What Languages Are Video Games Released In? A Tiered Breakdown

Localization scope varies by budget, target markets, and genre. No universal list exists, but consistent tiers emerge:

Tier 1: "EFIGS" + CJK (Nearly All AAA / Major Indie)

• English (US/UK variants)
• French (France/Canada)
• Italian
• German
• Spanish (Spain / Latin America — often separate SKUs)
• Japanese
• Korean
• Chinese: Simplified (Mainland), Traditional (Taiwan/HK)

Tier 2: Major European / Emerging Markets (Common in AA / Large Indie)

• Portuguese (Brazil / Portugal)
• Russian
• Polish
• Dutch
• Turkish
• Arabic
• Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish (Nordics — often English accepted)

Tier 3: Regional / Niche (Select Titles)

• Hebrew, Czech, Hungarian, Greek, Romanian, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, Ukrainian.
• Dialects: Mexican Spanish vs. Castilian, Brazilian vs. European Portuguese, Quebec French.

Decision Factors

• ROI: Localization cost (~$0.10–0.20/word + QA) vs. projected sales in region.
• Genre: Text-heavy (RPG, VN, Strategy) → more languages. Action/Arcade → fewer.
• Platform Requirements: Sony/MS/Nintendo/Steam have minimum language checklists for storefront visibility.
• Community Translations: Steam Workshop, Crowdin, Weblate enable fan patches (e.g., Stardew Valley has 20+ fan languages).

Check a specific game's store page (Steam, eShop, PS Store) → "Languages" section for its exact support.