Today, we continue with our localization team series and move onto one of our dedicated senior game localization editors. Don’t forget to check what our Localization Project Manager and Game Localization Specialist wrote about their jobs as well!
Keep on reading to find out more about the responsibilities of a localization editor.
Game localization is a complex process involving the translation and adaptation of games in order to respond to various language and cultural contexts. We already talked about the importance of a dedicated localization team in this process. At the heart of this intricate process is the editor, who plays a significant role in making sure of the quality, accuracy, and cultural authenticity of the localized game. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the responsibilities of an editor in game localization projects and show their important impact in ensuring an immersive gaming experience for players globally.
An editor in a game localization project is a language expert with great command over both the source and target languages. Their linguistic skills allow them to meticulously review and refine the translated content, ensuring grammatical accuracy, correct syntax, and appropriate vocabulary usage. Their attention to detail helps maintain the integrity of the game’s narrative, dialogues, and instructions. 
Consistency and contextual accuracy are aspects that might be overlooked during the translation process, especially if the volume of content that is being localized is large and the content has to be split between several translators to speed up the process. In this case, we can say that one of the main responsibilities of an editor is to ensure consistency and contextual accuracy of the text. Editors compare the source and the localized content to maintain consistency in terms of terminology, character names, and narrative elements. This is very important in terms of ensuring the essence and intent of the original game are preserved.
Brand identity is crucial in game localization as it ensures recognition across different markets. By maintaining the brand identity, localized games strengthen player association with the brand. This results in increased player engagement and long-term loyalty. Use of style guides and glossaries are great tools for this purpose. But how do editors come into play in terms of brand identity? It can be tricky to maintain the brand identity as the number of people working on a game localization project increases. At this point, style guides and glossaries will ensure everyone working on the project is on the same page. They are the best friends of editors since it is one of their responsibilities to ensure that the brand identity is maintained.
Video games often contain idioms, expressions, cultural references, and humor. We need to carefully adapt these in order for the target audience to relate to the game. One of the responsibilities of the editor other than those already mentioned is to make sure the translator did not miss a point in terms of cultural adaptation. Therefore, editors need to have a deep understanding of the target culture, which will allow them to adapt the content, jokes, puns, and cultural elements accordingly.
Editors work closely with translators and the rest of the game localization team to handle linguistic challenges. They give valuable feedback, clarifications, and suggestions to improve the quality of the translation. This collaboration enables effective communication and a deeper understanding of the game’s context, resulting in a well-localized final product.
Editors work with special localization tools that simplify the localization process. Therefore they should have the technical proficiency that will allow them to use these tools efficiently for a smooth workflow. They collaborate with developers to convey any technical difficulties related to the integration of the localized content into the game, ensuring a seamless final product.
To sum up, editors have an indispensable role in game localization. Their linguistic expertise, attention to detail, and cultural understanding contribute significantly to the final localized game. Through collaboration with translators and the rest of the localization team, as well as quality assurance and technical proficiency, editors help create immersive gaming experiences that you seek to provide to players worldwide. This is why it is best to turn to a game localization agency with an experienced team consisting of dedicated translators and editors.
Written by
Reyhan Demir
Senior Editor
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