Do we have any gamers here that have worked on learning their target language through playing video games? I’m currently at the point where I can start doing this in German and I’m looking to hear other people’s experiences in doing so. Playing a game with lots of dialogue and using Google Lens on my phone to translate the subtitels seems to work reasonably well and gives me a “LingQ-like” experience.
3 Likes
I like the game “A Plague Tale” you can choose French or German for the dialogue. It was a really fun game.
1 Like
I have played Deadrising and (sandbox zombie game) in my target language I found it especially good for learning nouns because you can pick them up and see what they are so those are comprehensible, but If you know the game extremely well in your native language then any game can work. I would never stop and look up words but instead try to use context to learn new words since most games are faster paced so hard to use dictionary etc. So as long as you hit the 90-95% comprehension or have played it before then it should be loads of fun and very beneficial. Also, type of game matters a ton where MMOs would be cool if you are good enough while shooters would be worse since there is less language in the game so I would gauge ability needed versus amount of language in the game.
1 Like
Yes, some games even have complete voice over with native speakers. For example Cyberpunk 2077 have a complete voice over in Japanese, which is pretty amazing.
I am currently playing Voice of Cards in Japanese. I think that this kind of card game is really appropriate for language learning as you have to click to move to the next screen so you can take your time, screenshot, OCR, translate, etc… With Voice of Cards I even started creating a course in LingQ with all the screens, so I can review outside of the game.
2 Likes
It’s actually quite interesting, the words that you encounter in-game tend to be easy to remember because of the repetition or emotional attachement, not sure why. If you want to find games in your target language, you can use steam and filter games by language. Having said that, there some hidden gems that are made by indie studios that are listed on other platforms. Personally, if the itself somewhat challenging, I tend to first play it a little in a language that I comfortable with to learn about UI, skills, etc. and only after that switch to target language. The most important thing - Have fun!
2 Likes
Calling “A Plague Tale” a really fun game is an interestion choice of words for sure 
Language options in this game are good though.
1 Like
I did years ago, although it’s a fairly mixed bag as when it comes to dub-actors, they aren’t bringing their best… sad! Although I could say that same for modern games in general.
I remember playing Witcher III in Russian audio with English subtitles, eventually changing to Russian subs near the end, I’d even say the Russian voice-acting is superior to the English version, particularly for the player/main character (the English voice acting for him is cringeworthy imo).
That said for overwhelmingly text-based games like RTS, Civilisation, older RPGs or Paradox titles, it’s certainly a good way to integrate practice.
1 Like
I really like doing this but its much better if you can record your game on pc and use a OCR reader to copy text from pictures. Much easier than using google lens but its not always super accurate
1 Like
I don’t think video games are great way to acquire language, but if you’re in the process of acquiring a language, and playing a game that is available in your TL, I think that you should do so 
.
Games will not have high word density and the language will not typically be very useful for “real life”.
That said, I am quite enjoying Baldur’s Gate 3 right now, and am of course playing auf Deutsch.
3 Likes
i did in the beginning when i got too tired of formal study, i think its a nice supplement. I kind of did the approach with movies or shows. Like play an old game that you know whats happening.
1 Like
Yes, as I like playing games, I’ve also tried learning languages through them. It’s a fun and engaging way to improve language skills. Using tools like Google Lens to translate subtitles adds a unique twist to the learning experience. However, recently I’ve been dedicating my spare time to sports betting UFABET เข้าสู่ระบบ, which has become an intriguing hobby.
1 Like
I just started playing the new Zelda in Spanish and am enjoying it. Every once in a blue moon I use Google Translate on my phone to translate a key word but mostly I’m fine without it. There’s also Spanish voiceover in that game. I’d previously been reading books, online articles, listening to podcasts, but I feel like playing a video game, especially an RPG, exposes me a different type of language usage.
1 Like
Agree with you, but sometimes it maybe funny)
For example, I was studying a foreign language when I read various reviews of playgrounds. After all, the choice of quality games is number one solution for every gamer. But I believe that such information needs to be read in the original source in order to be aware of events. Of course, at first I had to use an online translator, but then it became much easier to navigate the text.
1 Like
I started to play Stardew Valley in French cause I figured dialogues would be relatively easy. I discovered I can easily play this game in my target language and I don’t need to look up to many words or phrases. It’s fun and a huge confidence boost.
Side note : I don’t play it a lot that way. I use LingQ daily and then play the game from time to time to see if my understanding got any better. It does everytime so I highly recommend this method!
1 Like
To be honest, now the way Germans are becoming comprehensible from all walks of life even including working class people. It was a good decision on my end not to focus on gaming, songs and watching too many movies in the beginning. In hindsight, It turned out to be a good decision . Podcasts, youtube videos, TV series, radio are better sources of inputs that develop good listening skills. You need dense input with more variety on offer.
Better? They’re all passive media. The interactivity of video games gives a huge boost to memorization, and unlike passive media, there’s a real incentive to pay attention to what’s being said.
2 Likes