There’s a popular joke in one multiplayer online battle arena community that once you start playing a ranked game on the Southeast Asia server, you’ll end the game knowing either Filipino or Indonesian. While this joke primarily comes from the fact that gamers tend to say heated words in their native language when playing, there is actually a legitimate argument regarding video games’ role in learning new languages.
This article will explore practical strategies for transforming your gaming sessions into language-learning opportunities, from choosing the right games and settings to engaging with international communities. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get into competitive ranked games to reap these benefits if that’s your preference.
How Video Games Introduce Language Learning
There are multiple ways video games expose players to language learning opportunities. First is the game itself. Some games integrate multiple languages in their story for better immersion or because it’s woven into the plot.
There are also games that are dubbed in one language, like Japanese, but have English subtitles so players who are non-Japanese speakers can still follow along with the story. This is generally the case for region-specific games that do not have a global counterpart.
For multiplayer cooperative or player-versus-player games, one will likely bump into other gamers speaking other languages, especially if global servers exist for that game. Because of this, even players not planning to learn a new language might become interested in doing so. This is because they might want to communicate with other players who don’t speak their native language.
In single-player and story-driven games, players hone their listening skills through in-game dialogues. Often, these dialogues contain instructions or hints on how to progress in the game. For multiplayer games, real-time communication skills are reinforced because players must respond quickly to teammates to complete game objectives in a timely manner.
Game Genres That Foster Language Immersion
While we glossed over how specific games reinforce language learning, let’s dive deeper into the specific genres and why they’re great as alternative education mediums.
Let’s start with single-player action-adventure games. In a narrative-driven game, a player usually interacts with notes, runes, and magical items. These often have descriptions that can be written in other languages with a direct translation either on the item itself or the in-game character uttering the translation.
Puzzle-solving games are also great at reinforcing language learning. Heaven’s Vault, for example, has many linguistic puzzles to solve. Although it’s more about ancient languages, just by playing the game, players are encouraged to be more proactive and curious about other languages they are interested in. Consequently, this might carry over into real-world desires to learn a new language.
MMORPGs, or Massively Multiplayer Online Games like World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2, have a type of content called raids. Players have to work together to defeat bosses, and sometimes it can be hard to find a good group. If you learn another language, this will be less of a problem because you’re not just limited to raiding with your native language speakers.
Interacting with Native Speakers for Fluency Improvement
Let’s say you’re already learning a new language and you happen to be a gamer as well. It will be easier to find a native speaker to talk to for practice. After a ranked match, you can add them as a friend and send them a message asking if they want to practice conversations with you. Do note that not every game has this feature, though.
In some multiplayer games, there are guilds that exist not only to help other players have a good time in-game, but also for purposes unrelated to it. For example, players are allowed to create guilds that cater to polyglots or those who just want to interact with various native speakers.
Tips That Can Help You Learn Further
If you want to play region-locked games to expose yourself to other languages, you’ll want to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) while gaming. Although developed mainly for privacy and security, a dedicated IP VPN can also unlock access to games that are unavailable in your country. It can also significantly improve latency, which gamers know is a big deal. Just keep in mind that downloading a VPN for PC may require you to check the terms of service for specific games, as some developers prohibit VPN usage.
Besides that, you should change the settings in your game to get more exposure to the language you want to learn. For example, change the interface language to your target language to practice vocabulary. To improve your listening skills, switch the audio to that language while keeping the native subtitles (or the other way around).
Lastly, don’t forget that the gaming community can also give you more chances to practice. Follow streamers who play in your target language to get used to talking to people in that language, and join gaming forums or Reddit communities to practice reading and writing in real-life situations. You might find that these online interactions feel more natural than traditional learning methods because you’re engaging with content you genuinely enjoy.
Game On: Your Language Adventure Awaits
Gone are the days when gaming is seen as a total waste of time. Whether changing interface languages, following streamers, or joining international communities, gaming can accelerate language learning processes while you enjoy yourself. So, pick up that controller and start your linguistic journey today.