What do German players expect?
Germany is a dubbing market. In GWI survey data published by Statista in February 2022, 61% of German respondents watched foreign-language films and series in the dubbed version and 39% preferred the original audio with subtitles, while in the US and the UK 75 to 76% preferred subtitles[1]. Core players send a similar signal: in a poll of over 6,000 viewers of the PC Games YouTube channel, three quarters said they prefer to play with German dubbing, and the rest choose the original audio, with or without German subtitles[2]. That poll is self-selected and the article does not date it, so read it as a signal from enthusiasts rather than a market figure.
Subtitles matter in every scenario. Ubisoft reported that 60% of Assassin's Creed Origins owners turned subtitles on, and 70% on PC[3]; a year later its accessibility project manager put the share for The Division 2 at 75%[4]. Those figures cover all players rather than Germany alone, but the lesson carries over, and German subtitles belong in every option below, a full dub included.
Players also see the choice before they buy. Steam lets developers mark each language for Interface, Full Audio and Subtitles, and the store page shows it[5]. Baldur's Gate 3, Hades and Hades II list German interface and subtitles with English audio only, while Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, where I worked as recording engineer at GlobaLoc Berlin, lists full German audio[6]. Both routes are on the market. The demand evidence for German voice, and why no public dataset proves that dubbing lifts sales, is in the companion article Why German localization pays for indie games.
What are the options, and what do they cost?
German voice-over is not all or nothing. Here are five scopes, from text only to a full dub, and every one starts from the same adapted German script[7].
| Scope | What German players get | Cost basis | Fits when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text and subtitles | German interface, dialogue as subtitles, original audio | €0.10 per word plus €0.05 for editing | The game is text-led, or the voices are mostly atmosphere |
| Narrator or one voice | One German voice for narration, a tutorial or a guide character | Text, plus voice sessions from €180 in my voice | One voice carries the experience |
| Barks only | German combat shouts, reactions and calls; the story stays subtitled | Text, plus sessions from €180 in my voice; more voices quoted per project | Players hear lines while their eyes are on the action |
| Key scenes | Main story scenes voiced, side content subtitled | Text, plus a small cast in my booth or a cast from the Berlin pool, quoted per project | The story matters and the budget is indie |
| Full German dub | Every line voiced, subtitles still available | Text, plus a full cast with casting, remote direction and mastering in one number | The genre is voice forward and German wishlists are strong |
How do barks or key scenes get made?
A partial voice-over starts at the desk. Every spoken line is adapted against the source and fitted to the constraint the scene gives it, which is lip-sync where the engine demands it and time-constrained everywhere else[7]. That adaptation runs at the same word rate as the rest of the text[8]. Small casts I record in my own treated booth in Berlin. Larger casts I direct live while each actor records in their own studio, over Source Connect, Zoom or SessionLinkPRO, with casting through the Berlin voice pool of around 200 voices. Every line is spoken by a human actor and engineered by hand in Pro Tools.
To judge the acting without speaking German, play the nine character samples. Each card carries the German line with an English translation, and the set includes combat barks and a narrator. You can also hear me in the German version of Gears of War: E-Day. German audio tracks for your studio's YouTube devlogs are the job of the sister site localizegerman.com.
When are subtitles enough?
Subtitles carry a game well when the player sets the pace, as in menus, written lore and dialogue the player advances with a click. Voice earns its place where the game sets the pace, in combat, chases and scenes the player watches rather than reads. A practical order for an indie budget is German text and subtitles first, then a voice layer where it matters most, such as barks or key scenes, at launch or in a later update. The adapted script is the base for any recording, so starting with text keeps every option open.
The companion article adds a workable rule for audio: add it when the genre is voice forward, German wishlists are strong and the talent cost can be recovered from extra German sales. What the text side costs at 10,000 to 150,000 words is worked out in How much does German game localization cost?
Which scope fits your game?
Tell me about the game, the genre and where your German wishlists stand, and I will tell you honestly which scope makes sense, from subtitles only to a full cast. The call costs nothing, and a fixed quote follows within 48 hours.
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Frequently asked.
Do German players expect voice-over in indie games?
Many prefer it. In GWI survey data published by Statista in 2022, 61% of German respondents preferred dubbed films and series, and three quarters of over 6,000 PC Games YouTube viewers said they prefer German dubbing in games. German text and subtitles remain the foundation, and well-known games ship in German with subtitles only.
How much does German voice-over cost for an indie game?
My own voice sessions start at €180, recorded the same week in Berlin, with in-game usage included flat. Full casts from the Berlin voice pool are quoted per project, with casting, remote direction and mastering in one number. The text side runs €0.10 per word plus €0.05 for editing.
Can I voice only barks or key scenes in German?
Yes. Barks, a narrator or the main story scenes can be voiced while the rest stays subtitled. Each spoken line is adapted to its timing first, then recorded in my Berlin booth or with a remote cast.
Do you use AI voices?
No, I never use AI voices. Every line is spoken by a human actor and engineered by hand in Pro Tools.
Sources.
Player and viewer data
- [1] Statista (René Bocksch), "Deutsche schauen Filme lieber in ihrer Muttersprache", 18 February 2022, based on a GWI survey; the article gives no sample size (Germany: 61% watch foreign-language content in the dubbed version, 39% prefer original audio with subtitles; US and UK: 75 to 76% prefer subtitles). In German. de.statista.com ↩
- [2] PC Games (Carlo Siebenhüner), "Spiele auf Deutsch: Wie aufwendig sind Übersetzung und Synchronisation?", 5 April 2026 (poll of over 6,000 viewers of the PC Games YouTube channel, three quarters prefer playing with German dubbing, the rest original audio with or without German subtitles; poll date not given). In German. pcgames.de ↩
- [3] Ubisoft News, "How Ubisoft Is Putting the Spotlight on Accessibility", 17 May 2018 (Assassin's Creed Origins: subtitles turned on by 60% of all owners and 70% of PC owners). news.ubisoft.com ↩
- [4] Critical Hit (Brad Lang), "Subtitles are the best and most players agree on that, according to Ubisoft", 27 June 2019, reporting a thread by Ubisoft accessibility project manager David Tisserand (The Division 2: 75% of players turned subtitles on). criticalhit.net ↩
Steam
- [5] Valve / Steamworks documentation, "Localization and Languages" (options for Subtitles, Interface or Full Audio for each language, shown to customers). Undated documentation, checked 6 October 2026. partner.steamgames.com ↩
- [6] Steam store pages, language tables, checked 6 October 2026: Baldur's Gate 3, Hades and Hades II list German interface and subtitles, no German full audio; Kingdom Come: Deliverance II lists German interface, full audio and subtitles. [Baldur's Gate 3] [Hades] [Hades II] [Kingdom Come: Deliverance II] ↩
Elandir
- [7] Elandir homepage, sections "What I do", "Voice samples", "Why it costs less" and "Questions", checked 6 October 2026 (translation €0.10 per word, editing €0.05; voice sessions from €180; full casts quoted per project with casting, remote direction and mastering; Berlin voice pool of around 200 voices; in-game usage included flat, trailers and ads quoted separately; lip-sync and time-constrained adaptation). elandir.games/#what ↩
- [8] Elandir vendor profile, checked 6 October 2026 (dialogue adaptation and translation at €0.10 per word, €0.05 editing). elandir.games/vendor/ ↩