We believe in processes and in humans. We follow a 5-layer process that consists of different pairs of eyes and minds coming together, adding their individual experiences and knowledge to raise the bar.
1. Matching & gathering
Once we agree on terms, we match the project with the most suitable linguists for the tasks. Everyone has a genre of games they like better, and we believe that working on something you’d play increases output quality and motivation.
We then put all the linguists together in a group to ensure smooth communication and mutual collaboration. These groups are also a safe environment for brainstorming and discussing the best approach for the project. We prefer to work in teams of three: 1 translator, 1 reviewer and 1 PM. That builds familiarity with the client and the game, and keeps things consistent from start to finish.
2. Preparation phase
No good localization can be done without proper preparation. We share all the references with our linguists and give them time to prepare. Everything is easily accessible so they can always refresh their memory. We also recommend books, movies, and games related to the game’s setting and cultural background, so they can get closer to the material.
3. Translation phase
Considering availability, a healthy number of words per day, and the size of the project, we start handing over the files. The translators in our team are carefully selected through a test and assessed on 5 main qualities: linguistic knowledge, proactive approach, active engagement, professionalism and reliability.
4. Review phase
Every translator is required to deliver a publish-ready file. That means they need to do their own QA (Quality Assurance) step so the reviewer can focus on giving a last stylistic polish, ensuring glossary consistency and improving the general quality of the text. Reviewers run their own QA pass too and carry the big responsibility of making sure everything is good and ready to go.
5. Delivery phase
Before delivering, our PMs do a last check to see if character limits are being respected, the text is free of typos and glossary is 100% followed. PMs and reviewers occupy trusted positions and are always communicating with each other to check possible flaws, monitor the quality of the translations and make sure the process is being followed smoothly by all parties involved.
We believe in a culture of respectful feedback in every job, not only when things go south. And this goes to everyone, from our newly hired translator to the founder of the company.