Crossing borders: localization and paratext in Arabic mobile video games

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the intersection between mobile video game localization and paratext. More specifically, it investigates the potential factors that can impact and shape the entire gaming experience. To conduct the current study, the App Store descriptions for all the games listed in the App Store sub-category ‘Play in Arabic’ were analyzed (n = 23). A descriptive analysis was provided for each game’s app store description component, including the name of the game, events, what’s new, preview, rating and reviews, app privacy, and information. Moreover, the original English version of all these components was compared to the Arabic localized version. The findings revealed that not all components of the app store description are fully localized into Arabic. As far as paratext is concerned, the analysis demonstrated that gamers’ experience can be influenced and shaped by the surrounding description of the game and its localized versions.

Keywords:

• Mobile video game localization
• Arabic mobile video game localization
• app store
• paratext in mobile video game localization
• gamers’ experience

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Maria del Mar Sanchez Ramos, Modern Philology, University of Alcala de Henares: Universidad de Alcala de Henares, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain

Subjects:

• Language & Linguistics
• Translation & Interpretation
• Literature
• Interdisciplinary Literary Studies

1. Introduction

Video game localization is considered an emerging and novel area of research in general and in the realm of Arabic translation studies specifically. Needless to say, video games have attracted the attention of scholars in the field of translation studies due to the vast popularity that video games have in the world as a medium of entertainment and as ‘one of the most popular leisure options’ (Carme Mangiron, 2018, p. 1). Statista, a leading German platform specializing in offering reports and statistics, reported that the gaming revenue in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2022 is about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars and is expected to reach almost 2.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2026. These facts led gaming companies to invest in the Arabic market by localizing console and mobile video games as well. Of course, localizing video games into various languages including Arabic opened the door widely for scholars to examine various topics and issues including linguistic, cultural, and technical issues (Czech, 2013), localization levels (Al-Batineh & Alawneh, 2021), gamer’s preferences and reactions (Jooyaeian & Khoshsaligheh, 2022), transcreation and creativity (Bernal-Merino 2008, 2014), AVT and video game localization (Mangiron, 2013), the localization industry (Esselink, 2022), and teaching localization (Esqueda, 2020) among others.

To begin with, it is crucial to define localization as well as paratext before delving into the intersection between these two concepts. Several scholars have provided definitions for localization and one of these comprehensive definitions is provided by the Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) ‘Localization involves taking a product and making it linguistically, technically, and culturally appropriate to the target locale where it will be used and sold.”. As far as paratext is concerned, it can be defined as the surrounding materials that come with a certain text, whether they are spotted inside or outside the text. The notion of paratext was first coined and introduced by Gérard Genette (1979). Since then, scholars from various fields, including translation studies, have adopted and utilized this framework to analyze different types of texts. Gérard Genette suggests that paratextual elements can be used to frame a given work and also influence its meaning and understanding. In the context of translation studies, paratextual materials were used as a tool to explore various practices and phenomena of written texts, for example, to unveil hidden messages that were not explicitly articulated in texts. In this context, Tahir-Gürçağlar (2014) explains that paratextual materials “can be used to reveal translational phenomena that are either absent or only implicit in the translated text themselves” (p. 1).

Numerous studies have explored the localization of video games across various regions and specific languages. However, the issue of paratext in localized video games has not received sufficient attention within the boarder domain of translation studies, particularly within the context of Arabic translation studies. Moreover, according to Carme Mangiron (2017), ‘There is practically no literature on the localisation of games for mobile phones (except for Torres 2007 and Sánchez and Sánchez 2016)’. (p. 14). As a result, the current paper attempts to shed light on the localization of paratextual materials within Arabic-localized mobile video games.

When it comes to the intersection between paratext and video games, several scholars implemented the notion of paratext within the context of analyzing video games. For example, Consalvo, Mia (2017) explains that paratextual elements within the context of video games ‘could include YouTube Let’s Play videos, game reviews, and fan discussions of games that shape how we understand what a particular videogame might be like and how best to play it’ (p. 177). She adds that as paratextual elements play a role in framing a given work, they also play a role in shaping our experiences of gameplay regardless of the actual game itself. Chandler and Deming (2011) suggest that the elements that should be translated into video games include user interface, conversations, app store description, and ads. Here, the app store description can be seen as part of the paratextual elements of the video game. The gaming experience begins right with the intention to search, download, and run the game on any tablet or device. That is to say, the app store description consists a crucial element of the game that should be localized into the target language. The app store description plays a gatekeeping role for the game as the gaming experience begins right with the intention to search, download, and run the game on any tablet or device. The existing literature on Arabic video game localization largely ignores the intersection between mobile video games and paratext. Thus, the current study comes to fill in this gap in the literature and add to the existing literature on Arabic video game localization.

2. Literature review

Writing on the subject of video game localization can be considered a common practice in the Western academic context. Many scholars have addressed various topics related to video game localization, and a number of these researches tackled the intersection between video games and paratext. In the context of Arabic translation studies, there is a growing interest in writing about video game localization. However, little attention has been paid to investigating paratext in video game localization, let alone mobile video game localization. In this context, Daniel Dunne explains that ‘These sorts of video game paratexts are rarely mentioned or even recognized as such in games scholarship’ (2014, p. 20). Thus, it can be argued that this area of study is still underdeveloped and necessitates further scholarly research from various angles.

Only a few researchers in the Arab world have conducted studies on video game localization. For example, Mahasneh & Abu Kishek (2018) conducted a study to examine the adequacy of localizing several linguistic assets while localizing the video game Tomb Raider (2013). The analysis includes examples of both in-game texts and subtitles. The researchers found that localizing many user interfaces was carried out, in most cases, through literal translation. Regarding subtitles, they gave priority to the strategies used to translate specific elements such as metaphoric and idiomatic expressions and taboo languages. The researchers concluded that taboo language instances were handled with caution, particularly for religious and profanity-related taboos. In the same manner, and based on a corpus of 740 sets of dialogues, Al-Ajarmeh and Al-Adwan (2022) compared the Fiesta Online to the Arabic localized one Arafiesta to examine the localization of religious material and obscene instances. The results of the analysis show that these elements ‘were omitted, mitigated, or adapted to isolate the theme of Paganism from the original content’ (p. 61). Moreover, Al-Batineh criticizes the practice of scholars examining only single games or focusing on the linguistic aspects of the localization process, ignoring the cultural and technical aspects. Furthermore, he calls to ‘establish a body of literature’ (2021, p.45) on video game localization to improve both the entire gaming experience for gamers and, at the same time, improve the quality of Arabic localized video games. Consequently, Al-Batineh examined the linguistic, cultural, and technical issues of 33 games localized into Arabic. He concluded that localized games suffer not only from linguistics issues but also from cultural and technical problems such as Arabic script, subtitling conventions, profanity, and alcohol.

Al-Batineh and Alawneh (2021) investigate the practices followed by practitioners in the context of localizing video games into Arabic in addition to the reaction of Arab gamers toward officially localized games from 2005-2020. They concluded that practitioners employ practices other than the ones identified by scholars in the body of literature about video game localization. Moreover, their survey showcases that ‘the majority of Arab gamers prefer ‘partially localized’ games’ (1).

The handful of studies dedicated to examining Arabic video game localization, although moved from the idea of focusing on linguistic aspects to include cultural and technical assets, still ignore many other crucial aspects such as paratext. Here, it is crucial to mention that only a few studies tackled the issue of paratext in the context of video games. Taha Ibaid (2019) examines mainly the representation of Muslims as reflected in war video games by analyzing several paratextual elements (player comments, game reviews, and promotional material). Taha Ibaid concluded that stereotypical images of Muslims in popular movies and television shows are also expressed in the analyzed war video games. Esther Wright (2018) explains ‘while the paratext as a concept has already been applied to videogames (Jones, 2008; Consalvo, 2009, 2017; Newman, 2008), considerations of videogame promotion, in general, are only a comparatively recent development in games studies scholarship; existing on the fringes, if at all, rather than academics’ primary focus’. In the same manner, Šisler (2008), investigates how Arabs and Muslims are prototyped and how they represent themselves in European and American video games. Šisler concludes ‘that the mode of representation seems to depend to a great extent on the genre of the game’ (2008, p. 214). For example, adventure and role-playing games represent Muslims and the Middle East in a different manner than action games. The latter ‘present the Middle East in a contemporary and decidedly conflictual framework, schematizing Arabs and Muslims as enemies’ (p. 214). While, the former, ‘portray the Middle East in fantasy and quasi-historical manner, exploiting ‘Orientalist’ imagery (p. 214). Moreover, the notion of paratext was also examined in other academic contexts rather than video game localization. Most of these studies focus on the role of paratext in uncovering hidden political ideological messages and packaging literary works (Sayaheen & Darwish, 2023, Mowafy & Mohamed, 2023; Selim, 2018; Dubbati & Abudayeh, 2018). Consequently, the current paper comes to fill a gap in the literature of video game localization and more specifically to address the intersection between mobile video game localization and paratext.

3. Questions of the study

The current paper attempts to find answers to the following questions:

1. What is the role of paratext in framing players’ experience of mobile video games?

2. What are the functions of paratext in mobile video games?

4. Methodology

To find answers to the questions of the current study, all games listed in the App Store sub-category ‘Play in Arabic’ are downloaded and played by the researcher. The rationale behind selecting this specific category, i.e., ‘Play in Arabic’ is to ensure that only officially localized games in Arabic are investigated. Here, it is crucial to mention that the App Store includes several sub-categories under the main category ‘Game’. These sub-categories allow users to select the games they want to download ‘get’ and play based on certain characteristics such as paid and free gamers. These sub-categories include: ‘More Games You Might Like’, ‘Top Apple Arcade Games for You’, ‘‘What We’re Playing’, ‘Adorable Animals’, ‘Top Free Games’, ‘Top Paid Games’, ‘Based on Your Last Downloads’, ‘Now Trending’, and ‘Play in Arabic’.

In general, paratextual materials in mobile video games can include but are not limited to game titles, game descriptions, trailers, readme files, promotional texts, fan forums, and information about games. Before downloading the game certain information is displayed (Name of the game, Events, What’s new, Preview, rating and reviews, App privacy, and information). All these data are essential for gamers and might play a role in their decision to download the game or not, and more importantly, might impact the entire gaming experience.

Regarding video game localization for mobile devices, Sánchez and Sánchez (2016) offer a detailed explanation of the stages of video game localization for mobile devices. They suggest various components that should be translated into any video game including, user interface, conversations, app store description, and advertisements.

The analysis of the video games in the current study goes beyond analyzing the game itself, a practice applied by several scholars, to investigating the paratextual elements that descriptively surround the game. The analysis is meant to shed light on how mobile video games are framed and introduced to gamers and focuses on the intersection between video games and paratext. Finally, the original English version of all these components was compared to the Arabic localized version to identify disappearances and similarities in both versions of the game.

5. Discussion

The current descriptive analysis covers all app store description components for each game in the sub-category ‘Play in Arabic’ (Name of the game, Events, What’s new, Preview, rating and reviews, App privacy, and information). All of the previous components are localized into Arabic in the 22 analyzed games. To provide a thorough analysis and arrive at reliable results, each component is examined in a separate sub-section.

5.1. Name of the game

The analyzed mobile video games in the present research showcase that the naming of officially Arabic-localized mobile video games falls within the following major categories and practices:

1. Localizing the name into Arabic without mentioning the English one such as (انتقام السلاطين أسرار البنات ملكة الموضة) (en. Revenge of Sultans, Girls Secrets, and fashion queen).

2. Transliterating the name using Arabic alphabet plus adding a description in Arabic such as (يلالودو-لعبة لودو مع الدردشة الصوتية لوردز موبايل- تحدي مغارة الظلام في انتظارك) (en. Yalla Ludo- Ludo game with voice chat and Lords Mobile The Dark Cave Challenge awaits you).

3. Using the English name plus explanation in English only such as (Duels-PVP game of knighthood and Project Makeover)

4. Using the English name plus adding a description in Arabic such as (Rise of Kingdoms, Clash of Kings, and Marvel Contest of Champions)

The name of the game can play a role in players’ decision to download the game or not and it can also affect the ‘Search’ feature in discovering content and games. For example, not all players in the Arab world can read English and thus might not know the English name (specifically with less popular mobile video games) and continue searching for another game in case the game name is not localized or transliterated. In this context, Sánchez & Sánchez (2016) explain that ‘A translated description with well-selected keywords can increase the number of downloads substantially’ (p. 23). It is known that game names or titles cannot be always localized as part of branding strategies for many companies. However, in the context of video games localized into Arabic, transliteration seems to be a followed practice as many games are officially transliterated in the Arab world such as (Fifa فيفا, God of War راغنروك, MLBB مواجهة الأبطال). Moreover, adding a description in Arabic next to the English name might help players form a tentative decision in downloading the game. Figure 1 shows an example where the localizer added a description in Arabic below the English name.

Figure 1. Clash of Kings Arabic description screenshot taken by the researcher.

5.2. Events

Events are presented in the following games (PUBG MOBILE, Captain Tsubasa, MLBB, NEW STATE Mobile, Rise of Kingdoms, WWE Mayhem, Lords Mobile, Clash of Kings, Township, Marvel contest of Champions, Brawl Stars, Project Makeover). In all of these games, events are portrayed using visual elements such as pictures rather than written narratives. All the previous games present these screenshots with in-game texts at three levels: screenshots with Arabic in-game text (Figure 2), screenshots with both Arabic and English in-game texts (Figure 3), and screenshots with only English in-game texts (Figure 4). The practice of not localizing certain elements of mobile video games such as ‘Events’ can create the impression that the game is partially or fully not localized.

Figure 2. Arabic in-game texts.

Figure 3. Arabic and English in-game texts.

Figure 4. English in-game texts.

5.3. What’s new

‘What’s new’ is an important feature in mobile video games as it provides a summary of major updates in the game in addition to a record of video game release date/s. These updates include information important for gamers such as changing the application icon and fixing some malfunctions and issues. For example, changing or updating the application icon might be confusing for gamers as many mobile video games are known by the application icon. Captain Tsubasa What’s New dialogue (Figure 5) clearly says that the game app icon has been changed to a new one. The analysis shows that ‘What’s new’ in all games in the current study are localized into Arabic except for two games: Marvel Contest of Champions (Figure 6), and Duels-PVP of Knighthood (Figure 7). One can also notice that What’s New for Rise of Kingdoms although localized but very long and League of Legends: provides a link for more details. Providing very detailed descriptions, whether as a narrative or as a link about new events in a game might attract the attention of interested gamers and might also lead some gamers to skip reading very long descriptions. Finally, the analysis also shows that one game namely, New State Mobile does not have this feature i.e., what’s New at all.

Figure 5. Captain Tsubasa notices changing the game icon screenshot taken by the researcher.

Figure 6. Marvel contest of Champions what’s new not localized.

Figure 7. Duels-PVP of Knighthood what’s new not localized.

5.4. Preview

Preview of a particular game is meant to provide a glimpse of the main events and features of the game in question and generate enthusiasm and interest among potential customers and gamers. As part of the paratextual elements of the game, the previews are also expected to be localized into the target language, in this case, Arabic. To identify the impact of these previews, the current analysis tries to identify the standard practice in localizing these previews. Consequently, the current analysis showcases that the localization practice of the previews for the corpus in question falls into three categories. Before that, it is crucial to mention that the ‘Previews’ are presented in three forms: pictures, clips, and pictures clips with narrative.

First, several previews for certain games are fully localized into Arabic such as (انتقام السلاطين, VIP Jalsat/Tarneeb& Domino, Guns of Glory, Brawl Stars, and MLBB). In the fully localized Previews, several issues are also spotted such as using pictures containing instances of nudity as in New State Mobile, Guns of Glory, and PUBG (Figure 8). Needless to say, the current study only pays attention to the paratextual elements of (23) mobile video games listed under the sub-category ‘Play in Arabic’. Consequently, including ‘Previews’ with nudity might affect players’ decisions to download these games, given the fact that Arabic countries are, to a great extent, conservative societies. In other words, game developers should consider the cultural expectations of the receiving culture, Arabic in this case, when localizing video games. In some cases, games that contain sensitive content might not only be rejected by gamers but might also be entirely censored in some Arab countries (Al-Adwan & Yahiaoui, 2018; Al-Batineh, 2021).

Figure 8. Guns of Glory nudity instance.

Another issue found within the fully localized ‘Previews’ is a technical issue namely, disconnected letters as shown in Rise of Kingdom (Figure 9). Typically, Arabic script is written in a connected format to shape words. In other words, the Arabic alphabet is, in most cases, written in a cursive manner where letters are connected to each other. The issue of having Arabic words appear in mobile video games as disconnected might be solved earlier in the internationalization process where developers should account for languages such as Arabic. The third issue within this category is using short clips that are not localized in Arabic by either dubbing or subtitling them as in the case of WWE Mayhem.

Figure 9. Rise of Kingdom disconnected letters.

Second, the ‘Preview’ section in several games can be categorized as partially localized as in Score! Match and WWE Mayhem. For example, in the ‘Previews’ clip of Score! Match commentary is still in English and subtitles used to summarize the commentary are in English as shown in (Figure 10). Finally, the ‘Preview’ section for several games such as the Marvel Contest of Champions and the Duels-PVP game of Knighthood is not localized into Arabic in both the clips and the pictures. Here, literature on video game localization specifically Chandler and Deming (2011) must suggest four levels for video game localization i.e., no localization, box and docs, partial, and full localization. Consequently, the absence of or falling to localize all assets of a game can classify it either as partial or box and docs categories.

Figure 10. New State Mobile has no rating and review options available for gamers.

5.5. Rating and reviews

Rating and reviews can be seen as feedback provided by customers for products in general. Rating (usually presented on a 1-5 stars scale) and reviews (usually presented as written commentary) are important as they can tell potential customers, and our case gamers, about the pros and cons and features of the game. In general, scholars have conducted studies on the importance of rating and reviews in various disciplines such as Hospitality & Tourism, commercial websites, and Media platforms (Stringam et al., 2010; Arzaghi et al., 2023; Joeckel, 2007; Liu et al., 2011). In the context of video games, scholars have also conducted several studies to identify the importance and impact of ratings and reviews on customers’ purchase practices and attitudes. For example, Joeckel (2007) conducted a study to examine the effects of online ratings and reviews on the success of video games in the US market. Joeckel concluded that ‘Empirical evidence indicates that there is a moderate relationship between different ratings and the economic performance of video games (p. 636). He adds

game publishers have a high interest in good reviews and ratings have been underlined by empirical findings. Good reviews may not decide a game’s fate alone but they have a measurable effect on its performance. Game publishers are thus encouraged to test the perceived quality of a game before its release to predict its performance. Results from our sample indicate that using both user and expert reviews may provide a good instrument to measure the perceived quality of a game. (p.636)

Santos et al. (2019) conducted a comparative study to examine the reviewing behaviors between amateur and professional reviews of video games. They concluded that ‘The polarization of amateur reviews is corroborated by amateurs often using emotionally charged vocabulary that exhibits stronger sentiment compared to experts’ (p. 140).

It is evident from existing literature that Rating and reviews are important for companies whether it’s commercial websites, hotels, and video game companies. Moreover, the existing literature does not account for the importance of rating and reviews in the context of localized video games.

Rating and reviews are presented in all the analyzed mobile video games in the current study. Gamers can rate the game in question on a 5-star scale. In addition to that, gamers can write their reviews about the game; the analysis shows that producers of games, sometimes, reply to gamers’ comments and questions. The analysis uncovers two interesting facts; most of the reviews are written in English and two games (New State Mobile and Project Makeover) present the rating and reviews but do not allow gamers to either rate not write a review as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Figure 11. Project makeover no rating and review options available for gamers.

Figure 12. Age rating categories in Arabic screenshot taken by the researcher.

5.6. App privacy

App privacy includes information about privacy policy in addition to information about terms and conditions for the app or game in question. The app privacy icon also presents data linked to you and data to track you. More details about the Developer’s privacy policy are presented in a hyperlink that takes the user to another website to read more information about the privacy policy. Unfortunately, most of these websites directed via hyperlinks are not localized into Arabic (PUBG, MLBB Mobile Legends, Rise of Kingdoms, League of Legends, WWE Mayhem, Lords Mobile, Clash of Kings, Township, Avakin Life, Marvel Contest of Champions, Brawl Stars, Duels-PVP game of Knighthood, and Project Makeover, (أسرار البنات ملكة الموضة) (en. Girls Secrets, and fashion queen).

Reading privacy policies might play a role in cyber-attacks and online data-sharing practices among users (Ibdah et al., 2021). Ibdah et al. further indicated that ‘the service provider is the main reason behind users attempting to read such policies’. They added, ‘Our study shows that comprehension presented a major handicap in reading privacy policies.’ (p. 166481). Consequently, the practice of not localizing privacy policy links might impact comprehension of these policies by Arab gamers and thus impact online data-sharing practices. In the context of video games, several scholars have also conducted several studies to investigate the relevance and importance of privacy policy on gamers (Vie, 2016; Stellmacher et al., 2022; Kröger et al., 2023). For example, Stellmacher et al. (2022) examine ‘the possibility of facilitating understanding of privacy policies through the use of games as a medium, in particular of escape room games’ (p. 17). In the same manner, Kröger et al. (2023) explain that ‘privacy policies of video games are widely written in ambiguous language and may omit important information’. (p. 11). If privacy policies of video games and mobile video games are written in vague languages, then it is even crucial to localize these policies for potential readers. Consequently, failing to localize these privacy policies, whether intentionally or unintentionally, might pose another challenge to non-native speakers and gamers.

5.7. Information

Information sub-section or category provides details about the game in question: provider, size, category, compatibility, languages, age rating, in-app Purchases, copyright, developer website, privacy policy, and license agreement.

Age rating provides a glimpse into sensitive topics that the game might have and it has a link directed to the app age rating page which has an essay about the four age categories or levels; 4+, 9+, 12+, and 17+. The essay includes more details about sensitive topics that each category might have such as offensive language, horror-themed content, nudity, sexual content, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Comparing the English essay to the Arabic one, we can notice that the translation conveys the meaning without significant changes in terms of the meaning. Yet, one can raise the issue of cultural differences in this context i.e., what might be acceptable in one culture at the age of 17+, for example, might not be so in another culture. In other words, the age 17+ category both the English and the translated version in Arabic (Figure 12) clearly says that this category may contain sensitive content related to nudity, sexual content, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Such content is not welcomed in a conservative culture such as the Arabic and Islamic one. Thus, reading the age rating category essay might result in refusing to download the game. More studies are needed to investigate the impact of age rating categories essay on gamers’ behavior towards increasing or decreasing the downloads or purchasing games.

6. Conclusion

Theorizing on video game localization and mobile video game localization is in its infancy, specifically within the context of the so-called Arabic translation studies. More studies, such as the current research, can further help in identifying the ins and outs of localized mobile video games in Arabic. The ins and outs moved beyond detecting the linguistic, cultural, and technical issues found in localized games to examine the impact of paratextual elements of games on potential gamers’ decisions in downloading games and framing their experience before even playing the game in question. The intersection between video game localization and paratext yields interesting results for practitioners, researchers, and gamers at the same time. Practitioners can derive benefits from the results of the current study to improve the entire localization process of mobile video games localized into Arabic by trying to avoid certain technical issues identified in the current study. The identified issues in the current research include: technical (such as disconnected letters as shown in Rise of Kingdom (Figure 9), cultural issues (such as images containing nudity as shown in New State Mobile, New State Mobile, and PUBG (Figure 8), and linguistic issues (such as failing to translate linguistic assets in various games as shown in Figure 6. Marvel contest of Champions what’s new, not localized).

As far as gamers are concerned, the results of the analysis showcase that localization practices in localizing the paratextual elements might play a significant role in both gamers’ attitudes towards downloading or purchasing the game and framing the gamers’ experience before even downloading or playing the game. Downloading or purchasing the game can be affected by various practices uncovered in the current study such as including non-localized name games in the sub-category ‘play in Arabic’ such as Project Makeover and Duels-PVP game of Knighthood. Moreover, using the English name plus adding a description in Arabic such as (Rise of Kingdoms, Clash of Kings, Marvel Contest of Champions) helps in informing gamers that the game about to download is in Arabic. In the same manner, the practice of not localizing certain elements of mobile video games such as ‘Events’ can create the impression that the game is partially or fully not localized. The impression that several gamers are not localized or are partially localized can be obtained from other sub-categories in the app store description such as the Marvel Contest of Champions and the Duels-PVP game of Knighthood where the clips and the pictures are not localized into Arabic.

The gaming experience might also be shaped even before playing the game itself. For example, ‘previewing’ the gaming using pictures showing instances of nudity as in New State Mobile, New State Mobile, and PUBG (Figure 8) can encourage, or maybe, discourage gamers from further discovering the game bearing in mind that the game contains nudity content. This also applies to the information content namely, the Age rating icon where gamers can read about the sensitive content that the game might have.

Investigating several paratextual elements surrounding mobile video games localized into Arabic ((Name of the game, Events, What’s new, Preview, rating and reviews, App privacy, and information) uncovers interesting results that might impact the entire gaming experience for Arab gamers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bilal Sayaheen

Dr. Bilal Sayaheen is an associate professor of translation studies in the Department of Translation at Yarmouk University. He teaches several undergraduate and graduate courses, including theories of translation and computer-assisted translation tools. His research interests include translation technology, localization, corpus-based translation, literary translation, and translation pedagogy. He has a PhD in translation studies from Kent State University. Author contact: Bilal Sayaheen, Yarmouk University, PO Box 261, Irbid 21110, Jordan. Email: [email protected] Mobile No.: [phone].

Appendix 1:

Analyzed mobile video games

Table

Avakin life: 3D Avatar Creator Brawl Stars Clash of Kings –CoH Duels-PVP game of Knighthood Guns of Glory: Kingdom of defense Hollywood U: Rising Stars League of Legends: Wild Rift Lords Mobile: Tower defense Ludo All Stars-Multiplayer Marvel Contest of Champions Mobile Legends: Bang Bang PUBG Mobile 1.5: IGNITION Rise of Kingdoms Score! Hero 2 Score!Match-PvP Football Township VIP Jalsat/Tarneeb& Domino WWE Mayhem Yalla Ludo-Ludo&Domino انتقام السلاطين ملكة الموضة/ لعبة قصص و تمثيل Project makeover اسرار البنات / اختاري مصيرك