---
updatedAt: 2026-04-10T14:36:33.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.spawnd.gg/llms.txt
---

# language support and localization

how spawnd handles multiple languages and how to localize your game for a global audience

# platform language support

at the time of writing, **spawnd**'s interface supports the following five languages:

* English (EN)
* LATAM Spanish (ES-LA)
* Brazilian Portuguese (PT-BR)
* Japanese (JA)
* Simplified Chinese (ZH-HANS)

all platform surfaces, including **catalog pages**, **game detail pages**, and **embedded content**, are available in these languages.

by default, **spawnd** automatically detects the user’s <Anchor label="browser locale" target="_blank" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Locale">browser locale</Anchor> and applies the matching language. If no match is found, the interface defaults to **English**. Users can also change the language manually:

1. **via URL path**:\
   append `/en/`, `/es/`, `/pt/`, `/ja/`, or `/zh/` to the site URL.

<Image align="center" caption="Example of a spawnd page being set to Japanese via URL" src="https://files.readme.io/5d57da1a7d6493211acc401c778ee97a5a6f7b223b1ed579be9956c6d61836f8-image.png" />

<br />

<Callout icon="👍" theme="okay">
  **tip**: by usung “/-/” in your game or embed URL, the language is automatically set to the users' own browser language. In case its an unsupported language, English will be used by default 😀
</Callout>

<br />

2. **via language selector**:\
   a dropdown menu is currently available in the **site footer** (*location may change in the future*).

   <Image align="center" caption="language dropdown menu in the footer (development screenshot)" src="https://files.readme.io/1138aa92ac166ec761e25141274e0ce12001f88542507a038c64f4c0533712f1-image.png" />

***

# game language support

additionally, the **game details** page displays which languages each game demo supports (covering all Steam-supported languages):

![](https://files.readme.io/9bd004cd8f45b5c386400c676e2c00b0a571de568c3203937c6692e979e9a985-image.png)

the sort order and rules of the supported languages is as below:

1. \*browser language: the user's OS/browser language (via browser's `navigator.language`)
2. \*website *locale*: the spawnd URL's *locale* the user is actively browsing in (e.g., **/pt/**, **/en/**)
3. other spawnd-supported *locales*: remaining *locales* from \["en", "es", "pt", "ja", "zh"], including variants like zh-Hans, es-419
4. all other languages: languages not yet supported by spawnd's interface
5. empty *locale*: languages with no *locale* data, always last

\*when browser language and website *locale* match, they collapse into a single group naturally (both resolve to first priority).

<Callout icon="📘" theme="info">
  we believe democratizing access to games online means more than availability, it means adapting to local culture, customs, and language. more officially supported languages are planned for the future of **spawnd** – if you’d like to **suggest one**, please use our [contact form](https://docs.spawnd.gg/docs/contact-us)!
</Callout>

***

# localizing your game

while localization in languages other than English is **not required** for your game to be featured on **spawnd** (\_see the Localization section in the [Game Criteria](https://docs.spawnd.gg/docs/demo-requirements), localizing your game is an excellent way to expand its reach and connect with broader audiences.

for developers interested in localization, here are a few recommended resources:

* <Anchor label="**IGDA Game Localization SIG Resources**" target="_blank" href="https://igda.org/sigs/localization/">**IGDA Game Localization SIG Resources**</Anchor>: the International Game Developers Association’s dedicated group with articles, best practices, and guides.
* <Anchor label="**Game Localization Handbook**" target="_blank" href="https://books.google.com.br/books?id=sN5Glp9sLj0C">**Game Localization Handbook**</Anchor>: a foundational book with detailed processes, terminology, and real-world examples.
* <Anchor label="**LocJAM**" target="_blank" href="https://locjam.itch.io/">**LocJAM**</Anchor>: a recurring community game localization jam, where developers and translators practice on small games.
* <Anchor label="**I2 Localization (I2Loc) Unity Plugin**" target="_blank" href="https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/localization/i2-localization-14884">**I2 Localization (I2Loc) Unity Plugin**</Anchor>: a powerful, full-featured localization plugin for Unity with Google Sheets integration, automatic translations, spreadsheet-driven workflows, and runtime language switching.

***