Localizers admit to proactively censoring games for western audiences

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Localizers admit to proactively censoring games for western audiences

Localizers inside the gaming industry have admitted to proactively censoring games for western release. A recent article from The Japan Times covered the role of localization when it comes to bringing…
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Localizers inside the gaming industry have admitted to proactively censoring games for western release.

A recent article from The Japan Times covered the role of localization when it comes to bringing Japanese media to English-speaking audiences, and a handful of statements in particular stood out.

One statement from Franck Genty, the senior localization manager at Bandai Namco attributes some of the changes to the #MeToo movement and that they need to tell "Japanese game developers dress their heroines".

"We tell them that the cleavage is a bit too exposed, or the skirt is a bit too short… Before, they weren't very flexible, but they've become more proactive on such subjects."
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Fans have been concerned about how activist localizers could encourage censorship in games being brought westward, but rarely have they spoken so brazenly about it. It's a problem that came to mind when Sony Computer Entertainment restructured as Sony Interactive Entertainment and moved from Japan to California.

These proactive changes encouraged by their western counterpart has led to Japanese developers anticipating the desires of localizers. Masayoshi Yokoyama, the executive producer of the Like a Dragon (Yakuza) series explained how they now seek out the opinions of localizers when developing the game.

"Many representations which were normal in Japan in the first Like a Dragon games are no longer acceptable today… We ask our teams in the United States and Europe to read the game's script, and they tell us if they see things that wouldn't be acceptable in their country.
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While the problem of censorship in gaming localization has long been known, it's still smoldering compared to the recent flashpoint in manga and anime. Recently localizers have had to justify their position after The Ancient Magus Bride began to simultaneously publish in Japanese and English thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Even voice actors that have embedded themselves in the industry have reason for concern as fans can now re-dub anime with AI using more accurate translations.

However for gaming, it's modders instead of AI at the forefront, restoring cut content.
 
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Kreese said:
These proactive changes encouraged by their western counterpart has led to Japanese developers anticipating the desires of localizers. Masayoshi Yokoyama, the executive producer of the Like a Dragon (Yakuza) series explained how they now seek out the opinions of localizers when developing the game.
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5 years from now :unsure:

 
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What scares me the most about this article is Yokoyama saying they get feedback from the woke translators. Last time i saw the people in charge of the localization of RGG are resetera users. If Japan is listening those people we are FUCKED. The only thing left for us are small indie games and retro gaming.
 
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SEGA_2012 said:
What scares me the most about this article is Yokoyama saying they get feedback from the woke translators. Last time i saw the people in charge of the localization of RGG are resetera users. If Japan is listening those people we are FUCKED. The only thing left for us are small indie games and retro gaming.
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"I know your game is set during the Viking Age but ideally, I'd like to make it about me and my girldick " :unsure:
 
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People are cheering AI translations, cause these people will be out of a job, but they're still gonna need woke proofreading and will just hire one or two as woke cultural advisers.

Only way to stop it is to not buy anything that has woke culture injected into it arbitrarily, especially of the Japanese version didn't have those changes
 
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I know in Yakuza 3's ports to modern systems, they got rid of the trans bartender chase bit that was in the original versions on PS3. Not a huge deal, but on the other hand it is, as content is being altered from its original intent. Never a fan of that.

Of course, Y4 also had a character completely changed in its port from PS3 because of accusations of his drug use. Judgment as well, had one character recast as he was caught with illegal drugs which is a huge no no in Japan.

Those aren't the same as some super left-wing SJW fucks who think their views are the only ones that matter, though...

It sucks in any event. Just keep all content as the original creators intended. Don't insert shit that doesn't apply.
 
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This will be the reason I'll quit gaming eventually. These asshole localizers force Japanese developers to change their games to begin with so there's only one version and Japanese gamers will have o suck it up.

Switch 2 will be my last dedicated console. Afterwards, it's gonna be VR and porn-mods until the day I die.

GreyHorace said:
So what exactly is a localizer's job?
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Being assholes who feel like god as they have the power to ruin games for those who care.
 
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Dacon said:
Adapting a story to be more appropriate to western audiences. It used to be that was only changing phrases and ideas that didn't neatly translate due to cultural differences, now it's removing anything "offensive".
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See, I don't exactly agree with that. Back in the 90s I always disliked it when they changed the script of certain anime to appeal to western norms. I much prefer it when they keep the Japanese only cultural in jokes and provide us gaijin weebs with context (Animeigo was very good at this practice).

Anime at the end of the day is a Japanese visual medium. I much prefer it keep it's local flavor and not force any of this globohomo shite on it.
 
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Is it possible to get a list of all the localised companies and staff. Tried and build a who is who in the game. Score them based on whether they censor or not? I know there is that 8-4 productions. They did nier automata. I'm not sure if they did any censoring or not. I wouldn't be surprised. It would be nice to know if a game is localised by a certain company which would let me know to not buy it.
 
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GreyHorace said:
See, I don't exactly agree with that. Back in the 90s I always disliked it when they changed the script of certain anime to appeal to western norms. I much prefer it when they keep the Japanese only cultural in jokes and provide us gaijin weebs with context (Animeigo was very good at this practice).

Anime at the end of the day is a Japanese visual medium. I much prefer it keep it's local flavor and not force any of this globohomo shite on it.
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Well, it was mostly shit like in 80s, people didnt know what ramen was, so they'd translate it to noodles.

Now everyone knows what ramen is.
 
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I worked as a gaming translator in Brazil 12 years ago and I got pissed that localizers above me changed a lot of the stuff I did. Bad words were always changed for more tame stuff. It wasn't evem the full-on woke era but it already was retarded. Can't even imagine how it is now.
 
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Hopefully we have a way to push it back somehow. I think that the Japan Times piece will do more harm than good to these idiots by shining light on this. Also, shame on Sega for reposting and endorsing this shit.
 
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Everybody thinks they know what's best, lol. The world and its struggles in a nutshell.

Nobody seems to think, "I've got my own take on life, but in reality, I know it's just *a* perspective."

Instead most everyone seems to think, "I know what's best, and I'm going to inflict my perspective upon EVERYONE!!!"

everyone-gary-oldman.gif


The world is *sick* with ego.
 
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Dacon said:
Adapting a story to be more appropriate to western audiences. It used to be that was only changing phrases and ideas that didn't neatly translate due to cultural differences, now it's removing anything "offensive".
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No, that's not part of the job or at least shouldn't be. This is what caused Nigiri sushi to be called donats in the Pokemon-anime. It's what brought shitty name changes. And ultimately it leads to censorship, too.

Here's the thing: people buy japanese games because they like japanese games. If someone doesn't know what "nigiri sushi" or "chan" means, he can look it up and, wow, LEARN something about a different culture. The latter is where modern localization (or as I call it: culturalization) turns into fascism. Erase other cultures, because you think so little of your Western audience.
 
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We tell them that the cleavage is a bit too exposed, or the skirt is a bit too short
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I don't like where this is going. I think gamers should have the choice of how to dress their character. I'm sorry, I don't want to offend anyone, but in the past the characters were more likable and it was easier for us to associate ourselves with them. And now it feels like the uglier the main character is, the more publishers will please the social justice warriors.
 
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AJUMP23 said:
I wish I could have gotten the Saudi version of Spidey 2.
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Wouldn't it be nice if they just gave us the option?

Adjust your Brightness Level.....
Select your Audio Language....
Subtitles on or off.....
Select your Gameplay Difficulty......
Select your version -
Political Correctness
or
Extremely Far Right Wing White Supremist KKK Nazi Racists Bigot....
 
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Erdrick said:
What is being said here?
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Hikaru kumo tsukinuke fly away (fly away)
Karada-juu ni hirogaru panorama
Kao wo kerareta chikyuu ga okotte (okotte)
Kazan wo bakuhatsu saseru
Toketa koori no naka ni
Kyouryuu ga itara tamanori shikomitai ne
Cha-la head cha-la
Nani ga okite mo kibun wa heno-heno kappa
Cha-la head cha-la
Mune ga pachi-pachi suru hodo
Sawagu genki-dama --sparking!
 
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Thankfully, we'll soon be able to skip western releases altogether in favor of AI-translated Japanese games. If western game sales begin to tank in favor of AI-translations, we'll likely see these woke activist localizers chunked.
 
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Yawnson said:


Localizers transed a man into a woman for the English dub, either making them a lesbian, gay, or some shit. Either way, they want to lgbt up the dub.
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So sick of the woke bullshit.

If anyone paying any attention has noticed, all games have pretty much turned to shit since these people got involved.

No longer do we have people making games to make good games that are fun and people want to play. Now it s all focused on the leftoid genderqueer dumbasses. Nothing even comes close to what it was 10 years ago.
 
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