From Gamer to Polyglot: How to Master a New Language Through Video Games

Do you want to learn a new language but you're tired of grinding through dry textbooks? It's time to press Start on a more entertaining approach: video games! Your mom may insist that gaming will "rot your brain," but if used correctly, it can be an incredibly effective (and seriously fun!) way to level up your language skills.

Let's face it: traditional language learning methods can feel like you're stuck in a tutorial level that never ends. But games? They're the perfect XP farm for your linguistic journey. Thanks to the masterful integration of play, adventure, and variable rewards, games don't require you to constantly muster the motivation needed to show up every day. You just want to. So you do!

But as good as games can be for language acquisition, remember that building fluency is a marathon, not a speedrun. You won't become fluent overnight. That said, each gaming session will earn you valuable experience points in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. And before you know it, you'll be ready to take on the final boss: actual conversations with native speakers!

Why Games are So Effective for Language Learning

① Video Games Are Extremely Contextual, Immersive & Engaging

Games create vivid visual contexts, so you can better follow what is happening compared with books or podcasts. And the depth and detail of the world building exceeds that of most blockbuster films. In fact, many popular games cost nearly as much as (or even more than!) popular films.

Consider the following AAA game development costs:

• Grand Theft Auto V: $265 million

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: $250 million

• Red Dead Redemption 2: $540 million

Compare that with the following blockbuster films:

• Avatar: The Way of Water: $350-460 million

• Avengers: Endgame: $356 million

• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: $379 million

Moreover, AAA game production timelines usually hover around 3 to 5 years, versus the comparatively brief 1 to 2 year production cycle of films.

All of this time and money leads to a major boon for language learners: increased engagement and automatic motivation. When you're trying to save the princess or solve an ancient mystery, you're naturally motivated to understand what NPCs are telling you. That merchant might be holding the key item you need, so you'd better figure out what they're saying! This creates what linguists call "meaningful input" — you're learning because you actually want to understand, not just finish a chapter or pass a test.

⚠️ Warning: But please keep in mind that the very thing that makes video games supremely effective for language learning (i.e. they’re designed to be as fun and addictive as possible), also makes them potentially problematic. Far too many people have let their health and relationships atrophy while getting caught up in gaming, so please only use them if you know you can limit use and still maintain a healthy life outside of the game. Always remember that the goal is to use the game to enable you to better communicate with real homo sapiens out in the physical world.

② Video Games Allow for Mistakes & Repetition Without Boredom or Embarrassment

The beauty of learning through games is that there really is no "game over" (mistakes and missteps simply provide more opportunities to practice). And there aren't any awkward real-life consequences to repeating something over and over. Didn't understand that dialogue the first time? No worries! Unlike human-to-human conversations where asking someone to repeat themselves five times will make you and your interlocutor want to die, you can replay that cutscene as many times as you need. Your only penalty is a few seconds of loading time.

③ Video Games Let You Practice Multiple Skills at Once

Depending on the game, you can:

1. Boost your listening skills by trying to decipher dialogues.

2. Practice reading the language via subtitles, item descriptions, etc.

3. Build spoken fluency speaking with other players via a headset.

4. Improve your writing skills and typing speed.

How to Choose the Right Video Games for Language Learning

So which games should you queue up for your language learning adventure?

RPGs are arguably the best genre of video games to build fluency. They're packed with dialogue, keep you hooked with rich storytelling, and include plenty of reading practice, too.

💡 Pro Tip: Before buying a game, make sure that audio and subtitles are available in your target language. And then remember to change the language settings before you play.

For beginners, life simulation games like Animal Crossing or The Sims are perfect starting points. The conversations tend to be simpler, more repetitive, and often relate to everyday life. Plus, who doesn't want to learn how to say "I need to water my flowers" or "My house is on fire" in Japanese? 😆

For intermediate learners, epic adventure games like Final Fantasy or The Legend of Zelda can provide weeks of useful target-language exposure, and a great sense of accomplishment when you finally complete the games.

For more advanced levels, consider the following genres:

Visual Novels and Interactive Fiction:

• Ace Attorney series: Features complex legal terminology and wordplay

• Disco Elysium: Rich in philosophical discussions and political theory

• 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim: Combines sci-fi vocabulary with intricate storytelling

• Steins;Gate: Explores scientific concepts and cultural references

Story-Heavy RPGs:

• Persona series: Deals with psychology, social issues, and contemporary life

• The Witcher series: Features complex political intrigue and moral dilemmas

• Planescape: Torment: Known for its philosophical themes and elaborate vocabulary

• NieR: Automata: Explores existential themes with sophisticated dialogue

Strategy and Simulation Games:

• Civilization VI: Includes diplomatic negotiations and historical terminology

• Crusader Kings III: Features complex political and diplomatic language

• Rimworld: Contains detailed medical and technical vocabulary

Where to Get Video Games

⚠️ Warning: Beware that some video game consoles are region-free, while others will only work with games purchased in the same region. For example, the Sony PlayStation 4, the Sony PlayStation Vita, and the Microsoft Xbox One will all play foreign games. However, if you own a Nintendo 3DS or Wii U purchased in the U.S., they won’t play games from other countries.

Amazon

You can find a number of console video games on Amazon, and many include free shipping for Prime members. You can simply search for a title, or refine your search by game platform, average customer ratings, etc. using the checkboxes on the left.

💡 Pro Tip: Learning Chinese or Japanese? I also suggest searching for your game of choice followed by “Chinese/Japanese edition” or "中文版/日本語版."

Battle.net

Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net is the online home to four of the most famous PC video game franchises:

1. World of Warcraft: A massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players explore a fantasy world, complete quests, and battle monsters alongside millions of other players.

2. Call of Duty: A fast-paced first-person shooter series with both battle royale and traditional multiplayer modes, including historic, contemporary, and futuristic war scenarios.

3. Diablo: An action role-playing game where players choose a character class to fight through hordes of demons while collecting increasingly powerful loot.

4. StarCraft: A real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the 25th century within the distant Koprulu Sector of the Milky Way galaxy, with 3 distinct factions: Terrans (human exiles), Zerg (insectoid aliens), and Protoss (technologically advanced humanoids).

Today, their games are enjoyed by millions of players worldwide, with fan-favorite features like cross-game chat, unified friends lists, digital game purchases, and seamless multiplayer matchmaking.

💡 Pro Tip: You can change the language settings in the desktop app.

Garena

Garena is one of the most popular online gaming platforms in Taiwan. Here are some of the most popular games available on the platform:

Free Fire

• Garena's flagship mobile battle royale game

• Extremely popular in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and India

• Known for running smoothly on lower-end devices

• Available in multiple languages, including Indonesian, Thai, and Portuguese

League of Legends (LoL)

• Garena operates LoL servers in Southeast Asia

• Popular in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

• Features region-specific events and promotions

• Available in specific regions only

FIFA Online

• Popular in several Asian markets

• Free-to-play version available

• Especially popular in Thailand and Vietnam

Call of Duty

• Garena operates servers for certain Southeast Asian regions

• Features local events and tournaments

• Strong player base in Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines

• Available in specific regions only

Speed Drifters

• Racing game popular in Southeast Asian markets

• Mobile-focused with social features

• Available in multiple regional languages

💡 Pro Tip: In Mandarin Chinese, the gaming platform is called Jìng-wǔ-yú-lè (競舞娛樂 · 竞舞娱乐). The characters literally translate to "compete" (競), "dance" (舞), and "entertainment" (娛樂), so you can interpret 競舞娛樂 as "Competitive Dance Entertainment." But keep in mind that most native speakers don't think of it this way; to them, it's just a name.

⚠️ Warning: The one big downside is that, depending on your region, you will need a virtual private network to play some of their games. I personally use NordVPN.

Steam

Steam is a popular gaming platform created by Valve with hundreds and hundreds of games, an active community, and support for 28 different languages. Here are some of the most popular games available on the platform:

Counter-Strike 2

• Available in 20+ languages

• Full audio and text localization

• One of Steam's most played games globally

• Particularly popular in Brazil, Europe, and CIS regions (Commonwealth of Independent States comprised of former Soviet Union countries)

DOTA 2

• Supports 25+ languages with full translation

• Extensive voice acting in multiple languages

• Huge international esports scene

• Very popular in China, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe

Red Dead Redemption 2

• Features 11 fully voiced languages

• Complete subtitle support for additional languages

• Highly detailed localization including cultural references

• Strong attention to regional dialects and accents

Baldur's Gate 3

• Available in 9 fully voiced languages

• Extensive subtitle options

• Over 174K lines of voiced dialogue

• Known for high-quality localization

Stardew Valley

• Supports 13 languages

• Community-driven translations

• Simple but comprehensive vocabulary

• Great for language learners due to its casual pace and everyday topics

Civilization VI

• Available in 12 languages

• Includes historical and cultural terminology

• Excellent for learning specialized vocabulary

• Features narration by native speakers

So next time someone tells you you're wasting time playing video games, just tell them:

"Hey, I'm not procrastinating; I'm learning a language!

Time to respawn your language learning journey with a controller in hand. Trust me, it's much more fun than memorizing conjugation tables and it's far more effective to boot. And hey, even if you mess up, there's always the option to reload your last save point!

Game over? More like game on!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go grind some French vocabulary in Stardew Valley. Those crops won't sell themselves!