Project Overview

A prominent South Korean game developer sought to expand its footprint into the Greater China market. The project required the localization of 215,000 words of complex game text into both Traditional Chinese (TC) and Simplified Chinese (SC).

Faced with a rigid launch schedule and a high-density manuscript, the client’s internal localization department required a strategic partner capable of managing large-scale assets under significant time pressure without compromising linguistic quality.

The Challenges: Complexity and Scale

The project presented several critical hurdles that required an agile management approach:

Tight Turnaround & Scalability: The sheer volume of 215,000 words, coupled with a looming launch date, necessitated a rapid ramp-up of linguistic resources.

Consistency Across Dialects: Maintaining strict adherence to Translation Memories (TM) and Termbases (TB) was essential to ensure a seamless experience for players in different regions.

Resource Constraints: There was a notable shortage of available veteran translators for Traditional Chinese.

Mid-Project Scope Creep: When the project was 50% complete, the client added nearly 20,000 additional words of new content, further compressing the delivery window.

Technical Onboarding: The large file sizes and complex data structures made initial document familiarization and task distribution time-consuming.

Our Strategic Solution

To meet these challenges, we implemented a multi-tiered management and production strategy:

1. Dedicated Project Leadership

We assigned a dedicated Account Manager (AM) and Project Manager (PM) to serve as the central points of contact. This ensured streamlined communication and allowed for the immediate handling of technical queries.

2. Innovative Resource Modeling

To solve the Traditional Chinese resource gap, we adopted a "Tiered Production" model. We onboarded high-potential new translators to handle initial drafting while utilizing our most senior linguists as Lead Editors. This ensured that every line of text met professional gaming standards while maximizing throughput.

3. Agile Delivery & Query Management

Batch Submissions: Instead of a single final delivery, we implemented a rolling delivery schedule. This allowed the client to begin internal integration and testing early.

Live Query Logs: We established a synchronized Query management system, providing the client with real-time updates and ensuring that cultural or technical nuances were clarified instantly.

4. Managing Scope Expansion

When the additional 20,000 words were introduced mid-project, our Resource Management (RM) team worked overtime to re-coordinate schedules. By emphasizing a "customer-first" partnership with our freelance pool and optimizing internal workflows, we integrated the new content without pushing back the original deadline.

The Results

The collaboration resulted in a highly successful regional launch:

Seamless Delivery: 100% of the 235,000+ words were delivered on time, including the last-minute additions.

Linguistic Excellence: The use of robust TM/TB management resulted in high consistency, receiving excellent evaluations from the client’s internal QA team.

Strengthened Partnership: Our ability to remain flexible and transparent under pressure solidified a long-term relationship with the developer.

"The team's ability to coordinate such a massive volume of content while maintaining a positive, communicative attitude was the key to our successful launch." — Client Feedback