Silksong Translation Issues Spark Negative Steam Reviews From Chinese Players
Hong Kong - Highly anticipated Metroidvania game Silksong is facing a wave of negative reviews on Steam from chinese players, stemming from concerns over the quality of its translation. While the game currently holds a “positive” overall user rating across all languages, filtering reviews to show onyl those written in Simplified Chinese reveals a “negative” assessment.
The controversy centers on a translation style perceived as an inconsistent blend of archaic and modern Chinese, with some players comparing the language to that found in Wuxia novels - a genre of Chinese fiction focused on martial arts and ancient settings – rather than reflecting the game’s intended tone. This discrepancy has lead to criticism that the translation feels out of place and detracts from the gaming experience. The original Hollow Knight received “very positive” reviews from Simplified Chinese-speaking players, benefiting from a translation team of six, while Silksong‘s Chinese localization was handled by a smaller team of just two.”The translation looks like it is indeed taken from a Wuchia novel, rather of conveying the game style and actual tone,” commented Tiger Tang, a translator who previously worked on the Chinese version of the game Omori, on the X platform. Matthew Griffin, marketing and publishing lead for Silksong, acknowledged the issues and stated the team is working to improve the translation in the coming weeks. The situation highlights how localized quality control can impact a global product’s reception, notably for a high-profile title like Silksong within the popular Metroidvania genre.
