6 Critical Questions to Consider When Choosing Localization Partners for Your Video Game

Most studios won’t think of localization until months before their game’s launch. Then, they’re tasked with a tough choice between a dozen offers from localization providers, all with widely different terms and claims.

To pick one that’s aligned with your goals and values, you’ll need to ask yourself the right questions. This guide shows you critical points to consider and what the answers to each question mean to your game.

Ready? Let’s go!

1. Which Languages Should You Localize Into?

Some agencies handle a wide range of languages, marketing that as a key differential: "We can localize your game into 40+ languages.” They may offer progressive discounts as you purchase more languages for localization. Or, if their offer is evenly tied to a competitor, they might throw in a few additional languages at no extra cost.

Bigger numbers are attractive. In this case, they also mean your game’s discoverability will be higher in the languages you localize it into. However, before you decide to make your game available in as many languages as possible within a fixed budget, consider two factors: the quality and the expected ROI of each language.

Poor localization quality is likely to result in lower game ratings, while superior quality can attract positive reviews. As for the expected ROI, this heavily depends on your game’s genre and platforms.

The following languages are generally considered the top 10 localization ROI:

• EFIGS (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish)
• CJK (Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
• Russian
• Portuguese (Brazil)

Additional languages with strong player bases are:

• Traditional Chinese
• Polish
• Turkish
• Arabic

Analyze market data from your game (if already released) or from similar competitors to decide whether to add or remove some languages from the above lists. By doing that research, you may discover, for example, that your Polish player base is larger than one of the top 10. Or that your game is more popular in Latin America than Spain so you know which variant is better for you.

2. How Much Do They Charge?

Pricing is the #1 factor for many game studios. While saving costs is a reasonable concern, think of localization as an investment. The less you invest, the less you get. Once you request quotes from agencies, you’ll probably see one group of partners charging €0.12–0.16 per word and another bidding half that amount.

Stay away from the second group unless you’re okay with just a slight increase in your game’s discoverability rather than actual market penetration.?As mentioned in question 1, high localization quality can help boost your overall game review score.

Hiring freelancers directly is also a popular cost-saving option, but there are considerations to make. First, is there anyone in your studio with localization experience? Managing a localization project is a role in itself. Do you have enough bandwidth to prepare files for hand-off and delivery, handle questions and requests from translators, and keep work on track? Also, you should avoid dirt-cheap translators from platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.

3. What Is Their Turnaround Time?

Lightning-fast delivery times usually mean your game will be localized by a machine or split among many translators. For an in-depth look at where exactly AI and machine translation falls short, check out this article by Jennifer O'Donnell et al. published on the IGDA website.

Chopping your translation files into multiple slices can lead to style and terminology inconsistencies. Splitting the work isn’t inherently bad, and for AA and AAA games, it's the only course of action. However, you should ask your agency which steps are in place to reduce these risks. They’ll need a comprehensive style guide for each language and a glossary with automated QA checks to flag terminology inconsistencies.

To avoid the need for rushed deliveries, try integrating localization into your workflow as early as possible, preferably once your game text’s first draft is ready.

4. Do They Ask Enough Questions?

Quality-first localization partners will seek comprehensive information on your video game. They’ll ask about:

• Gameplay mechanics
• Similar games that inspired yours
• Target audience
• Age rating
• Do’s and dont’s
• Game world (setting, storyline, characters, plot)
• Visual references

They’ll also anticipate common localization decisions — such as your culturalization preferences and whether to translate certain proper nouns — and present suggestions proactively.

Be wary of agencies that show little curiosity for your game or overconfidence in their own ‘tried-and-tested solutions.’

5. What Size Is Their Company?

If you’re a small and passionate team, you want to favor localization partners who are involved with your product. Smaller translation companies tend to offer a more artisanal approach, as clients aren’t so easy to come by. They’ll go above and beyond to make the localization of your game a success story that can boost their business’ reputation.

Larger localization agencies are more equipped to handle rushed deadlines, often at the expense of quality. Their language teams have varying experience levels, with veteran linguists usually assigned to AAA titles while newcomers use indie games as target practice.

6. Does Their Portfolio Include Games from Similar Genres?

Vocabulary and writing style can vary widely across genres and game worlds. If yours is a sci-fi, competitive tower defense game, search agencies’ portfolios for titles that check off as many boxes as possible within that profile. You may also want to request that only translators with relevant experience in your product’s genre and subgenre be used.

These steps can improve the odds that your localized languages have standard terminology that your player base understands.

Closing Thoughts

Selecting vendors to localize your cherished video game is never an easy task. After all, you can’t personally verify quality in languages you don’t speak. By considering the questions above, however, you’ll be well on your way to picking partners who truly want to see your product shine in foreign markets.