The growth of the gaming 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%.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon