Localization Today

Eddie Arrieta sits down with Lucia Gutiérrez (a veteran localization project manager) and Gabriela Kouahla (bilingual translator and founder of Beyond Words) to unpack their new show, “PM vs Vendor Teamplay for Success.” Fed up with the endless blame game on LinkedIn, they set out to create a lightning-fast, 15–20 minute format that puts both sides face-to-face and tackles the real communication gaps holding our industry back.

We sit down with three Unicode Consortium contributors—Stephen Loomis (Chair, Digitally Disadvantaged Languages Working Group), Elango Cheran (Vice-Chair, Community Engagement, Google internationalization engineer), and Bridget Chase (language technologist for Indigenous communities). They discuss the nonprofit, open-source structure that unifies text encoding across devices and platforms, delve into the technical foundations of ICU, CLDR, and ICU4X and how developers integrate these libraries for formatting, localization, and bidirectional text, and examine the Digitally Disadvantaged Languages Working Group’s efforts to onboard under-represented scripts. The conversation also covers the Adopt a Character funding program, the volunteer-driven community engagement model, the new Unicode Technology Workshop as a forum for hands-on collaboration, and their shared vision for achieving seamless, universal language support in digital communication.

Dr. Maryann Hasso—Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and author of three books—shares her daily practices and research-backed strategies for supporting multilingual learners in K–12 classrooms. She discusses how multimodal instruction (video, visuals, peer collaboration) can break down language barriers without lowering academic standards, and why ongoing self-reflection is key for teachers. Dr. Hasso also explores the role of school boards, policy changes, and teacher preparation programs in creating truly inclusive learning environments. Finally, she previews her fourth book (due December 2025) and offers actionable advice for educators, parents, and policymakers committed to fostering equity and excellence for every multilingual student.

By Marina Ilari Successful localization of cover art requires understanding cultural differences to attract local players. In this article, the author analyzes different regions’ cover art for two games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Carmageddon.

LSP growth through more strategic account management By Rodrigo Fuentes Corradi The author discusses the importance of strategic account management for language service providers (LSPs) in the face of AI advancements, arguing that account management is often overlooked and underutilized, despite being crucial for organic growth and customer loyalty.

By Marina Ilari and Sham AlBdour Adapting game elements like character design, storylines, and themes to fit cultural norms can significantly increase engagement. The authors detail the Tiny Minies app’s local culturalization strategies for the Middle East and North Africa region, a fast-growing gaming market with a substantial Arabic-speaking population.

By Tamara Tirják Video game developers create fictional languages to enhance world-building, immerse players, and foster communities. Tamara Tirják, head of localization at Frontier Developments, discusses considerations when developing these languages, focusing on the Planco language from Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo.

By Ewandro Magalhães The author shares his impressions on how games travel across language and culture, drawing comparisons among make-believe games, board games, and video games. He asserts that game localization is not duplication, but rather a strategic reenactment and even a form of diplomacy.

Teresa Toronjo, Localization Manager at Malt with extensive experience at Workday and Clue, discusses the fusion of AI and human insight in localization. She reveals how a hybrid approach of machine translation followed by human review ensures cultural nuance and quality. Teresa emphasizes the importance of collaboration for effective localization and highlights strategic partnerships that propel global growth. Her insights also cover balancing technology with creativity, showcasing why human involvement remains essential in crafting meaningful content.

We speak with Carol Velandia, founder and CEO of Equal Access Language Services and creator of the Effective Inclusion to Language Access framework. Carol shares her powerful journey—from interpreting in hospitals to developing a human-centered model for institutional change—and makes a compelling case for language access as a civil rights issue. Carol unpacks common misconceptions, the importance of centering limited English proficient individuals in policy and practice, and the need to shift from transactional interpreting to structural inclusion.