An issue for many non-English Windows users is having their username or installation folder in a non-Latin script (e.g., Chinese characters). The game may fail to save properly or launch. This is because the game's engine cannot read the path correctly.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA Games\Need for Speed(TM) Rivals Locate and modify these strings: Locale : Change value to en_US .
If the game is installed but stuck in a different language (common with regional versions), you can often force it to English via the Windows Registry: Press Win + R , type , and hit Enter.
Find where your game is installed. The default directories usually are: C:\Program Files\EA Games\Need for Speed Rivals Need For Speed Rivals English Language Files
You may have installed a Russian, Polish, or other regional version that does not include English audio or text by default to save disk space.
Knowing which languages your specific version supports is crucial before trying to change them.
If the English language files are missing or the game is locked to another language, several technical procedures can be applied: Method A: Modifying the Windows Registry An issue for many non-English Windows users is
If you are missing the actual files, you may need to source them from a complete English installation or an ISO archive
A: Need for Speed Rivals was designed to rely on the launcher (Origin/Steam) or system settings for language selection, similar to many games of that era. A manual in-game switcher was never implemented.
This is the most common fix for EA games that default to a non-English language , and hit Enter. Navigate to: Need For Speed Rivals English Language Files
The language files in Need for Speed Rivals are stored in a specific subfolder within the game's main directory. You'll need to navigate to this folder for any manual modifications or troubleshooting.
Navigating the language files of Need for Speed Rivals can range from a simple drop-down menu in Steam to a manual file-swapping operation for a repack. By understanding the game's underlying file structure — specifically the .sb and .toc files in the Loc folder — you can take full control of the game's language.
The English language data for Need For Speed Rivals is not stored in a single .ini file. It is spread across two critical folders inside your game directory: