| 8-4, Ltd. | |
| Native Name: | 有限会社ハチノヨン |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Romanized Name: | Yūgen Gaisha Hachi no Yon |
| Type: | Private |
| Industry: | Video games |
| Services: | Video game localization, Video game publisher |
| Location: | Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan |
| Fetchwikidata: | ALL |
is a Japanese video game localization company based in Shibuya, Tokyo.[1] The company was founded in 2005 by Hiroko Minamoto and former Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) editor John Ricciardi. They were joined by Ricciardi's EGM colleague Mark MacDonald in 2008, who departed in 2016 to work as VP, Production of Business and Development at Enhance Games. It performs Japanese-to-English and English-to-Japanese translation and localization on a contract basis with credits including Monster Hunter, Nier, Dragon Quest, Fire Emblem, Tales, Undertale and more.[2] The company is named after the final level of the original Super Mario Bros., where Mario defeats Bowser and rescues Princess Peach for the very first time.[3]
8-4 generally gets involved in the localization process midway through a game's development, gaining access to a build of the game and script.[4] Occasionally, they are invited to participate throughout the development cycle, as with the case of Shadows of the Damned.[4] As publishers increasingly push for simultaneous worldwide release, they have noted earlier and earlier involvement in projects. In the first step of the process, they familiarize themselves with the game and others in its series by playing through them multiple times and taking notes.[3] [4] To perform the actual translation, they use large Microsoft Excel spreadsheets containing the script in both Japanese and English.[3] In addition to word translation, they suggest changes to make the game more accessible to Western audiences. For example, in Glory of Heracles, they recommended that the battle speed be tripled in order to make fighting more exciting.[5]
The team cites Richard Honeywood, founder of Square's localization department, as an influence on their translation style.[6] Beyond merely translating the words, 8-4 attempts to convey the same experience as that of the original language version through attention to tone, user interface, and cultural references.[5] [7] Because of their text-heavy nature, most of 8-4's contracts are for role-playing video games such as Eternal Sonata, Tales of Vesperia, and , which are beyond the capabilities of in-house translation teams.[8] In translating , they inherited Honeywood's Dragon Quest style guide to aid them in keeping consistency between games.[6] Speaking of their favorite projects, they look to games like Baten Kaitos Origins where the developers allowed them to take over every aspect of localization including script, debugging, quality assurance, and voice production.[9] In 2022, 8-4 provided the translation for Masahiro Sakurai's YouTube web series, "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games".[10]
| Year | Game | Client | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2006 | Warship Gunner 2 | Koei | Japanese-to-English |
| 2006 | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2006 | Baten Kaitos Origins | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2006 | Tales of the Abyss | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2006 | Gunpey | Q Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2006 | Gunpey DS | Q Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2006 | Every Extend Extra | Q Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2007 | Rogue Galaxy | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2007 | Lunar Knights | Kojima Productions | Japanese-to-English |
| 2007 | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2007 | XSEED Games | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2007 | Jeanne d'Arc | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2007 | Wild ARMs 5 | XSEED Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2007 | Eternal Sonata (Xbox 360) | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Ape Quest | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Culdcept Saga | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Wild ARMs XF | XSEED Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Soulcalibur IV | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Tales of Vesperia | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Eternal Sonata (PS3) | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2008 | Castlevania Judgment | Konami | Japanese-to-English |
| 2008 | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2009 | (Wii) | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English |
| 2009 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2009 | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2009 | (PSP) | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English |
| 2009 | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2009 | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2009 | Katamari Forever | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2009 | Undead Knights | Tecmo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2009 | Petz Hamsterz Bunch | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English |
| 2009 | Tekken 6 | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | Glory of Heracles | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | White Knight Chronicles International | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | International | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | Sega | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2010 | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2010 | Nier | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | Monster Hunter Tri | Capcom | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | Konami | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2010 | Adrenalin Misfits | Konami | Japanese-to-English |
| 2010 | Echochrome II | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2011 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2011 | Tecmo Koei | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2011 | Shadows of the Damned | Grasshopper Manufacture | Japanese-to-English, English-to-Japanese |
| 2011 | Disney Epic Mickey | Disney Interactive Studios | English-to-Japanese |
| 2011 | Wind-up Knight | Robot Invader | English-to-Japanese |
| 2011 | Zoo Resort 3D | Ubisoft | Japanese-to-English |
| 2011 | Aquaria | Semi Secret Software | English-to-Japanese |
| 2011 | The Black Eyed Peas Experience | Ubisoft | English Writing |
| 2011 | Otomedius Excellent | Konami | Japanese-to-English |
| 2011 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2012 | Tales of Graces f | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2012 | Soulcalibur V | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English DLC translation |
| 2012 | Tales of the Abyss | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2012 | Touch My Katamari | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2012 | Skullgirls | Reverge Labs | Inter-Office Communication |
| 2012 | Dragon's Dogma | Capcom | Japanese-to-English |
| 2012 | Gravity Rush | Sony Computer Entertainment | English Editing |
| 2012 | Capcom | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2012 | Capybara Games | English-to-Japanese, promotion, marketing | |
| 2013 | Rise of the Blobs | Robot Invader | English-to-Japanese |
| 2013 | Skulls of the Shogun | 17-BIT | English Writing, English-to-FIGSPCJKR |
| 2013 | Fire Emblem Awakening | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2013 | Konami | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2013 | Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate | Capcom | Japanese-to-English |
| 2013 | Tales of Xillia | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2013 | Hay Day | Supercell | English-to-Japanese, Consulting |
| 2013 | République | Camouflaj LLC | English-to-FGS |
| 2014 | Boom Beach | Supercell | English-to-Japanese |
| 2014 | Drakengard 3 | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2014 | Threes! | Sirvo | English-to-FGJ |
| 2014 | Wind-up Knight 2 | Robot Invader | English-to-Japanese |
| 2014 | Azure Striker Gunvolt | Inti Creates | Japanese-to-English |
| 2014 | Tales of Hearts R | Namco Bandai Games | Japanese-to-English |
| 2015 | Rogue Legacy | Cellar Door Games | Japanese publisher |
| 2015 | Neko Atsume[11] | Hit-Point | Japanese-to-English |
| 2015 | Xenoblade Chronicles X[12] | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2016 | Super Time Force Ultra | Capybara Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2016 | Mighty No. 9 | Comcept | Japanese-to-English, Consulting, community management, public relations |
| 2016 | Shovel Knight[13] | Yacht Club Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2016 | Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Sega | Japanese-to-English |
| 2016 | Gotta Protectors[14] | Ancient | Japanese-to-English |
| 2016 | Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 | Inti Creates | Japanese-to-English |
| 2017 | [15] | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2017 | [16] | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2017 | Undertale | Toby Fox | English-to-Japanese, console ports, console publishing[17] |
| 2017 | Egglia: Legend of the Redcap | DMM.com | Japanese-to-English |
| 2017 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2018 | Capcom | English translation support | |
| 2018 | Firewatch | Campo Santo | English-to-Japanese |
| 2018 | Slime Rancher | Monomi Park | English-to-Japanese |
| 2018 | Dragalia Lost | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English |
| 2018 | Return of the Obra Dinn | 3909 LLC | English-to-Japanese |
| 2018 | Deltarune: Chapter 1 | Toby Fox | English-to-Japanese, console ports, console publishing[18] |
| 2019 | ArtPlay | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2019 | Celeste | Extremely OK Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2019 | SaGa: Scarlet Grace - Ambitions | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2020 | Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! | Grounding | Japanese-to-English |
| 2020 | Tales of Crestoria | Bandai Namco Entertainment | Japanese-to-English |
| 2021 | Little Nightmares II | Bandai Namco Entertainment | English-to-Japanese |
| 2021 | Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2021 | Hades | Supergiant Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2021 | Nier Reincarnation | Square Enix | Japanese-to-English |
| 2021 | Spelunky | Mossmouth | English-to-Japanese |
| 2021 | Spelunky 2 | Mossmouth | English-to-Japanese |
| 2021 | Deltarune: Chapter 2 | Toby Fox | English-to-Japanese, console ports, console publishing |
| 2021 | Ikenfell[19] | Happy Star Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2021 | Superbrothers | English-to-Japanese, English-to-German | |
| 2022 | Disney Twisted-Wonderland | Aniplex of America | Japanese-to-English |
| 2022 | Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness | Ancient | Japanese-to-English, North American and European publishing |
| 2022 | Nintendo | Japanese-to-English | |
| 2023 | Out Zone | Bitwave Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2023 | Truxton | Bitwave Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2023 | Twin Cobra | Bitwave Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2023 | Zero Wing | Bitwave Games | English-to-Japanese |
| 2024 | Unicorn Overlord | Sega | Japanese-to-English |
| 2024 | Squid Shock Studios | English-to-Japanese | |
8-4 hosts a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to "Japan, video games, and Japanese video games", known as 8-4 Play. It is hosted by the "8-4some" consisting of Mark MacDonald, John Ricciardi, Sarah Podzorski, and Justin Epperson. Being located in Tokyo, 8-4 has the opportunity to attend and share news about many Japanese video game industry events such as Tokyo Game Show, Capcom's Captivate, and Grasshopper Manufacture's Hoppers. As 1UP.com and EGM alumni, they maintain many of their video game journalism connections including James Mielke (now of Q Entertainment), Shane Bettenhausen (Ignition Entertainment), and David Abrams (Cheap Ass Gamer), who make regular appearances as guests on the show. They also occasionally have prominent designers as guests such as Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Akira Yamaoka.[20] [21] Since 2012, episodes of the podcast have been hosted on Giant Bomb.[22] Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, 8-4 was involved in both Grasshopper Manufacture's Grasstream 2 charity event and , headed by Akira Yamaoka.