Honkai Star Rail devs explain how they filled the RPG with Chinese memes adapted for an English-speaking audience

gamesradar.com:

Honkai Star Rail is a Chinese game built with a global audience in mind, which can force developer Hoyoverse to get creative about translating cultural and pop culture references, which sometimes involves pinning it all on Guns N' Roses. 

In a recent issue of Play magazine, Hoyoverse touched on the localization process and the unique challenges that come up in an RPG so steeped in references and phrases rooted in not just Chinese society but sometimes literally Classical Chinese language. 

"The game unfolds within a world as expansive as the cosmos itself, boasting a plethora of diverse content, from an abundance of readable items that delve deep into the lore to dialogue-heavy interactions brimming with quippy humor, interesting characters, funny memes, relevant pop culture references, and relatable slang and idioms.

"Specifically, when it comes to Chinese pop culture references or memes, we find suitable English alternatives or create our own based on the context or setting of the game. For example, there is an in-game achievement that pays tribute to a song by Jay Chou, a well-known singer among Chinese speakers. Obviously, this reference would be lost on the average English reader if translated literally. Therefore, we translated it as 'Sweet Pom-Pom O'Mine' as a tribute to the classic rock song by Guns N' Roses. This name not only mirrors the original authorial intent but also hints at this specific achievement's connection to Pom-Pom."

Honkai Star Rail players have picked up on modernized lines like this since the game's release; the English version, in particular, frequently folds in modern Western meme culture. Other bits are explained rather than replaced where appropriate. Hoyoverse points to new five-star