• To improve security, we will soon start forcing password resets for any account that uses a weak password on the next login. If you have a weak password or a defunct email, please update it now to prevent future disruption.

[Question] Hentai games don't get translated

Botulinus

New Member
Aug 21, 2019
4
0
This question has been asked before. The problem is that hentai games don't get translated to English.
1. Japanese developers don't know English.
2. Developers (dev) don't want the Western world(ww) to influence Otaku culture.
3. Small devs don't have the means.

To 1. They don't need to. There are literal companies which work with the purpose of translating games to other languages. Only limitation is point 3, meaning if a dev does not have the money to use that service.
to 2. It's more like the other way around. I don't really know how Otakus should be influenced by the ww? Since the only features the ww lacks in hentai games are English subtitles and uncensored games. It's more that they are influencing us still. Look at China and Korea bringing out mangas/manhwas more regularly (Solo Leveling).
to 3. Understandable

-> Look at games like MonsterGirlQuest. Devs like Illusion, Kiss, AliceSoft, Real and others. Their games are more or less widely known and popular all over the world. To an extent that fans made it their work to translate the games (bless them). For me that all leads to one conclusion. Japan is still living in its fax machine mentality (We always did it this way) + seclusion (We don't want to get involved with the rest of the world).
This is of course only my own personal opinion. I would very much like to hear your guys' opinions on this.
 

moskis22

Member
Nov 26, 2020
439
365
4. Japanese games sell a lot more in japan than outside, so they don't feel the need of translating them
 

Botulinus

New Member
Aug 21, 2019
4
0
4. Japanese games sell a lot more in japan than outside, so they don't feel the need of translating them
Post-hoc fallacy: Japanese games sell a lot more in Japan than outside, because they don't feel the need of translating them. Japanese isn't the easiest language to learn. And you wouldn't play games where you cannot understand a single word. Maybe more people would play their games, if they were to translate them.
 

moskis22

Member
Nov 26, 2020
439
365
Post-hoc fallacy: Japanese games sell a lot more in Japan than outside, because they don't feel the need of translating them. Japanese isn't the easiest language to learn. And you wouldn't play games where you cannot understand a single word. Maybe more people would play their games, if they were to translate them.
English is not my first language, so maybe i said it wrong
I'm talking about already translated games, you can see on dlsite that japanese versions have like 10 times english one of the same game
 
  • Like
Reactions: F4C430

Botulinus

New Member
Aug 21, 2019
4
0
English is not my first language, so maybe i said it wrong
I'm talking about already translated games, you can see on dlsite that japanese versions have like 10 times english one of the same game
No worries, I am no native speaker neither. You are right, Japanese versions sell a lot more. Mostly because they appear first, and after quite some time they get a translation. This happened to Koikatsu, Custom Order Maid 3D, Imouto Life Monochrome. I knew all of those games long before they got officially translated thanks to fans who did the job first. Often times you have to rebuy the game again, instead of just the English translation on top of it. To make things worse, some of the ww-versions of the games don't get the same amount of content than the Jap ones do. Imagine if Nintendo or Sony Playstation were only translating 1% of their games to English and after half a year after the Jap version had released.
 

desmosome

Conversation Conqueror
Sep 5, 2018
6,037
13,950
DLsite is not really accessible to the western market. Only otakus and porn weebs visit it probably. The problem is that there is no established western site for selling porn games. There is steam which is a pain in the ass and won't allow the games unless they make a "safe for all ages" version. Itch.to is ok, but it's less well known and it's not a porn specific platform. Plus, the users there probably prefer the "free but pay what you want" transactions.

If there was a very well known porn steam, I guess it might be worth it for Japanese devs to spend money on proper translations.

The bigger Japanese studios already know how to target the global market. It is to transform their franchise into non-porn echii gacha games. That sucks donkey dick, but it all just comes down to money.