US Video Game Industry: How to Localize your Game Properly

Key takeaways:

• The US video game industry grew by 6% from 2020 to 2021.
• The most popular console operating system in the US in 2021 was Microsoft’s Xbox.
• The US is home to widely popular games and a big target market of international game developers.
• Localizing your game is a significant factor in your success as a game developer.
• The growth of the gaming industry across the globe lies in excellent video game localization services.
• Translation and localization of games work best when handled by professionals.

Table of contents

• US Mobile and Video Game Industry
• Tips to Localize your Game Properly
• CCCI – Professional Game Localization Services

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) reported a total of 226.6 million video game players in the US of all ages in 2021. What do the numbers mean? The US video game industry is one of the biggest across the globe!

There is a wide range of factors to the continuous growth of the mobile games industry and the gaming console market. It is high time for game developers like you to optimize this constant rise in the numbers of gamers in the different regions worldwide.

Let us explore the world of gaming in the US, other giant gaming industries and how investing in video game localization services is the best way to get into game development.

Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Apple, Electronic Arts, and Zynga. We all know these names, and yes, they are five of the top 12 online gaming companies worldwide. What do they all have in common? They are all from the United States! The country has always been a contributor to the gaming world. And apart from the popular games, the US also has millions of gamers that the game developers from other countries target.

In 2019, the US video game industry had 164 million players, and the numbers swelled by 30% in 2020. The following year, ESA’s annual report showed that 55% of US video gamers had played more because of the pandemic. When people had no choice but to stay indoors to stay safe, they had more time to play games. So what happens if the pandemic is over? Well, 90% of the audience said they are likely to continue playing even after social distancing is no longer a thing. That is good news for game creators, both from the US and other regions.

The retail gaming revenue in the US reached 7.55 billion USD in December 2021. Online gaming companies in the USA have already succeeded in reaching local and international audiences. In fact, the top 20 best-selling games in the country in 2021 include Activision Blizzard’s “Call of Duty: Vanguard” and “Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War.” Of course, we cannot miss Electronic Arts’ “Madden NFL 22” and “Battlefield 2042.” What else made it to the market? Nintendo’s “Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl” and “Mario Kart 8.” The country is undeniably home to excellent games and a potential market of international game developers!

Note: Nintendo is a Japanese multinational video game company. It ranked fifth in the media and entertainment industry in 2021.

When we say there are a lot of gamers in the US, we also mean that the country has a big console game market share. Some of the best-selling video game consoles in the country are the Sony PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One S, and Nintendo Switch. Microsoft’s Xbox was the most popular console operating system in the US in 2021, having a market share of around 53%. It was closely followed by PlayStation, with about 47% of the market share.

Interestingly, the retro gaming market is also booming. In 2021, a copy of the Nintendo 64 classic “Super Mario 64” released in 1996 sold for $1.56 million through Heritage Auctions. Thanks to market speculators, the game’s value spiked 20 times its previous sales price. Why do they invest in game collectibles? Simply because of the nostalgia. These players remember playing video games in their childhood.

We get it; playing video games is a big thing in the US. Games by US companies have entered international markets, and games by global companies have succeeded in the country. How did this endless cycle happen? Believe it or not, it is all thanks to video game translation companies.

The video game industry has a very long history. When you understand how video game localization services have greatly influenced the industry’s growth, you will also realize how it is a vital aspect of a game’s international success. Let us start by knowing the most in-demand languages for game translation.

1. English – USA, UK