In the bustling marketplace of Steam, ensuring your game stands out among thousands of others can be a daunting task. We all know that, getting noticed on the platform is essential for success, but how to ensure your game stands out? One often overlooked yet crucial aspect is localisation.
Effective localisation can enhance your game’s visibility on Steam, significantly improving your game’s sales potential. This guide will explore how localisation influences organic sales, paid promotions, and wishlists on Steam, helping you navigate this vibrant platform.
The Power of Localisation in the Steam Ecosystem
Steam, the largest digital distribution platform for PC gaming, boasts millions of active users and an extensive library of games, software and community features. For developers, getting discovered on Steam can be the difference between success and obscurity. Key factors influencing discoverability include game quality, marketing strategies, and crucially, localisation.
How many Steam players do you think don’t speak English as a first language? According to the latest Steam Business Update, 65% of Steam users have selected a non-English language as their primary language.
Not only that. Steam is growing, and it’s growing mostly in non-English speaking countries. The next graph shows the territories where it’s growing the most, and which should be first on any game developer’s list:
As you can see, Asia and Latin America are key areas of growth, as well as some European countries. Not catering for these users and failing to localise could hinder your game’s success on Steam in several ways:
1. Limited Market Reach
Without localisation, the game will primarily cater to English-speaking audiences. This limits its potential market reach, excluding non-English-speaking players from experiencing the game. Large gaming markets like China, Russia, Japan, and Latin America may not engage with the game, significantly reducing its overall sales potential.
2. Decreased Discoverability
Steam’s algorithms favour games with high engagement and positive reviews. A lack of localisation can lead to fewer downloads and lower engagement from non-English-speaking players, resulting in less visibility on the platform. This can make it harder for the game to appear in popular sections like “New and Trending” or “Top Sellers.”
3. Lower Sales and Revenue
Fewer players mean fewer sales. Localised games tend to perform better in various regions, boosting overall revenue. By not localising, you would miss out on potential income from international markets, which could be substantial depending on the game’s genre and appeal.
4. Poor User Experience
Players prefer games in their native language as it enhances their gaming experience. A non-localised game may lead to frustration and dissatisfaction among non-English-speaking players, resulting in negative reviews and lower ratings. This can further impact the game’s reputation and sales.
5. Missed Marketing Opportunities
Non-localised games may struggle with targeted marketing efforts. Regional promotions, influencer partnerships, and advertising campaigns become less effective or even impossible without localisation. This limits the game’s promotional reach and effectiveness in non-English-speaking regions.
6. Reduced Community Engagement
A lack of localisation can hinder community building around the game. Non-English-speaking players are less likely to create fan content, participate in discussions, or contribute to forums, which are crucial for a game’s long-term success and visibility on Steam.
7. Impact on Wishlists
Wishlists are a vital metric on Steam, influencing visibility and future sales during promotions. Non-localised games are less likely to be added to wishlists by non-English-speaking players, reducing the game’s chances of being featured in Steam’s major sales events and promotional campaigns.
But fear not, because we’re about to explain you how you can use localisation to boost your game’s visibility and sales.
Boosting Organic Sales with Localisation
Organic sales refer to purchases made without direct advertising. On Steam, these are driven by visibility in searches, user recommendations, and algorithmic features like the Steam Discovery Queue. This how localisation can help your game get found:
1. Enhanced Search Visibility
Localised games can appear in search results for multiple languages. When a game is available in several languages, it is indexed accordingly, increasing its chances of being found by users searching in those languages. For instance, a game localised in Spanish, French, and Chinese will appear in search results across these languages, significantly broadening its reach. High engagement in those languages will also improve its ranking.
2. Positive User Reviews
Localised content improves the user experience and as such can lead to better user reviews from non-English speaking players. Players appreciate games that cater to their native language, often reflected in positive reviews and ratings. High ratings can enhance your game’s visibility through Steam’s recommendation algorithms, further boosting organic sales.
3. Community Engagement
Localisation helps build a broader and stronger community around your game. Non-English speakers are more likely to participate in forums and discussions, share tips and create content if they can fully understand and engage with the game. Engaging with these communities in their native languages can foster a loyal fan base and increase word-of-mouth promotion.
Leveraging Paid Promotions
While organic reach is essential, paid promotions can give your game the initial boost it needs. Steam offers several paid advertising options, and localisation can play a pivotal role in maximising the effectiveness of these campaigns.
1. Targeted Advertising
Localised ads can be more appealing to regional audiences. By creating targeted ads in the local language and cultural context, you can significantly improve click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates. For example, an ad campaign in Japan should ideally be in Japanese to maximise its impact.
2. Regional Pricing and Discounts
Steam allows developers to set different prices for different regions. Combined with localised marketing campaigns, regional pricing can make your game more competitive in various markets. In addition, localised promotions during regional sales events (like Golden Week in Japan or Singles’ Day in China) can drive substantial traffic.
3. Influencer Partnerships
Collaborating with local influencers and streamers can amplify your reach. Influencers prefer to showcase games that their audience can understand and enjoy, so they’re more likely to pick a localised game in non-English speaking regions, driving both paid and organic traffic to your game’s Steam page.
Wishlists: Building Anticipation and Ensuring Long-Term Success
Wishlists are a vital component of Steam’s ecosystem. When a user adds a game to their wishlist, they receive notifications about updates, discounts, and releases, making it a crucial tool for driving future sales.
1. Localised Store Page
Even before your game launches, a well-localised store page can significantly impact wishlist additions. Ensure that all elements of your store page – including descriptions, screenshots, trailers, and user interface – are localised. This attracts non-English speaking users, builds anticipation and ensures a strong launch. Also, Steam’s algorithm also favours games with a high number of wishlists, often featuring them more prominently on the platform.
2. Localised Announcements and Updates
Keep your audience engaged with localised updates and announcements. When users see that updates and new content are communicated in their native language, it reinforces their interest and increases the likelihood of them adding the game to their wishlist.
3. Localised Demo Versions
Offering a localised demo can entice more users to try your game and add it to their wishlist. A demo provides a risk-free way for players to experience your game, and a well-localised demo ensures that language barriers do not hinder their enjoyment.
4. Seasonal Sales and Events
Games that have a large number of wishlists are often featured in Steam’s seasonal sales and events. Localisation increases the chances of your game being wish-listed by players from various regions, thus enhancing its visibility during these crucial sales periods.
Best Practices for Effective Localisation
To maximise the benefits of localisation on Steam, follow these best practices:
1. Professional Localisation Services
Invest in professional game localisation services. Professional translators who love and breathe games understand cultural nuances and can adapt your game’s content to feel natural and engaging to local players. Do not cut corners here or it WILL be obvious.
2. Localised Marketing Materials
Ensure all your marketing materials, including trailers, screenshots, and promotional texts, are localised. This creates a cohesive and immersive experience for players from the first point of contact.
3. Localise Your Steam Page
Your Steam store page is often the first interaction potential players have with your game. Make sure it’s fully localised to attract and inform international players effectively. Include localised tags, descriptions, and user reviews to enhance credibility and appeal.
4. Engage with Local Communities
Actively participate in discussions on local gaming forums and social media platforms. Engaging with local communities helps build a loyal player base and provides valuable feedback for further localisation improvements.
5. Monitor and Iterate
Use Steam’s analytics to monitor how different localised versions of your game are performing. Pay attention to user feedback from various regions and iterate on your localisation efforts to continually improve player satisfaction and engagement.
Conclusion
Localisation is a powerful tool for enhancing your game’s visibility and sales on Steam. By making your game accessible to a global audience, you can increase organic sales, improve the effectiveness of paid promotions, and boost wishlist additions. With careful planning and execution, localisation can transform your game’s success on Steam, helping you reach new heights in the global gaming market.
