Beyond the pitch: Localization of player attributes in eFootball 2025 mobile

Abstrak

This study aims to analyze the translation strategies used in the localization of player attributes in eFootball 2025 Mobile from English into Indonesian and to evaluate their localization quality. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method. The data consist of 73 player attribute descriptions taken from the player status menu in a single version of the game. Data were collected through observation and documentation by comparing the source and target texts. The data were analyzed using a diegesis-based localization strategy framework to identify the translation strategies, along with a ludic localization quality assessment focusing on linguistic meaning, cultural references, and spatial constraints. The findings reveal that retention and mediation are the most frequently applied strategies in translating player attributes. The dominance of retention indicates that many English football terms are already familiar and acceptable to Indonesian players. The localization quality assessment shows that most data fall into the good category, with an overall average score of 2.9, indicating a tendency toward good localization quality. These findings suggest that the localization of player attributes in eFootball 2025 Mobile is generally effective in maintaining meaning accuracy, cultural suitability, and readability within the game interface. Theoretically, this study contributes to the development of game localization studies by reinforcing the relevance of diegesis-based translation strategies in analyzing player attribute translation. Empirically, it provides evidence that strategic retention and mediation can effectively maintain localization quality in sports video games targeted at Indonesian audiences.