Final Fantasy Tactics Creator Reacts to Unicorn Overlord Localization Debate and Shares His Own Stories - IGN
Final Fantasy Tactics creator Yasumi Matsuno was among those who weighed in on a debate around Unicorn Overlord's localization, with Matsuno sharing his thoughts on the age-old argument and sharing stories of his own.
it was notable to see Matsuno weigh in on an X/Twitter discussion on Monday around the translation of Unicorn Overlord, a new tactics RPG from Vanillaware that received a demo last week. Responding to claims that Unicorn Overlord sacrificed accuracy for flowery prose, Matsuno said he endorsed a degree of localization as long as the original creator approves.
"I believe that it is unacceptable for someone to alter a work without considering the original author's intent. However, when the market or language is different, a direct translation may not convey the intended meaning accurately. This is especially true for humor. Therefore, I think some degree of alteration is unavoidable," Matsuno said. "The issue lies in whether the original author has consented to these alterations. Has anyone confirmed whether the author of Unicorn Overlord has approved its English translation?"
He added in a separate tweet, "The insistence that you should comply with the original no matter what, and the claim that it is good to free translate if it matches the market. I know that there has been a fierce debate for a long time. I don't stand for either claim. The discussion should be done by the players."