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Raising your game by deploying AI within game localization

Learn about the future of AI automation in game localization.

Tony O’Dowd, Founder and Chief Architect at KantanMT.com

November 5, 2023

6 Min Read
The logo for Keywords Studios and Katan AI.

Presented by Keywords

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, ushering in a new era of efficiency, scale, and competitive advantage for localization service providers within the industry. Game localization is not just translation; it’s also about adapting an entire gaming experience to resonate with players from diverse and multi-cultural backgrounds worldwide.

Leveraging AI and its linguistic capabilities, scale and efficiency, has become an indispensable tool in this process. AI not only accelerates the translation of in-game content but also ensures that the narrative, context, and nuances of gameplay align seamlessly with the preferences and expectations of local players.

But how can we embrace this paradigm shift and leverage these efficiencies? We believe AI is a creative collaborator and performance enhancer that has the potential to transform the future of the video games industry. Embracing technology and AI advancements is paramount to enhancing the players experience and broadening the horizon for creators. AI can significantly contribute to more immersive and dynamic gameplay, offering players realistic simulations, adaptive challenges and personalized experiences.

Furthermore, AI complements the skill sets of talented people working in the games industry, helping to streamline repetitive tasks like localizing, bug fixing, playtesting, or procedural content generation, allowing developers to focus on more creative aspects of game design.

The synergy between human creativity and AI-driven tools promises a future where games are not only more sophisticated but also more accessible and engaging, maintaining the irreplaceable human touch at the heart of the industry's innovation and success.

AI at Keywords Studios

By combining human expertise and artificial intelligence across our three service divisions, Create, Globalize and Engage, we believe that we enable game developers and in turn gamers to better understand each other, make smarter choices, and have richer experiences. Key steps include:

AI Automation – This step relates to task automation that reduces manual steps within a process, and covers introducing automation technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) or robotic process automation (RPA), to streamline and optimize workflows by eliminating or minimizing the need for human intervention.

AI Insights – This is the process of organizing data into powerful business insights, and typically involves collecting, cleansing, analyzing, and interpreting data to extract valuable information that can be used for strategic decision-making within an organization.

AI Engagement – This involves the process of keeping client conversations flowing, and focuses on improving communication effectiveness, helping international organizations create smoother customer journeys.

AI & Technology Products at Keywords

At Keywords Studios we offer three world-class AI products complementing each stage of the development lifecycle – KantanAI - our platform for Localization, Mighty Build and Test - our Game Development and Testing platform - and Helpshift – a Player Support platform. Each of our AI tools integrates Large Language Model (LLM) use cases.

  • KantanAI - Our Localization platform, KantanAI, enables clients to localize text content with fast turnaround times, for example translating 30 million words across 35 languages at a throughput of 3k projects per week for an industry leader, and will open games to players in new languages.

  • Helpshift - Our Player Support platform, Helpshift, uses intelligent bots integrated in mobile apps and consoles, so players do not wait hours or even days for resolution.

  • Mighty Games - Mighty Build and Test, our Game Development and Testing platform, works with teams to start testing from the checkin and is able to get close to 100% testing coverage. We verify builds, test gameplay and localize projects at scale with innovative AI tools allowing developers to focus on what they do best – making great games.

KantanAI – a Translation Management Platform

KantanAI enables faster delivery of multilingual games. The acceleration of translation delivery allows for smoother customer journeys and opens games to players in new languages.

AI-powered machine translation has opened up new possibilities in the video games industry, offering developers faster, more scalable translation, increased agility, and the ability to reach global markets swiftly. Our AI-enhanced workflows ensure that your game's content is accurately and dynamically translated, preserving the essence of the original while adapting it to local languages and cultures.

KantanAI is part of Keywords Studios Localization Research Labs, a group-wide consortium dedicated to embedding AI solutions in daily workflows to improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase service levels.

AI Products delivered by KantanAI at Keywords Studios

KantanAI delivers three world-class AI products to clients around the world.

Three boxes that read AI Automation, AI Insights, and AI Engagement.

Benefits of Introducing AI into Game Localization

There are many benefits to introducing AI into Game Localization, including the following:

  • Improved Efficiency and Productivity – Through the removal of repetitive tasks, operating at faster pace and freeing up of employees to focus on other more strategic tasks

  • Cost Savings – the reduction of the need for human intervention, by exception only, and reduced staff requirement.

  • Accuracy and Consistency – AI systems offer high precision, reducing potential of error.

  • 24/7 Operations – AI systems are always on and never sleep, operating around the clock.

  • Data Analysis and Insights - AI processes vast amounts of data quickly, deriving valuable insights at an increased rate of speed.

  • Enhanced Customer Service - AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide instant support to gamers.

  • Scalability – As companies grow, AI automation can easily scale to handle increased workloads.

  • Competitive Advantage – Gained through cost reduction, improved quality and innovation.

What is the Future for AI Localization in Video Games?

Artificial Intelligence, with its ability to streamline and enhance the localization process, is reshaping how developers and publishers bridge the linguistic and cultural gaps between gamers worldwide. With its potential to accelerates the translation workflow, create new efficiencies and reduce time-to-market, AI is proving to be a game-changer. Progressive localization service providers can no longer ignore this paradigm shift and only those that go all-in on AI will thrive in the future.

Imagine More for your Game

At Keywords Studios, our global experts consistently explore and evaluate emerging AI applications to enhance workflows for both our clients and our team. Supported by a dedicated group of over 150 skilled AI engineers, who specialize in integrating Large Language Model (LLMs) use cases, we harness the power of AI to shape the future of video games.

About Keywords Studios

Keywords Studios is an international provider of creative and technology-enabled solutions to the global video games and entertainment industries. Established in 1998, and now with over 70 facilities in 26 countries strategically located in Asia, Australia, the Americas, and Europe, it provides services across the entire content development life cycle through its Create, Globalize and Engage service lines.

Keywords Studios has a strong market position, providing services to 24 of the top 25 most prominent games companies. Across the games and entertainment industry, clients include Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Konami, Microsoft, Netflix, Riot Games, Square Enix, Supercell, TakeTwo, Tencent and Ubisoft. Recent titles worked on include Diablo IV, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, Fortnite, Valorant, League of Legends, Clash Royale and Doom Eternal. Keywords Studios is listed on AIM, the London Stock Exchange regulated market (KWS.L).

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About the Author(s)

Tony O’Dowd

Founder and Chief Architect at KantanMT.com

Tony is Founder and Chief Architect at KantanMT.com, a cloud based platform used by some of the largest companies in the world to machine translate billions of words of online content.

Prior to this he was Founder of Alchemy Software Development, developers of Alchemy CATALYST, the market leading CAT tool for software and web site localisation.

Tony spent three years as a lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, teaching Microprocessor Design and Assembly Language Programming.

Tony has a BSC Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin, is a Fellow of the University of Limerick, and is a founder of  FIT Ltd., a $20 million government training organization for the long term unemployed.

Tony is currently studying for a Msc International Sales Management.

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