Analyzing research trends in localization: A comparative systematic review of journal articles in English and Chinese (2012-2023)

This literature review paper examines articles on localization in translation studies published in English and Chinese journals from 2012 to 2023. We systematically reviewed a total of 147 publications consisting of 104 and 43 articles in English and Chinese respectively, integrating thematic analysis to examine their research types, areas, and methodologies. The findings reveal notable disparities between the English and Chinese journal papers regarding overall trends across these three dimensions. English papers are often characterized by preference for qualitative approaches and growing interest in multi-methods and mixed-methods designs, highlighting an increasing appreciation for unique elements in localized products. Chinese papers tend to be more general and place greater emphasis on localization training. Despite these variations, there has been a notable convergence towards descriptive approaches in recent studies regardless of the linguistic contexts, perhaps as a response to the evolving needs of the discipline as a whole. Our paper concludes by suggesting future directions for localization research, particularly in response to the dynamic landscape of game localization practices and the application of empirical methods.