Video Game Localization Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

Video game localization is a necessary part of the sale and creation of video games when a company wants to sell in foreign markets—different countries and cultures have different laws and regulations on portrayals of things like violence, symbols, and historical figures. As a member of a localization team, your duties are to assist in the translation of a work not just from one language to another, but also ensure it is appropriate to the audience, culture, and legal framework of the country in which the game will be sold. Video game localization requires sociologists, anthropologists, historians, artists, and technical support workers with specialized knowledge to collaborate together in preparation for international release. These specialists’ responsibilities include reviewing or developing instruction manuals, ensuring programmers or developers modify gameplay to meet local or regional standards or laws, and ensure all artwork is specific and relevant to audiences.

Different types of jobs in video game localization include translators, sales specialists, software programmers, and a host of experts in different subjects, such as cultural history, marketing, and international law. These positions all require different qualifications. For translators, you must have native fluency in at least two languages and previous experience in translation for the video game or entertainment industry, such as subtitling movies or TV shows or translating technical manuals. Other field experts must have a bachelor's degree, and sometimes a graduate degree, in their relevant field, and demonstrable skills in another language or with another country or culture.