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[Virex]

Scott Strichart, senior localization producer at Sega of America had an interview with Polygon where the localizer admits to changing a scene in Judgment to educate the Western audience, mainly males, on catcalling politics, because this video really moved him and he wanted to do something about it lol




The interview:

Judgment localizers want catcalling scene to feel ‘gross’ for players…

archived 11 Jul 2019 06:26:08 UTC

archive.li

Oneangrygamer made a detailed article about this where he compared the altered and un-altered version of the scenario

One Angry Gamer - Delivering Gaming News Without Remorse

Delivering Gaming News Without Remorse

www.oneangrygamer.net

As a Yakuza games fan i'm glad that i didn't buy this game, the last thing i need is a nobody localizer to educate me about western politics especially since i'm not even western or live in the west.

Same here. Well technically I'm a westerner by blood and skin colour. But I wasn't born in the west or grew up in the west or live in the west. Tired of all these little fucking liberal cunts ruining everything.

 

[Dr. Claus]

Same here. Well technically I'm a westerner by blood and skin colour. But I wasn't born in the west or grew up in the west or live in the west. Tired of all these little fucking liberal cunts ruining everything.

They are as liberal as the alt-right is conservative. These people are extremists and should not be compared to the general left/liberal base.

 

[Housh]

Localization ≠ Translation

 

[Trojita]

Would telling a woman to smile even be a thing in public in Japan?

 

[decisions]

This game has two scripts, one for the ENG dub and one for the JPN dub. What is the line for JPN dub?

If they at least translated that faithfully then I would feel less bad about this.

 

[Dr. Claus]

Localization ≠ Translation

Judgement has two different translations. One that is more true to what is being spoken in the japanese subbed version and then one that is what the english VA speak. Interesting how much better the game is via the more direct translation of the japanese than the shitty localized version.

 

[Shouta]

The localizations for Yakuza have been like this for awhile and by this I mean they tend to be a bit more liberal with the translation with the focus on getting the intent of the scene across more clearly. It's caused a slight bit of dissonance for me in the past but I can generally see what they're doing there. From the way the scene is described, as I haven't played the game myself yet, the intent seems a bit similar with it. It wouldn't surprise me if that was the original intent in Japanese too because Kiryu was written to be pretty progressive.

 

[Shmunter]

Ahahah oh my god. I need to watch this show.

Whenever the kids watch it, I stop what I’m doing and join. So witty it has something for everyone.

 

[Fuz]

Localization ≠ Translation

Water ≠ Dry

Whenever the kids watch it, I stop what I’m doing and join. So witty it has something for everyone.

I need children.

 

[wipeout364]

I just watched the video, what’s crazy to me is it took them 10 hours of video to find less 90 seconds of that behavior in New York. What’s worse to me is A lot of the people who she highlighted looked pretty disadvantaged and poor so I am not exactly sure what her point is; poor people are toxic? Seems pretty harsh going after that demographic.

 

[Pimpbaa]

If you stick with Japanase voice acting with english subs you are fine right? I would never pick english voice acting in a yakuza (or it's spinoffs) game, although I can't remember the last time I was even given the option for english dubs.

 

[llien]

Why Living In Amsterdam Is Killing The Woman In Me

Expat blogger Andra Stefan who has lived in the Netherlands for seven years talks about how living in Amsterdam is killing the woman in her

amsterdamshallowman.com

 

[lock2k]

As someone who has worked with localization I feel utterly disgusted with an attitude like this.

Source material was king to me and I tried to be as faithful as possible to it.

I remember being pissed off because a client censored the way I translated a word and changed it to something safer and way dumber (in a very well known mature game).

 

[Domisto]

Sounds like grounds for getting fired. If I were a dev and someone changed my work because they felt like it, I'd never work with them again. Entitled much.

 

[zenspider]

I never catcalled in my life and I don't need a stupid game to "educate" me about that.


Guys. Guys. Guys.
Vote with your wallets.

Boo that. I think supporting Japanese AAA is more important. There's got to be a better way to show SEGA and Japanese companies that the people who are actually buying these games prefer a more direct translation of author intention.

Not buying and complaining is the SJW path. We can do better.

 

[Fuz]

There's got to be a better way to show SEGA and Japanese companies that the people who are actually buying these games prefer a more direct translation of author intention.

No, there's not.

Not buying and complaining is the SJW path.

Here's the thing: they don't buy regardless.

 

[zenspider]

Well thank god I have glorified video game translators to teach me such valuable lessons like “catcalling bad.” Since I get all my lessons about behaving in human society from Sega games.

Funny thing is, cat calling is not "bad". It's complex behavior.
According to evolutionary biologists, it likely has more to do with male bonding and in-group signalling than any legitimate sexual strategy.

 

[Fuz]

Funny thing is, cat calling is not "bad"

It is. It's unwanted attention. The evolutionary reasons behind it do not matter.

 

[dolabla]

Another SJW freak who thinks it's his authority to educate the public. I hope the original creators lay into his ass now that this is out.

 

[zeorhymer]

This just dawned on me. Now we have to scrutinize all the other stuff the guy localized. Is this the only time or are there other places where he interjected his views into the game?

 

[ExpandKong]

Funny thing is, cat calling is not "bad". It's complex behavior.
According to evolutionary biologists, it likely has more to do with male bonding and in-group signalling than any legitimate sexual strategy.

Well yeah but that would’ve taken me longer to write.

It is. It's unwanted attention. The evolutionary reasons behind it do not matter.

Why don’t you just reeeeeeelax.

 

[Blood Borne]

I’m not exaggerating when I say the left is coming for everything we love. No matter how trivial you think it might be, the left is coming for it.

Fuckin parasites

 

[Closer]

I bet people are gonna say the game flopped because of this localization producer.

 

[lock2k]

I bet people are gonna say the game flopped because of this localization producer.

No, but the producer is still an asshole.

 

[Closer]

No, but the producer is still an asshole.

I mean, he is the one in charge of something that was approved by his company.

 

[Jon Neu]

I mean, he is the one in charge of something that was approved by his company.

And how that prevents him from being an asshole?

 

[Closer]

And how that prevents him from being an asshole?

I doesn't. But it makes everyone outraged assholes too.

 

[Jon Neu]

I doesn't. But it makes everyone outraged assholes too.

LOL

Of course, reacting to someone virtue signalling makes you an asshole.

How could I forgot that.

 

[Closer]

Of course, reacting to someone virtue signalling makes you an asshole.

How could I forgot that.

People are reacting to him while dumping the game, not him alone.

 

[infinitys_7th]

I fear so damn much for the future of SMT

 

[Jon Neu]

People are reacting to him while dumping the game, not him alone.

I mean, he is the one in charge of something that was approved by his company.

 

[Closer]

I fear so damn much for the future of SMT

I don't like that, but I'm used to it. Played too many Tales of games ignoring the localization and enjoying the game for what it is.

I bet people are gonna say the game flopped because of this localization producer.

 

[ExpandKong]

I mean, he is the one in charge of something that was approved by his company.

He’s a senior producer, how many people do you think are above him looking over and approving what he does?

I’m not exaggerating when I say the left is coming for everything we love. No matter how trivial you think it might be, the left is coming for it.

Fuckin parasites

This is what they do, too:

I doesn't. But it makes everyone outraged assholes too.

They start with trivial things like this and then act all amazed that people are upset about it (see: the little mermaid thread here and the pages upon pages of “lol wow a bunch of GROWN MEN upset over a MAKE BELIEVE FISH CARTOON FOR BABIES”) and browbeat everyone into just shutting up and going along with it. Then next time they push it a little further, then a bit more.

 

[Gun Animal]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but realistically, the guys catcalling women on the street are not the same guys playing Yakuza games. One could assume the overlap is close to zero.

 

[Jon Neu]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but realistically, the guys catcalling women on the street are not the same guys playing Yakuza games. One could assume the overlap is close to zero.

Have you not heard?

All men are pigs.

 

[Closer]

He’s a senior producer, how many people do you think are above him looking over and approving what he does?

Doesn't matter how many if there are people above him.

 

[Zog]

Women complain about catcalling and it's a big deal and worth males being educated by the media (even the media they pay for directly). Men complain about false accuations that ruin lives and <crickets>.

This is not unusual, women complain and society is ready to change to please them. Men complain, 'Man up', 'Quit whining' or just silence.

 

[ExpandKong]

Doesn't matter how many if there are people above him.

Really? Do you really think so? How many people do you think are above the ladder for a Senior localization producer? How many of those people do you think are also fluent in Japanese? Do you think the people on a higher pay grade than a senior producer have nothing better to do than to pore over the work he’s already done and compare it to the original language?

 

[Closer]

Really? Do you really think so? How many people do you think are above the ladder for a Senior localization producer? How many of those people do you think are also fluent in Japanese? Do you think the people on a higher pay grade than a senior producer have nothing better to do than to pore over the work he’s already done and compare it to the original language?

I think it doesn't matter. People are being outraged because they want to be outraged. What happened with this game is not something new.

 

[Trojita]

Have you not heard?

All men are pigs.

 

[Jon Neu]

I think it doesn't matter. People are being outraged because they want to be outraged. What happened with this game is not something new.

This is what they do, too:

They start with trivial things like this and then act all amazed that people are upset about it (see: the little mermaid thread here and the pages upon pages of “lol wow a bunch of GROWN MEN upset over a MAKE BELIEVE FISH CARTOON FOR BABIES”) and browbeat everyone into just shutting up and going along with it. Then next time they push it a little further, then a bit more.

 

[Punished Miku]

I've seen translations get improved, like NieR, which has a whole different character. Or Dragon Ball Z, which has an entirely different rock soundtrack and much tougher voices. It is possible.

But changing things to get political is the lowest of the low, because then it's not even about artistic choice, but mostly about indoctrination. Supporting a niche product with your money and getting secret political "education" forced on you is not okay, and these localizers should realize that people have every right to stop supporting this with their hard earned money if they don't give a fuck about their customers.

 

[Closer]

I think it doesn't matter. People are being outraged because they want to be outraged. What happened with this game is not something new.

 

[Jon Neu]

I've seen translations get improved... Or Dragon Ball Z, which has an entirely different rock soundtrack and much tougher voices. It is possible.

What the hell?

 

[Jon Neu]

It happened before (allegedly) , so you have to shut up and move on or you are an asshole.

K man.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Please don't let this person/team near any Atlus stuff.

Actually, with the little Japanese I do know, I've noticed that the subs in Persona Q2 certainly aren't one to one translations, but it's usually to clarify, condense or expand where there isn't a clean exact translation, never to change the content.

 

[Aintitcool]

The devs in japan should be furious.

 

[Barakov]

Sounds like the Japanese dub is unchanged. So If I pick it up, I'll be playing it in Japanese.

 

[Mihos]

Thank God he is here to educate me. I orientate my moral compas strictly on video game background banter

 

[brap]

Stupid fucking cunts. Just fuck off and die already. Nobody likes you people or respects you.