This frequency of English localization issues is unacceptable

[Kaliesto]

Didn't some localizer/translator on a certain site with the number 4 expose the Localization side of the Video Game industry few years ago claiming they were hiring people that couldn't give give 2 cents about the audience amongst other things? Seems like the English side of Localization has gone down hill in quality because of corruption and laziness.

Though to be for real its been kind of like this since the 1990s sadly.

If you wanted good localization and translation is often from people with free time and passion which has slowly been becoming the norm since I believe going back as the early 2000s, Falcom one of the Video Game Companies in Japan in particular has acknowledged those particular individuals.

I think Sega to some extent as well.

Kind of sad you have to rely on fans to get anything good at this point.

To Localizers/Translators reading this I'm not saying everyone of you all are like this of course in the industry, but some of your colleagues been giving a bad name to the Job title mainly in the mainstream. I think I can see why some have become somewhat distrusting of them because of past incident with other games besides FFXIV here. I don't know why its mainly the English Localization having these issues, but the Gaming Industry should try to do better.

[Rulakir]

(French) "I must admit however she has quite the matchmaking skills. A human being would have never been able to set foot here with our methods."
(English) "Still, you must be commended. Our methods would not have brought mankind this far."

(French) "So be it. As an eulogy to Venat, and last gift to original mankind, I could afford to make a preamble!"
(English) "And so, as a show of respect to the last of us, I make this declaration."

Ultima Thule is such a mess. I still don't know what "matchmaking" is supposed to mean, though that seems to be consistent throughout every language except EN. (I have theories, but this isn't the thread for it.) The context between "a human being" and "mankind" I consider important.

The second part is so bizarre. Considering Emet looks directly at the WoL when he says "as a show of respect to the last of us", knowing that Venat is dead-dead, I would naturally take that to mean he was talking about us. Instead, it's mainly in reference to 'authentic mankind'.

The "whatever reason" here being so I don't have to refer to the French version to pick up on stuff that has been dropped in the EN version, or to resort to it where the vague phrasing used in the EN version introduces ambiguities.

This. Not only is there a lot of missing context I consider important, but several instances where dialog isn't even remotely the same. Like they just plugged the JP into Google translate and tried to make sense of it.

It wasn't as noticeable in ShB, but EW had a lot going on with inconsistencies and contradictions. I consider it important to know if that's due to the storytelling or poor translation.

IE, I've seen many who did not draw the connection that the WoL is Azem's reincarnation until 5.3, and that small difference of Emet Selch saying "It can't be..." vs. "You? It can't be..." is enough to get mental gears turning that might not have otherwise. It also makes it much more apparent that up until that moment he didn't actually realize precisely who we were, and I've likewise seen people chiding him for being extra terrible for behaving the way he did in the aftermath of the Innocence fight with the mistaken impression he already knew our soul's original identity but just didn't care anymore.

My first impressions of 5.0 were that the WoL was just another Ancient, no one special. I saw nothing throughout the EN version to suggest otherwise despite reading the contrary online. Then I played through 5.3 and wondered why there wasn't much more emphasis on Emet recognizing who we were and his fond feelings for our original incarnation. I read an interview where Yoshi-P said it was difficult to depict what Emet was thinking and feeling (I don't know why), so I thought that was the problem. However, seeing the discrepancies in EW between EN and other languages I now wonder what I may have missed that was elaborated upon or explained better in other languages.

Maybe this isn't important to some people, but it is to me. Missing context or rewritten dialog leads to misunderstandings and confusion, which has a direct effect on the enjoyment of the story.

[Aluja89]

Assuming this is a valid excuse for anything, why is the EN localization the only one suffering from it?

Because it's the only one that changed hands and it's showing.

[Lihtleita]

Because it's the only one that changed hands and it's showing.

the localisation has always been like this, pinning it on one person is dumb.

moenbrydas minion, naels gender, zhloe, boss names, little sun... need i go on?


the french localisation has its own quirks, in eden mitron is referred to with feminine pronouns. no translation is perfect.

[Aluja89]

the localisation has always been like this, pinning it on one person is dumb.

moenbrydas minion, naels gender, zhloe, boss names, little sun... need i go on?

Those are tiny issues compared to TCs examples.

[Lihtleita]

Those are tiny issues compared to TCs examples.

the first two literally change the lore of the game. the initial explaination for Nael being a woman was that *his* body assumed the form of someone close to him. We didnt get the JP explanation until later on.

[Necrotica]

At this point calling someone a localizer is the worst insult you could ever come up with.

Scum of the earth.

[Lihtleita]

At this point calling someone a localizer is the worst insult you could ever come up with.

Scum of the earth.

who hurt you

[Theodric]

the first two literally change the lore of the game. the initial explaination for Nael being a woman was that *his* body assumed the form of someone close to him. We didnt get the JP explanation until later on.

The issues outlined in the OP also change the lore of the game. There's not exactly a shortage of players who have been misled to believe that Zodiark was nothing more than a greedy blood god who preyed upon the Ancients. Those of us who fit the pieces together know that simply wasn't true, yet the English localisation has repeatedly downplayed his role as a saviour figure to the Ancients by using deceptive language that simply isn't present in the other languages. Or, worse yet, acts that should be credited to Zodiark are instead framed as Venat's doing instead. To say nothing of the brutality of the genocide tied to the Sundering being hidden behind soft, fluffy language.

Which is a problem. Just as it would be a problem if Estinien's possession by Nidhogg was randomly attributed to Aymeric instead.

[Lihtleita]

The issues outlined in the OP also change the lore of the game. There's not exactly a shortage of players who have been misled to believe that Zodiark was nothing more than a greedy blood god who preyed upon the Ancients. Those of us who fit the pieces together know that simply wasn't true, yet the English localisation has repeatedly downplayed his role as a saviour figure to the Ancients by using deceptive language that simply isn't present in the other languages. Or, worse yet, acts that should be credited to Zodiark are instead framed as Venat's doing instead. To say nothing of the brutality of the genocide tied to the Sundering being hidden behind soft, fluffy language.

Which is a problem. Just as it would be a problem if Estinien's possession by Nidhogg was randomly attributed to Aymeric instead.

dont get me wrong its a problem. its just not a recent problem. changing the head of the localisation team isn't the root cause.