Resumen de Reception of game subtitles:: an empirical study
Subtitling practices in game localisation remain, to date, largely unexplored, and the existing standards as widely applied to subtitling for TV, DVD and cinema have not been adopted by the game industry. This can pose an accessibility barrier for deaf and hard of hearing players as there are, on occasion, no subtitles provided for audio game components, such as sound effects. This article presents a small-scale exploratory study concerning the reception of subtitles in video games by means of user tests with eye tracking technology and a questionnaire. The purpose of the study was to determine what type of subtitles would be most suitable for video games, given their interactive and ludic nature, based not only on users’ preferences but also on quantitative data obtained with an eye tracking technology. The article also highlights the need for the development of best practice and standards in subtitling for this emerging digital medium, which would enhance game accessibility and the gaming experience not only for deaf and hard of hearing players but for all players.
