Video Game Translation in Brussels: EU Gaming Hubs, Esports and Indies

Brussels is developing its gaming ecosystem with independent studios supported by Screen.brussels and European co-productions. The Brussels Region invests in the digital creative industry through tax incentives and dedicated acceleration programmes for video game developers, positioning the EU capital as an emerging continental gaming hub.

Screen.brussels and Gaming Support

Screen.brussels is the audiovisual and video game support fund of the Brussels-Capital Region. It co-finances the development, production, and promotion of video games created by companies established in Brussels. Supported projects must meet Belgian cultural criteria and, in most cases, offer a bilingual FR/NL version to maximise their eligibility and impact on the local market.

• Language eligibility criteria: many Screen.brussels files value productions available in French and Dutch - localisation becomes a funding argument
• EU co-productions: Eurimages and Media (EU programme for the creative sector) projects often require versions in several European languages - we cover all EU languages
• Pitch decks and funding files: translation of applications to Screen.brussels, VAF, and Wallimage funds for studios seeking dual regional coverage
• Press kits and communications: localisation of press releases, product sheets, and trailers for FR and NL gaming media

Brussels also hosts major gaming events: the Brussels Indie Arcade (BIA), Gamescom Belgian Day showcases, and B2B meetings organised by the Game of Belgium association. These events create networking and distribution opportunities that reinforce the need for professional localisation for studios wishing to attract international publishers and distributors.

Interface and Game Text Localisation

Brussels studios primarily develop independent games and serious games - educational simulations, awareness games, and narrative experiences. These productions have specific localisation needs: serious games for EU institutions (Commission, Parliament) must be available in many official languages, while indie games prioritise the FR and NL markets for their Belgian launch.

• Institutional serious games: localisation of educational simulations commissioned by EU institutions in Brussels, mandatory institutional and multilingual terminology
• Casual mobile games: localisation of interfaces, push notifications, in-app messages, and store pages for the App Store and Google Play
• Narrative games and visual novels: translation of dialogue scripts with adaptation of cultural nuances and the register of language specific to each character
• Corporate gamification: localisation of gamified training applications (badges, challenges, leaderboards) used by Brussels companies for employee engagement
• Patch note translation: transparent communication with the community, localisation of release notes and content announcements for FR and NL communities

The bilingual dimension of Brussels is a unique advantage: Brussels studios have access to naturally bilingual FR/NL playtesters and beta testers, capable of validating localisation quality in a real gaming context. We collaborate with Brussels gaming QA testers to offer complete localisation testing services.

Pricing and Turnaround for Gaming Localisation in Brussels

For independent Brussels studios, we offer rates adapted to indie budgets. Localisation of a standard mobile game in FR or NL (5,000 words) is priced from €180. Projects including UI, store page, and marketing represent on average 8,000 to 15,000 words and are priced between €280 and €520per language.

We also offer annual studio packages for teams that regularly publish updates - ideal for live service games and agile-mode studios. The standard lead time is 3 to 7 business days depending on volume. Partner studios benefit from a guaranteed response time of 4 hours for urgent requests.