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You’ve built the mechanics, polished the assets, and squashed the bugs. Now, you’re looking at your distribution plan and realizing that over 50% of Steam and mobile gaming revenue comes from outside the English-speaking world. Launching in English alone is leaving money on the table, but the path to global expansion is paved with financial questions.

Budgeting for localization (loc) is rarely straightforward. It isn’t just about swapping words; it is an engineering and cultural challenge. In 2025, the market has shifted, with new pricing models and efficiency tools changing the landscape.

This guide breaks down the real costs of game localization, comparing pricing models and exposing the hidden factors that will dictate your final invoice.

The Core Pricing Models: Per Word vs. Per Project

The first line item on any quote will depend on how the agency or freelancer charges. Understanding the difference is crucial for your bottom line.

1. Per Word (The Industry Standard)

For 90% of RPGs, visual novels, and narrative-heavy titles, the "Per Word" model is king. It offers transparency: if your script has 100,000 words, you know exactly what the multiplication looks like.

• The 2025 Reality: Prices fluctuate heavily based on the language pair.

• Tier 1 (FIGS - French, Italian, German, Spanish): typically ranges $0.10 – $0.15 USD per source word.

• Tier 2 (CJK - Chinese, Japanese, Korean): often higher due to complexity and character-to-word conversion ratios, ranging $0.12 – $0.18 USD.

• Tier 3 (Nordic & Eastern European): Can be expensive due to a smaller pool of qualified game translators.

Pro Tip: Ask about "Weighted Word Counts." Professional agencies use Translation Memory (TM) tools. If your UI repeats the word "Cancel" 50 times, you should only pay full price for it once.

2. Per Project / Flat Fee

This model is increasingly common for mobile casual games, hyper-casual titles, or UI-only updates. If your game has fewer than 2,000 words, a per-word rate might not cover the project management overhead for the agency.

• When to use it: When you need "Minimum Viable Localization" (MVL) or marketing assets localized.

• The Risk: Scope creep. If you agree to a flat fee and then add 500 lines of dialogue, renegotiation can stall development.

The "Hidden" Variables That Inflate the Budget

If you only budget for text translation, you will run out of money. A robust localization strategy in 2025 includes three other major cost centers.

1. Audio and Voiceover (VO)

Dubbing is the most expensive component of localization. It requires studio rental, audio engineers, and voice talent.

• Cost Structure: Usually charged per minute of finished audio or per hour of studio time.

• 2025 Estimate: Professional game audio can range from $500 to $1,500 per finished hour per language. This does not include the cost of script adaptation for lip-syncing, which is a separate linguistic fee.

2. LQA (Linguistic Quality Assurance)

Translating the text is step one. Putting it back into the game to see if it fits the text box is step two. LQA testers play the game to spot text overflows, contextual errors (e.g., translating "Chest" as a body part rather than a box), and coding breaks.

• Cost Structure: Charged hourly.

• 2025 Estimate: $40 – $80 USD per hour, depending on the region of the tester.

3. Implementation and Engineering

Who extracts the strings from your code? Who reintegrates them? If your code isn't internationalization-ready (i.e., hard-coded strings), you will pay a premium for localization engineers to fix your spaghetti code before a translator ever sees it.

Strategic Budgeting: Where to Spend and Where to Save

To maximize your ROI, you need a tiered strategy. Not every language deserves the same budget allocation.

Caution on AI: While Generative AI is a buzzword in 2025, using raw AI output for narrative games is a reputation risk. Gamers are savvy; if your NPC sounds robotic or hallucinates context, players will review-bomb your game on Steam. Use AI for efficiency, not as a replacement for human nuance.

The Value of a Specialized Partner

Ultimately, the cost of localization is measured in more than just dollars; it is measured in management time. Working with twelve different freelancers across twelve time zones is a project management nightmare that takes you away from development.

For studios aiming for a seamless global launch, the goal is to find a partner who acts as an extension of your team—one with the infrastructure to handle the heavy lifting of not just text, but audio and technical implementation.

This is where Artlangs Translation distinguishes itself.

With years of dedicated experience in the industry, Artlangs has evolved beyond a traditional agency into a comprehensive localization hub. They don't just handle text; they manage the entire lifecycle of your game's cultural adaptation.

• Scale & Versatility: Mastering 230+ languages, Artlangs ensures that whether you are targeting the massive Chinese market or a niche European demographic, the voice is authentic.

• Beyond Text: Their expertise runs deep in video localization, short drama subtitling, and game localization. They understand that the timing of a subtitle is as important as the translation itself.

• Audio Excellence: If your game features spoken dialogue, Artlangs offers specialized multi-language dubbing for games and audiobooks, ensuring your characters sound native in every region.

• Tech-Forward: For developers leveraging AI, Artlangs provides multi-language data annotation and transcription, ensuring your datasets are accurate and culturally relevant.

In a market where quality defines success, partnering with Artlangs Translation means investing in a team with a portfolio of excellent use cases and rich experience. Don't just translate your game—localize it with a partner who understands the art of language.

Would you like me to help you draft a Request for Quote (RFQ) based on your game's specific word count and target languages to get a precise estimate?