Texts used in graphics within the game, such as posters, maps, or signs, may be diegetic (fulfilling an informative or cosmetic function) or non-diegetic, or even used for the third-party advertisement of a product. For the purposes of translation, the context in which they appear has paramount importance, given their different relationships to the game world and their ensuing functionality. Similar to the approach discussed earlier, textual graphics also tend to require a pragmatic and function-oriented translation strategy, usually under the imposition of limited space. A case in point is the Japanese localization of the label on crates featured in the US game Crash Bandicoot (1996), a game in which considerable effort was spent on localization and which subsequently did well on the Japanese market as a result of its elaborate localization approach (Thayer and Kolko 2004). The letters "TNT" written on the side of the crates were replaced in the Japanese version by the picture of a bomb (DeLaHunt 2004, 9). This can be considered as a functional approach most appropriate for the target user group.

Logo art needs to conform to prior legal or marketing decisions. Printed materials are by definition usually non-diegetic and are designed to help players familiarize themselves with the game system although such sources may be resorted to only after the player becomes stuck in a game or never be consulted. As we illustrated in Figure 1, in some cases drastic rearrangement of information and layout changes may be needed to suit the text type conventions for such manuals in the target market or as a requirement for the particular game, which may be markedly different especially between Japanese and their Western counterparts. And such detailed attention being given to the design of the manual may never be appreciated by gamers. However, in some titles game designers rely on the player's understanding of certain specific instructions explained in the manual. A case in point is the early Sci-Fi action adventure game by Nintendo StarTropics (1990), which contained a letter in the game's package. Players discover later in the game that they are asked to dip the letter in water to reveal a secret code which they need to progress in the game. This may also be an attempt by the publisher to prevent circulation of illicit copies of the game. From a translation perspective, this type of arrangement requires the intended link to be maintained between a non-diegetic asset and a diegetic one where "a paratextual element becomes part of the game world" (Ensslin 2012, 59). For this reason, functional translation approaches are needed to preserve the intended communicative purpose of instructing the players.

More recent trends to move exclusively to e-manuals and also to embed tutorial sessions in games themselves may see a reduced demand for print manuals in future. Given the need for consonance between the manual and in-game text assets, the streamlining of digital text will further justify an increased use of CAT tools to maintain and manage standardized use of terminology and phraseology across different assets. Finally, major games have other related paratextual materials to be translated, such as websites and other advertising, legal, or health and safety documents. While the consistency of certain key language, including proper names, is essential, marketing texts tend to require the added skill of creative writing to be persuasive to the consumer. The closer links between games and movies through tie-ins will also bring the need to retain key terminology and to have IP-protected names translated in a manner consistent with the pre-existing translation.

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