Where is your game in its release journey?
A first international release, pre-launch checks and live operations each call for different materials and priorities. We first establish the project stage, then define the languages, staffing and delivery arrangements.
Define the world, terminology and file scope first
For teams preparing their first target languages, testing market response or creating multilingual versions for the first time. We handle narrative and functional text separately, confirm representative samples, then proceed with the full content batch.
- Suggested materials
- A gameplay overview, worldbuilding and character relationships, sample strings, target markets, estimated text volume and launch milestones.
- Key tasks
- Confirm languages and regional variants; establish terminology, character voice and non-translatable items; document missing context and questions requiring confirmation.
- Deliverables to agree
- Sample feedback, language style guidance, an initial glossary and a phased translation plan to provide a shared basis for subsequent work.
Put spreadsheet translations back where players see them
For teams with existing translations, language packs ready to import or a release approaching. We first distinguish text that needs renewed linguistic review from display and context issues that need checking in the game build.
- Suggested materials
- Confirmed translations, string IDs to check, a test build or screenshots, account access, steps to reach the relevant scenes and an agreed issue management method.
- Key tasks
- Check terminology, meaning, truncation, line breaks and variable display; log language issues in the agreed scenes for the development team to fix.
- Deliverables to agree
- A language issue log with versions, locations, screenshots and recommendations; regression checks after fixes within the agreed scope, with scenes not yet covered documented.
Keep new events, characters and patches on the same language standards
For projects with frequent events, DLC iterations or multiple language versions running in parallel. Using the approved version as a baseline, we distinguish new, changed and reused content so older text does not overwrite newer decisions.
- Suggested materials
- Version numbers, changed strings, release schedules, approved terminology, affected scenes and review contacts for each language.
- Key tasks
- Synchronize new character forms of address and item and skill names; handle event announcements and store information; flag how changes affect existing translations.
- Deliverables to agree
- Incremental language files, terminology updates, version comparisons and issue status records; rush batches and regular batches are confirmed separately.
Beyond dialogue,
across content inside and outside the game.
We divide work into packages by content purpose, sharing confirmed proper names, terminology and character details. Packages can be arranged separately or combined around release milestones; the specific services depend on the project assessment.
Worldbuilding, story and character dialogue
Main and side stories, character biographies, dialogue, quest descriptions and narration are handled with character relationships and event sequences in mind. We suggest approaches to humor, wordplay and cultural references, with significant rewrites subject to the project team's approval.
Check focus: character identity, forms of address, emotion, foreshadowing and surrounding context.
Items, skills and gameplay explanations
Skill effects, equipment attributes, status descriptions, resource names and tutorial prompts follow consistent naming and information order. We check values, durations, trigger conditions and negation, without adding gameplay details based on assumptions.
Check focus: terminology, values, units and the relationship between conditions and effects.
Interface and system strings
Menus, buttons, inventories, shops, achievements, errors and system notifications use wording that reflects the result of the action. String IDs, variables, rich text tags and agreed placeholders are preserved, with attention to character limits and mixed-script text.
Check focus: action intent, placeholders, length and display location.
Store pages and publishing communications
Game descriptions, key selling points, release notes, promotional video subtitles and media materials are adapted to the channel and intended players. Store content and in-game language work are scoped separately to prevent discrepancies between promotional copy and actual content.
Check focus: game facts, brand voice and the copy included for each channel.
Live events and player support
Event announcements, login rewards, limited-time rules, compensation notices, FAQs and support templates keep times, rewards and instructions consistent. For events spanning time zones, we confirm how times will be displayed first; complex rules go to the responsible business owner for review.
Check focus: timing, eligibility, reward restrictions and update batches.
Subtitles and voice-over script text
We handle subtitle text, speaker identification, line length, dialogue notes and pronunciation guidance as agreed. Recording, voice casting, audio production, technical integration and synchronization testing are not automatically included; they require separate assessment and clearly assigned responsibilities.
Check focus: speakers, tone, duration limits and the script version used for recording.
Different games call for different language priorities.
We first understand what players are doing, then decide how to express it. Genre, audience, text space and regional usage all affect how the same string should be handled.
Narrative / RPG
Focus on worldbuilding, character development and relationships, maintaining proper names, voice and narrative continuity; access to explanations containing spoilers follows the client's permissions.
Strategy / Management simulation
Focus on resources, construction, technology and quest rules, keeping system terminology and condition statements consistent and reducing ambiguous references in complex explanations.
Casual / Puzzle
Focus on short instructions, immediate feedback and new-player comprehension, controlling length to fit the interface and keeping the intended action clear without complicated sentences.
Competitive / Cooperative multiplayer
Focus on skills, classes, combat prompts and terms used in team communication, making targets and areas of effect clear while keeping information easy to recognize.
Define the regional variant as well as the language
Requests for Simplified or Traditional Chinese, English, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages should specify the target region first. For Japanese and Korean, provide character relationships and honorific conventions; for right-to-left languages, interface, number and mixed-script checks need separate confirmation. Specific languages, regional variants and staff availability are confirmed after reviewing the materials.
Explore supported languages ↗Expertise shows in the details.
A string is more than an isolated line of text. Its ID, interface location, character, variables and length requirements need to stay with the translation.
ui_inventory_fullSystem prompt · Preserve variables{player_name}，你的背包已满。
{player_name}, your inventory is full.
Identify what must stay unchanged first
Preserve the variable name exactly; use the approved UI term for the inventory. If space is limited, confirm an abbreviation or adjustment before proceeding, without removing the variable without approval.
ui_reward_claimButton · Action intent领取
Illustrative translationClaim
Match the wording to the button's result
Choose wording for the reward-claiming action in this context, then check it against the terms on the rewards page and in event instructions. Whether it fits still needs checking with the font and actual control.
npc_elder_warningCharacter dialogue · Voice guidance少侠，前路凶险，务必小心。
Illustrative translationTread carefully, young hero. Danger lies ahead.
Read the line through the character's identity
Reflect an elder's warning to a young adventurer while preserving their relationship. Confirm whether to retain particular forms of address and phrasing against the worldbuilding, character sheet and overall style.
All examples above are fictional demonstrations, not client source material, actual deliverables or prescribed translations. Work on a real project follows the game's context, confirmed style and review feedback.
A shared terminology reference
Record IDs, source terms, translations, notes and status for characters, locations, items and skills, distinguishing proposed names from approved names.
A character voice sheet
Document identities, relationships, speaking styles, common forms of address and expressions to avoid, giving language professionals a shared reference when working on the same character.
A record of questions and decisions
Raise questions when meaning is unclear, source text conflicts or setting details are missing; retain the client's answers and applicable versions, without turning guesses into final copy.
Review the text, check it in-game,
then follow issues through to resolution.
Text that is correct in a spreadsheet may still be unsuitable in-game. Linguistic quality assurance (LQA) must be planned around the available build, scenes and checklist; playing through once cannot substitute for the agreed coverage.
Translation and linguistic review
- Check meaning, grammar, untranslated content, character forms of address and terminology consistency.
- Check values, variables, tags and agreed non-translatable items.
- Use character and scene notes to resolve references, emotion and context.
- Record setting questions that still require client confirmation, without masking ambiguity with fluent wording.
Language checks within the agreed scope
- Check display locations, line breaks, truncation, overlap and font glyph rendering.
- Check button results, prompt targets and quest flows against the translation's meaning.
- Link screenshots, scene access paths, string IDs, languages and game versions.
- Document scenes that could not be reached; after development fixes, perform regression checks within the agreed scope.
What should a traceable issue record contain?
Priorities and closure rules are confirmed at kickoff. Language professionals report language and display issues, the development team implements technical changes, and the project lead resolves disputed items and confirms what is acceptable for release.
Service responsibilities: language checks do not automatically include functional, performance, security, age-rating or platform compliance reviews, nor do they guarantee publishing approval. Questions about cultural expression can be documented and submitted to the project team for a decision; any specialist review requires a separately defined scope.
From the first sample to the next version update.
Make inputs, responsibilities and delivery milestones clear. Schedule translation, client review, technical import and language checks separately, leaving time for revisions and regression checks.
- 01
Scope assessment and kickoff
Confirm the game type, target markets, languages, text volume, file formats and release milestones; specify whether review, store pages, subtitles and language checks are included, and agree communication and confidentiality arrangements.
- 02
Context preparation and sample approval
Review game materials and representative scenes, then organize terminology and character voice guidance. Confirm separate samples for narrative, functional prompts and other content types, with named reviewers and an agreed feedback format.
- 03
Phased translation and query resolution
Work by content module or milestone, recording ambiguity and conflicting setting details; identify differences and versions when the source changes, without treating a provisional answer as a rule for the entire project.
- 04
Linguistic review and file checks
Review translations against confirmed terminology and style, checking IDs, placeholders, numbers, completeness and output format, and prepare a delivery checklist and list of open items.
- 05
Build import and in-context checks
The development team imports the agreed language files; once testing conditions are available, carry out language checks within scope, report issues, arrange fixes and regression checks, and document anything that cannot be verified.
- 06
Final handover and incremental maintenance
Confirm final language files, terminology status and the version baseline. Handle subsequent DLC, events and patches as new or changed items, synchronizing approved changes across related content.
Deliver more than translated text.
Give your team what it needs to continue.
The following deliverables can be combined for each project; they are not a fixed package automatically included in every engagement. File formats, language variants, content scope and acceptance criteria are defined at kickoff.
Localized text files
Deliver string tables or language files in the agreed format, preserving IDs, variables, tags and field relationships; identify the source baseline and target language variant.
Terminology and character style references
Hand over confirmed character, item, skill and interface terminology, explaining its scope, status and key wording decisions to support continued reuse.
Issue and revision records
Distinguish items awaiting client confirmation, language corrections, source changes and new requirements; record decisions and associated versions so the team can trace them.
Language check and regression records
If LQA is included, deliver issues, screenshots and status within the agreed coverage, identifying scenes not covered and the results of checks after fixes.
Release materials and subsequent updates
Deliver store pages, announcements and help text separately according to the checklist. Text reuse, revision scope and maintenance arrangements for later versions are confirmed separately.
A clear point of contact at every step
Project manager
Manages scope, versions, delivery milestones and issue routing, consolidating feedback across languages and matters requiring client decisions.
Translators and reviewers
Assignments are assessed by game type, language direction and specific task. They apply terminology and style guidance and check the text; review responsibilities are confirmed in the project plan.
Language testers
Check agreed builds and scenes, recording locations and evidence; keep their records aligned with the versions of text revisions and development fixes.
Client product and development teams
Provide setting details and testing conditions, confirm gameplay, business rules and proposed rewrites, and take responsibility for technical changes and final release decisions.
Events keep changing.
Your language standards should not start over.
For ongoing projects, first establish the approved text baseline, terminology and version numbers, then handle new strings, source changes and confirmed translations separately. Character renaming, skill adjustments or changes to reward rules should identify affected interfaces and announcements, so changes extend beyond a single spreadsheet.
Delivery can be phased by language and priority, recording each batch's content, open questions and release window. Reused text still needs checking in its new context; rush work and added scope are scheduled after fees, staffing and timing are confirmed, without assuming that urgent updates qualify for unconditional immediate delivery.
Documented experience. A practical approach.
We put our experience in game language services into practice through context preparation, terminology maintenance and version communication. Each language plan reflects the new project's content, target markets and delivery scope.
Jeonbuk game localization for overseas markets
SENIOR TRANS participated in language services associated with the overseas market support program for games in South Korea's Jeonbuk region. The experience involved context preparation, organizing game terminology and character voice guidance, and checking text within the game environment.
For similar needs, share worldbuilding materials, character relationships, sample strings and testing conditions first, so we can assess how to bring story, interfaces and version updates into one language plan.
View the project background and work involved ↗The case page details the project background and scope of language service participation. The release performance of any particular game is not a promise of language service results.ISO 9001:2015
Quality management system certification covering translation services, excluding branch offices. Project plans put requirements, review and delivery checks into practice.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Information security management system certification covering information security management activities related to translation services, excluding branch offices.
Institutional member of the Translators Association of China
Staffing is assessed by language, game type and scope of work; the applicable service scope and review requirements are confirmed before collaboration begins.
Access, transfer and retention arrangements for unreleased story content, test accounts, project files and player data are confirmed before the project starts. Confidential content is not entered into external AI services or other online tools without prior agreement. Learn about confidentiality arrangements · View company credentials
Define the work before confirming cost and timing.
A word-count quote does not cover every aspect of a project. After reviewing the materials, we separately confirm translation, review, technical coordination and language check scopes, so missing steps are identified before launch.
Text and language work
The source language, target languages and regions, actual text volume, repeated and new content, narrative complexity, sample requirements and review requirements all inform the assessment. Existing translations need quality and usage-rights checks before reuse.
Build and scene checks
The languages to check, number of scenes, available builds, trigger conditions, screenshots or account permissions, and regression rounds affect the language testing workload. Responsibility for technical import and fixes is specified separately in the plan.
Release and revision windows
The translation deadline is not the final launch date; client review, source changes, development import and regression checks also take time. New text, a different baseline or additional languages are assessed for impact before the plan is adjusted.
Tell us about your game.
Start with a clear brief.
You can start the conversation before all materials are ready. Send a non-confidential project overview or a redacted sample first, then agree how to transfer the full files. Do not share test account passwords or players' personal information publicly.
- Game and marketsGame type, gameplay overview, target regions, source language and target languages.
- Text and filesRepresentative samples, estimated workload, string IDs, file formats and source version.
- Setting and language referencesWorldbuilding, character relationships, glossaries, existing translations, style requirements and reviewers.
- Technical and testing conditionsVariable and tag rules, length limits, screenshots, test builds and instructions for triggering scenes.
- Scope and deliverablesWhether store pages, live operations announcements, subtitles, language checks and subsequent updates are included.
- Timing and confidentialityFirst-batch and final delivery milestones, client review windows, access permissions and material transfer requirements.
Questions before we begin.
Can we start with a string table and no test build?
We can first assess text translation and review. Speaker details, scene notes, variable explanations and length limits are recommended. Entries lacking context are raised as queries. Without an available build, file review is not described as completed in-game checking; the actual display needs to be checked later against screenshots or a test build.
Can you review existing translations or provide language checks only?
We first assess the quality of existing translations, the corresponding source version and what can be reused, then define a plan for review, retranslation or in-game checks. Text volume, issue density and testing conditions affect the work arrangements. Language checks alone do not automatically include systematic retranslation of all existing text.
How do you keep characters, items and skills consistent across languages?
First establish the source baseline, proper-name explanations, character relationships and terminology decisions, then work with the characteristics of each language. Terminology status, client answers and setting changes need to be shared across the relevant languages. Consistency means preserving the same setting details and meaning, rather than mechanically using identical sentence structures in different languages.
Can you handle string files in CSV, Excel, JSON and other formats?
Send representative files first so we can assess fields, encoding, variables and output requirements. Before kickoff, confirm which columns to retain, how to mark non-translatable items and who will validate imports; receiving language files does not automatically include integration into the game project or plugin development.
Can AI or machine translation be used for story dialogue?
Tool use first requires confirmation of client authorization, data requirements, the nature of the text and human review arrangements. Unreleased setting details and confidential materials must not be entered into external services without agreement. Character voice, humor and ambiguous text require contextual review; tool output cannot replace the agreed linguistic review and in-context checks.
How are deadlines and subsequent revisions arranged?
Deadlines are confirmed based on files, languages, text stability, review windows and testing conditions. Priorities and phased delivery can be discussed, with revision scope, feedback rounds and timing agreed in the plan. New text, source revisions or additional scenes to check are assessed for their impact on fees and scheduling first.
