Localization Consulting
The most expensive localization mistakes happen before a single string is translated. They happen in the design phase, in the writing process, in the technical decisions about how text is stored and displayed. By the time files reach a localization team, the damage is often already done – hardcoded strings, UI with fixed widths, jokes built on untranslatable puns, date formats baked into the code.
We have seen it countless times across 25+ years: studios underestimate the complexity of linguistic and cultural adaptation until it’s too late in the pipeline. Budgets get squeezed, localization is treated as a cost center rather than a creative investment, and the result is a product that feels foreign to the very audiences it was supposed to reach.
Localization consulting means bringing senior pipeline expertise into your project early – when it can still change things. We help you identify the landmines before you step on them, build the workflows that will scale with your product, and make decisions at the design stage that save significant time and money downstream.
25+ years across gaming, software, marketing and technical localization pipelines at studio, agency and publisher level
Single session · Sprint-based · Milestone reviews · Ongoing retainer · Embedded in your team · Remote or on-site
Pre-production · Early production · Pipeline audit · Before first loc delivery · Post-launch retrospective
What we deliver
Services included
01
Pre-production copy preparation
We help you prepare your copy or narrative for localization while it’s still being crafted – flagging untranslatable elements, culturally sensitive content and structural issues before they become costly to fix.
02
Pipeline audit & design
We review your existing localization pipeline or help you design one from scratch – covering file formats, string extraction, tool selection, handoff processes and QA workflows.
03
Tool selection & setup
We support you in selecting and setting up the right CMS, CAT software, QA and other tools for your project – and train your team on how to use them effectively from day one.
04
Glossary & style guide creation
We prepare multilingual glossaries and style guides in collaboration with your creative team – establishing the linguistic and tonal foundation for your product before translation begins.
05
Embedded team support
We integrate fully with your internal localization department or function as one ourselves – attending planning meetings, answering queries and keeping quality high throughout the project lifecycle.
06
Team training & knowledge transfer
We run workshops and training sessions for your internal team on localization best practices, pipeline management and quality standards – building capability that stays with you long-term.
Common pain points
Problems we solve
Hardcoded strings and non-extractable text
Text baked into the code that can’t be extracted without engineering work – one of the most common and expensive pipeline problems we encounter. We identify it early and help you fix it before it escalates.
UI that doesn’t account for text expansion
Fixed-width containers that truncate German compound words or overflow in French. We audit your UI for localization readiness and advise on flexible layout approaches before design is locked.
Untranslatable jokes and culture-specific references
Wordplay, idioms and references that have no equivalent in target languages – or worse, that translate into something offensive. We flag these during writing and help you find solutions early.
No glossary, no style guide, no consistency
Localization projects without reference materials produce inconsistent output. Character names differ between scenes. UI terms don’t match the manual. We build the linguistic foundation before translation starts.
Tool chaos and broken handoffs
Mismatched file formats, fragmented workflows and broken handoffs between dev, creative and loc teams that cause delays and errors. We design pipelines that actually work for everyone involved.
Localization brought in too late
The most common problem of all. When localization is an afterthought, it becomes a bottleneck. We help you build it into your production timeline from the start – so it accelerates the release rather than delaying it.