I know Switch games I buy here automatically display in English, which is my system’s language setting. But I’m hesitant about buying PS5 games that are heavy in text, if they won’t display in English. If they display in only Japanese, how do you get around it? Do you just buy a foreign copy online?
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Yes. Basically all the games I’ve purchased in Japan have English settings regardless of whether I purchased them from Amazon Japan or in-store.
If your consoles default language is English that will be the default
If it’s digital, then it depends on the region of your psn account as to which version of the game you’ll get, etc.
For example, my version of Cyberpunk is the uncensored EMEA version, while my wife’s version is the censored Japanese one. Both on the same console FWIW.
All besides Elden Ring. Had to order the America version on Amazon.
It depends on the game. The majority of Japanese copies have English settings (either in the game or if you set your console to English), but surprisingly the Japanese copy of Elden Ring does not come with English menu or subtitle options, though the voices are always English. I was very surprised that such a best seller would be so limited, but every other Japanese game I’ve purchased physically (God of War Ragnarok, Spider-Man, Like a Dragon: Ishin, to name a few) have had English options.
Also, the Japanese copies of the majority of older games in the Yakuza series (0 – 6) only have Japanese language options, but the newer games (Like a Dragon, Lost Judgment, and Ishin (remake) that I mentioned above) have added English options. I suspect some older games could possibly have the same issue.
Many do, and those that don’t buy the disc from Singapore import and you’re good 🙂 I did that a lot back on my ps3 and 4.
I know ps4 games do but haven’t been able to get a ps5
As many people have already said, most games you download on the Japanese PS store should have an English setting. The only exceptions are games that are from Fromsoft or games specifically only meant to be published within Japan (like Visual Novels)
Get a PC and never worry about these questions again.
A lot do but there are definitely some that don’t – FromSoft games, Final Fantasy X (12 onwards were fine), Persona 5, Last Guardian and many older games that I’ve seen so far to name names. Often they won’t say which languages are included in the game info either, which is pretty infuriating.
To get around it – I either buy the PC version, Switch version, or order the imported disc, and having been burned a couple of times I now don’t buy a game unless it has language info included.
Does this not come down to publishers of the game, and if the game has a different release date here.
Basically due to licensing.
It really depends on the game. Many do have English language support, but due to licensing, quite a few don’t. COD on my PS4 doesn’t, for example.