Keywords Partners with PLAION on Dead Island 2
Acting as an extension of PLAION’s localization team leads to successful launch of Dead Island 2 in 12 different languages. Keywords Studios made text localization into 12 languages as efficient as possible by acting as an extension to PLAION’s teams over a challenging development process marked by the pandemic. Continuous adaptation and a relationship built on trust were key to delivering the celebrated experience millions of players have since enjoyed.
The Challenge
PLAION’s localization strategy spans multiple languages and several titles. The main challenge, therefore, is staying lean and agile. Keywords Studios has supported PLAION on a number of occasions in the past, always adapting to its needs whilst providing a tailored solution for each of the projects entrusted to us. Dead Island 2 was no different. To do so, it needed more than a translation partner but rather, a trustworthy extension of its team that can also do the heavy lifting and, at the same time, deliver the best-in-class localization that its players expect.
Key Deliverables
Top level text localization into 12 languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese – Traditional, Chinese – Simplified, Czech, EU Spanish, French, German, Italian, Korean, LatAm Spanish, Polish & Russian.
Each language was managed and delivered by a single team to streamline the process for the client. Instead of having a multitude of providers to oversee, each with their own workflows and schedules, Keywords Studios took care of micromanaging all assigned targets and requests, both in-game and out of game.
For localization to be as efficient as possible for PLAION, the service had to be end-to-end. It had to include familiarisation, pre-production, quality assessment of all languages, delivery and more, all done autonomously and by the same team to ensure consistency and quality.
The Solution
Our service for Dead Island 2 stood on top of 3 pillars with the goal of ensuring PLAION could reach all its milestones in time:
1. Quality: From day one, PLAION counted on veteran game translators, linguists, and reviewers for all target languages from our external pool of collaborators and internal staff. Keywords Studios takes pride in its thorough selection and maintenance of its teams, knowing our strength lies within our people. Once the teams were set up, we kept them as untouched as possible during the entire cycle of the project to ensure continuity.
On top of this, for Dead Island 2, we designated a QA Analyst that acted as gatekeeper of the entire project’s quality. The role of the QA Analyst is to oversee all languages and make sure they are aligned and on top of their game. If a translator adds a term to the glossary, the QA Analyst makes sure that each language follows or at least keeps it in mind.
2. Trust: In objective terms, the trust built between Keywords and PLAION through the years has an actual impact on the localization process. For example, PLAION exports its batches for translation directly from its content management tool and sends it to Keywords along with instructions provided by its Project Managers. This level of efficiency is, of course, made possible through a collaborative effort that relieves PLAION of many tasks and allows its focus to be placed in the places we can’t reach at Keywords. This means it entrusts us with a thorough pre-production of its own content, which, on occasions, has entailed preparative actions like complete reorganisation of the scripts to provide resources with the correct context for the conversations.
3. Adaptability: Dead Island 2 was in development during some of the most complex times the industry has ever faced. Our teams adapted to all schedules, requirements, and unavoidable changes this caused. Our strength and capacity as a business allowed us to face these challenges side by side with PLAION, while keeping the same people working on the project for the aforementioned benefits and allowing the client to spend its time and resources where they were most needed.
Results
Dead Island 2 launched on the 21st of April 2023 after an eventful development marked by the pandemic, which inevitably delayed the original release date. The game has since sold millions of copies worldwide, a testament to the excitement this installment has among players and the amazing work done by the talented teams at Deep Silver Dambuster Studios and PLAION.
As its trusted localization partner, Keywords Studios also played a huge part and made the challenge of bringing the title into 12 languages as efficient and hassle-free as possible.
Our goal was to make Dead Island 2 reach as many players as possible through localization and, at the same time, allow its developer and publisher to focus its attention and resources into realising its vision for the game. Dead Island 2 has been a success by all metrics, so we consider this goal accomplished, as does our client:
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