case of Agência Nasamune, a company from São Paulo that began providing communication services in the gamer universe and gradually took on localization work. Masamune is currently working on localizing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game.

The team involved in the process analyzed drawings and films from the franchise that have already been dubbed, so that the adaptation of the game is closer to the expectations of Brazilian fans, says the director of the agency, Renato Almeida, 38.

The more complex the game, the more expensive the location. Games with long scripts and many characters require high investments in dubbing. The service is primarily budgeted based on the number of sound files that need to be adapted for other languages.

This is the main reason why GTA V (Grand Theft Auto V), one of the most popular games in the world, only receives subtitles in other languages ​​— the original version is in English. Dubbing all dialogue would be a no-return investment for the developer (Rockstar), says Scharlack.

In Brazil, it is common to find players who organize themselves to ask for the adaptation of games to Brazilian Portuguese. In January, fans of The Legend of Zelda franchise pressured Nintendo for the next release (Breath of the Wild, scheduled for 2023) to be localized to Brazilian Portuguese. The subject was among the most commented on Twitter.

“Localization is an accessibility service, it is not just another extra in the game. We are aware of the deficiency of our educational market in foreign languages”, says Almeida.

Brazilian was once Khamala Khan and Nami; dubbing earns about R$ 4,000

With increasing demand for localization, the opportunity grows for voice actors like Michelle Giudice, 27. In games, she voiced Khamala Khan (Marvel’s Avengers) and Nami (League of Legends), among others. On TV, Giudice gave Brazilian voice to characters like Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones), Anne (Anne with E) and Serena (Pokemon).

The artist says that the dubbing of a game protagonist needs up to 12 hours in the studio, which earns around R$4,000 for the professional in São Paulo – double what is paid for conventional dubbing.

Demand for localization is growing, but it’s still difficult to get more than one game dub per month, she says.

As a rule, voice actors are self-employed who are paid for the service provided, with no employment relationship with the studios.

According to Giudice, working with games is more difficult, because references are scarce. The translation must respect characteristics of the original audio, such as voice intensity and pause points. But often all the voice actor has is a short sound file, just a few seconds long, with no supporting images.

“I usually say that the localization of games is also a game for the actor inside the booth. The director gives you the rule of the file and, according to it, you have to get it right”, says Giudice. “Depending on the game, we can do 400 to 1,000 words an hour. And the less time you do, the better it is for the business.”