Creating a successful video game requires more than just coding and design—it demands attention to every aspect of the player experience. One key factor in reaching a worldwide audience is game localization, ensuring that players in different regions can fully engage with the game in their native language. For Kruger & Flint Productions, a Warsaw-based indie studio known for high-quality FPS titles, localizing their game Bloodhound was a crucial step in their global launch strategy.
Overcoming Language Barriers in Gaming
When preparing Bloodhound for international markets, the developers recognized the need for multilingual support to maximize accessibility. The game was translated into 16 languages, covering not only major European tongues but also reaching players in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, and Javanese. However, adapting a game goes beyond direct translation—it requires a nuanced approach that preserves the original intensity, narrative depth, and gameplay immersion.
A common challenge in video game localization is the evolving nature of development. New game elements, dialogues, and interface components can emerge late in production, necessitating ongoing updates to translated content. Maintaining consistency across different versions while keeping up with game development changes required a dynamic localization strategy.
A Tailored Approach to Game Translation
At Skrivanek, we understand that game localization isn’t just about converting text—it’s about maintaining the integrity of the gaming experience. To achieve this, we collaborated closely with the developers, securing access to key assets such as early builds, cutscenes, and character lore. This in-depth understanding allowed our translators to capture the game’s tone and ensure terminology consistency across all language versions.
To streamline the localization workflow, a dedicated Project Manager coordinated the process, ensuring clear communication between developers and linguists. This role was essential in clarifying terminology, addressing linguistic ambiguities, and ensuring all translations aligned with the game’s evolving content.
Ensuring a Seamless Gaming Experience
A well-localized game doesn’t just translate text—it adapts to different cultural contexts while maintaining usability. As part of our quality assurance process, we conducted in-game testing, particularly for languages that use non-Latin alphabets. This step was vital for catching and fixing potential issues such as text overflow, font compatibility, and interface alignment problems. By integrating localization testing into the development cycle, we ensured that Bloodhound was not only linguistically accurate but also visually and functionally polished.
Expanding Bloodhound to international audiences was an exciting challenge, and we are proud to have played a role in bringing this action-packed FPS to players worldwide. If you’re looking to localize your game and maximize its global reach, our expert translation and localization services are ready to help transform your vision into a seamless multilingual experience.
