Craving for Credits: The Games Industry Fight for Recognition

The Games Industry has a crediting issue: Every year, thousands of games release to worldwide audiences, and you’d be hard-pressed to find one where every single contributor was credited. This may be due to a lack of structure, time, or tools, leaving numerous workers (including many freelance contractors) uncredited for their contributions, which could span weeks, months, or even years.

For Game Localization in particular, the issue is so widespread that professionals, most of whom are freelancers, are left with no choice but to accept the status quo out of fear of repercussions. This has changed in the last few years, however, as members of the gameloc community have started reporting the good, the bad and the (unfortunately, mostly ugly) side of crediting through a special Twitter account: Loc in Credits, as well as many personal accounts.

Crediting remains a misunderstood topic within the gaming community and among the general public. This page serves two primary purposes: firstly, to explain the importance of proper crediting within our industry, and secondly, to archive press articles related to the topic.

FAQ – Crediting in Game Localization

Why is being credited important?

The majority of game translators/editors work as freelancers. Consequently, our portfolios are essential for attracting new clients. Denying us credits limits our career opportunities and diminishes the recognition of our contributions to various projects.

Why are translators often not given credit?

Several factors contribute to this phenomenon. One of the most common reasons cited is the desire to prevent “talent poaching”‘ which involves bypassing agencies as intermediaries. Additionally, maintaining anonymity for contractors serves as a strategy to discourage them from seeking better opportunities.

How can I help?

If you are a developer or publisher, consider consulting the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) or reputable translators. Many are happy to recommend companies that support and respect our work as professionals. For everyone else, please show your support for the #TranslatorsInTheCredits movement on social media.

Press Articles

Generalist Pieces

Localization Pieces

International Press

Italian

French

Spanish

Japanese

Chinese

Resources

If you’re a game developer/publisher who wishes to promote better crediting practices, we highly encourage you to check the IGDA Game Credits Special Interest Group (SIG) guide, a 20-page document compiled by industry experts and contributors from various fields that includes best practices, toolkits and more. Click on the picture below to get redirected:

Miscellaneous

Twitter thread about the Game Awards lack of Localization credits:

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