디지털 환경에서의 게임 유저 번역과 수용: 팀 왈도 사례 연구

Abstract

This study analyzes the translation activities of Team Waldo, a user-driven game translation community in Korea, as a case study to explore how user-participation translation takes place in the digital age. Focusing on Team Waldo’s collaborative translation practices, the study examines Team Waldo translators’ motivations, decision-making processes, collaboration methods, as well as the reception of their translations among game players. The findings indicate that Team Waldo engages in community-based and cooperative translation, characterized by active discussions, feedback exchanges, and ongoing revisions. Translators prioritize user experience and immersion in the game over language conversion, often adapting humor, wordplay, and cultural elements. They also adopt a user-friendly approach through their “brand,” built on the past successful experiences of unofficial Korean versions and the team’s prestige in the gaming community. This study also highlights translation as a collective and interactive process in the digital age. Translation decisions, such as term choices, are determined through community voting, demonstrating a participatory approach. By shedding light on the role and significance of user-participation translation in game translation, this study contributes to understanding the evolving nature of translation in the digital era and its potential for broader applications.