and accommodating a button command in a set number of characters is often extremely difficult in German, as words (and sentences) tend to be longer. The abbreviations favored by American English are also tricky, as they often don’t work when translated.

Understanding and overcoming localization issues is key to your success in the German market. Mistakes can damage your company’s image and be costly to fix, and it’s tough to build trust in a quality product if the dialogue or instructions are in poor German. I’m used to troubleshooting and adapting your message to its new environment. Work with me on your website and software and save yourself time, effort and money.

With me, your reputation is in safe hands.

I’ve been an avid gamer since 1987. My brother and I spent most of our childhood afternoons and weekends on a used C128, competing or teaming up on Summer Games, Bubble Bobble, Giana Sisters and more. RPGs, simulations and strategy games accompanied me through high school and college, and my circle of friends even took to hardcore pen-and-paper role-playing games (mostly DSA and Call of Cthulhu). I have a family these days, so 18-hour sessions of Civilization are off the agenda – for now.

AoE, farming, NPC, … Gamers have their own language that often only other gamers understand, so your translator needs first-hand knowledge of this world.

As an avid-turned-casual gamer, I share users’ expectations and passion for the games they love. I have also lived in the US for almost 8 years, so I understand the language, jokes and culture-specific references in your dialogue and I know exactly how to make them work for German gamers.

Gender-specific language is a big issue when localizing content for a German audience. When you first get in touch about your game, I will ask you questions like:

• Can I see some images of [character]? Being able to visualize characters and gameplay scenarios means that I get to know your game and its language
• Is the archer/magician male or female? German has different words for male and female roles, so this information is crucial
• Is [word] a verb or a noun here? The simplest words are often the hardest to translate without any context. ‘Play’, for example, could be a performance as a noun or children having fun, running a video or using an instrument or sport as a verb

Finding out more about your game helps me to make sure the German version matches the unique voice of the original.