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Game localization into
Norwegian
Interesting facts about Norwegian
- Norwegian is spoken by 5.32 million native speakers
- It is spoken mainly in Norway, where it is an official language
- Today there are two official forms of written Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk
Other languages of localization
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Norwegian users around the world
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken by 5.32 million native speakers. It is spoken mainly in Norway, where it is an official language. Along with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a dialect continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional varieties.
Norwegian as a language
Today there are two official forms of written Norwegian, Bokmål (literally “book tongue”) and Nynorsk (literally “new Norwegian”). Bokmål was developed as a written standard based on the Danish language, with some modifications to reflect Norwegian pronunciation and grammar. Today, Bokmål is the most widely used written standard in Norway, particularly in urban areas and in the eastern parts of the country.
Nynorsk was developed based upon a collective of spoken Norwegian dialects, based on their grammar and vocabulary. Particularly those spoken on the west coast of Norway. Therefore, Nynorsk is used primarily in western parts of Norway.
Norwegian in game localization
While it may not be one of the most widely spoken languages, there are still some video games that have been localized into Norwegian. Especially AAA games like FIFA, Forza Horizon and The Last of Us, but also games that are aimed at children or that are adaptations of animation movies for children. For instance, Toy Story 3, PAW Patrol Grand Prix and the Disney Infinity series.
According to the EF English Proficiency Index, Norway ranks 4th out of 111 countries, with a “very high” proficiency level. While many Norwegians are fluent in English, they appreciate content in their native language. This is because they are proud of their heritage and want to preserve the Norwegian language.
On Steam, Norwegian is the 25th most used language as of February 2023. This is 0.12% of its users. But keep in mind that Steam had 132 million monthly active users in 2021, and it had a peak of 33.2 million concurrent users in January 2023. So, this is still a good percentage of Norway’s population, and it proves that most Norwegians select their language when given the option.
Revenue and number of players in the countries that use Norwegian
According to Statista, Norway’s video game revenue in 2022 was $787 million and it is expected to show an annual growth rate of 7%. It is forecasted that market penetration will reach 49.6% in 2023. This equates to about 2.7 million gamers. It is important to notice that Norway has one of the highest spending per user. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is projected to amount to $329.9 in 2023.
The same source also revealed that a majority of gamers (1.3 million), play on mobile devices. Moreover, it reported that, in 2021, the share of daily male gamers amounted to 39%, while the share of daily female gamers was 28%.
Some interesting facts
about the Norwegian game market
- The average revenue per user (ARPU) is projected to amount to $329.9 in 2023
- Norway’s video game revenue in 2022 was $787 million and it is expected to show an annual growth rate of 7%
Ready to grow?
Spend little. Gain a great deal!
Localizing a video game into more languages is a relatively small outlay compared to how much you will gain.
Spend a few thousand and gain several million new players.
Spend a few thousand and gain several million new players.
