How Not to Translate Games into Russian: An Analysis of the Localisation of the Game Książę i Tchórz from Polish into Russian

This study examines translation errors in the linguistic localisation of video games, using the Polish point-and-click adventure Książę i Tchórz (Metropolis, 1998) and its 1999 Russian version, produced by an amateur Russian localisation group, as a case study. The author begins by distinguishing game localisation, understood as a broader process encompassing cultural, technical and linguistic adaptation, from the narrower task of translating a game's textual elements, and argues that game localisation constitutes a distinct translation genre combining audiovisual, software and transcreative practices. A classification of translation errors is then proposed, drawing on several established typologies, and distinguishing linguistic, translational, and technical categories such as typographical mistakes, subtitle-to-voice mismatches and inappropriate font choices.

Applying this framework, the analysis finds that the Russian version contains numerous errors, including misreadings that alter meaning, mislabelled objects and characters, the loss of humorous elements through abbreviation and omission, and voice acting that fails to convey character personality or match the dialogue's speakers. The Russian version was built on the German rather than the Polish text, a strategy the author identifies as flawed given that the Polish version was the primary creation. The study also notes some deliberate transcreative additions that enhance playability. The author concludes that such quality levels are no longer typical of Russian game localisation, which is now handled by professional agencies, and that the classification of errors may serve as a practical resource for novice translators.