SteamGUIDE

Steam localization: languages, store page and ROI

29 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

Valve says over 60% of Steam users use it in a language other than English. Localization is how you reach them, and Steam treats the store page and the game as two separate jobs. This guide covers both, the two levels of language support, localized names and Valve's advice on which languages pay off, from its localization and supported languages docs, checked 29 Oct 2026.

Two kinds of localization

Steam supports store page localization and in-game localization. You can do either on its own, but Valve says supporting both is ideal. One rule ties them together: language support is set by the in-game language settings, not by the store page. Translating your store page does not make the game count as supporting that language.

Localizing the store page

▪You can localize the written description, images and trailers.

▪Every text editor in the Steamworks partner portal has a language drop-down in the top right; pick a language and enter its copy.

▪Announcements on your Community Hub and store page can be localized too, in the Localization section of the Events and Announcements tool.

Valve's tip. If you translate the store page into languages you are only considering for the game, watch your regional wishlists. They show where the game might be popular and which languages may deserve priority.

Capsule and artwork override text has its own localization rule, covered in Steam capsule art sizes.

In-game languages

▪For each language, tell customers whether the game supports Interface, Full Audio or Subtitles.

▪Set the base languages the game supports on the Manage Depots page. This is required.

▪Little language-specific content? Use one depot and call ISteamApps::GetCurrentGameLanguage to read the player's selected language.

▪A lot of language-specific data? Valve recommends one depot per language, so Steam only delivers the content for the language the player runs.

▪Achievement names and descriptions are localized in the Achievement Localization section of the App Admin panel; the API returns the string for the player's language.

▪The Gold Master tool can tailor the self-installing package to the player's language.

Sources: Localization and languages. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.

Localized game and package names

Set a localized product name in General Application Settings, in the Steamworks Settings section. Players running Steam in that language see it, and it overrides the name from the Store Page section for that language, so the store and Library names match.

▪The localized name drives search suggestions in that language, with the base name used as a fallback.

▪Some legacy apps and APIs are not language-aware and show the fallback name.

▪Package names can be localized too: select the package, click edit package name, add a localized name.

▪Valve says localizing the name is subject to the same limitations as changing your game name.

The two levels of language support

Valve's overview says Steam has full official support for 29 languages across many platform features. Its language list splits support in two:

▪Full Platform Support. Languages players can run the Steam client and browse the store in; Valve translates the client, the store and the Community into them. They are the only languages the Steamworks APIs support.

▪Game Support Only. Languages you can select to show what your game supports, such as Hindi, Hebrew, Persian, Croatian, Catalan, Filipino and Welsh. They show on the store page, players can search by them, and you set them in the edit store section. The Steamworks APIs do not support them.

Arabic is a special case: it works for game depots and per-game language selection, but the Steam client is not translated into Arabic, so players cannot run Steam in it. Some API codes are easy to get wrong:

▪Chinese (Simplified): schinese

▪Chinese (Traditional): tchinese

▪Korean: koreana

▪Portuguese-Brazil: brazilian

▪Spanish-Spain: spanish

▪Spanish-Latin America: latam

Those are the codes for the client-side Steamworks API. The Steamworks Web API uses a different set, such as zh-CN, ko and pt-BR; the full table is in Valve's languages doc.

English is the fallback. If your game supports none of the Full Platform languages, you still enter store descriptions, capsules and the rest under English. Valve says English needs content, even if that content is actually in another language.

Sources: Languages supported on Steam. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.

Which languages pay off

In Valve's words, you should not feel the need to localize for every language, and not every language will see the same return. Plan with your store page traffic, sales and community feedback; for language use across Steam, Valve points to the Steam Hardware Survey (expand the language row). Its advice:

▪The less a language looks like English, the higher the expected return. Many customers in Asian territories do not speak English, while many in European countries do.

▪Steam favors products that are localized.

▪Do not confuse language with geography. Language preferences vary independently of location, so a language you add should be available to all your customers, not one region.

▪Ship new languages as an update. Tell players with a Community Announcement and an Update Visibility Round, and consider a sale if the update is big enough.

Choosing a translation vendor

▪Some vendors are stronger in certain regions' languages; compare price sheets.

▪Decide whether you need translation only, or translation plus localization QA. One company can translate and another check it, as an unbiased sanity check.

▪Weigh how hard your game is to localize: text heavy, lore heavy, or globally relatable.

▪Ask each vendor for a list of games and exactly what they did on each: game content, technical manuals or just marketing.

▪Players who speak other languages can give feedback directly, for example in a dedicated sub-forum.

Sources: Localization and languages. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.

Where a broadcast fits

A new language is a reason to bring players back to your store page, and Valve's advice is to announce it with an update and a visibility round. When they arrive, a live broadcast shows the game running, whatever language they read the page in. Loopcast keeps a store page broadcast running from an uploaded video, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed. The rest of the page is in the store page checklist.

FAQ

How many people use Steam in a language other than English?

Valve says over 60% of Steam users use it in a language other than English.

Does translating my store page count as language support on Steam?

No. Valve says language support is determined by the in-game language settings, not the store page. A localized game should consider localizing its store page too.

Which languages should I localize my Steam game into first?

Valve says you do not need every language and returns differ. Use store page traffic, sales, community feedback and regional wishlists. Its rule of thumb: the less a language looks like English, the higher the expected return.

What is the difference between Full Platform Support and Game Support Only?

Full Platform languages are ones players can run the Steam client and store in, and the only ones the Steamworks APIs support. Game Support Only languages just show on your store page what the game supports, and players can search by them.

My game has no English. What do I enter in the English fields?

Your store description, capsules and other content still go under English. Valve says English is Steam's fallback language and needs content, even if that content is in another language.

Keep going

ChecklistStore page checklistEvery capsule size, screenshot rule and trailer setting.MarketingSteam visibility roundsFive free front-page rounds, and what the algorithm ignores.Store pageSteam artwork overridesCapsule text for updates and events, the rules and setup.Store pageSteam capsule art sizesEvery capsule, library and event image, with the text rules.

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