Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for French European Video Game Proofreader

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a meticulous French (European) Video Game Proofreader to ensure linguistic quality and cultural accuracy across in-game copy, UI strings, dialogue, subtitles, marketing assets, and release notes. The ideal candidate is a native European French speaker with hands-on experience in game localization and QA workflows, strong command of gaming terminology, and proven ability to apply style guides and glossaries consistently. This role bridges translation, localization QA, and production — ensuring player-facing text reads naturally, aligns with brand voice, and is technically fit for implementation in consoles, PC, and mobile games.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Game Localizer / Translator (French)
Localization QA Tester or Linguistic QA Specialist
In-house Editor / Multilingual Content Editor

Advancement To:

Senior Localization QA / Proofreader (French EU)
Localization Lead / Linguistic Lead
Localization Producer / Manager
Transcreation or Creative Localization Lead

Lateral Moves:

UX/UI Writer (Gaming)
Transcreation Specialist (French)
Community Localization Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Proofread and edit in-game text (UI/UX strings, menus, tooltips) for European French to ensure correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, register, and natural phrasing while preserving character limits and context.
Perform linguistic QA on dialogue scripts and subtitles to verify timing, readability, and synchronization with voice-over or cinematic cues, flagging issues and proposing corrections.
Validate and normalize terminology and glossary usage across all French (EU) game assets, maintaining consistency with project-specific and company-wide termbases.
Review localized marketing and store copy (e.g., Steam/console store descriptions, patch notes, promotional banners) to guarantee brand tone and conversion-focused clarity in French (EU).
Execute string checks and context-based reviews inside game builds and staging environments (PC, console, mobile) to detect truncations, overflow, context mismatch, or implementation errors.
Report and track linguistic defects in bug trackers (JIRA, Asana, Trello), clearly documenting reproduction steps, screenshots, proposed fixes, and priority for localization and dev teams.
Collaborate with translators, localization managers, QA engineers, and developers to clarify ambiguous source text, approve transcreation solutions, and iterate on fixes during sprints.
Apply and update style guides, brand voice documents, and localization QA checklists for French (European) projects; onboard new linguists to these references.
Conduct in-context verification (ICV) and pseudo-localization checks to identify UI constraints, concatenation issues, and platform-specific rendering problems.
Perform post-localization checks on builds after patch cycles and hotfixes to validate that linguistic fixes were implemented correctly and no regressions were introduced.
Maintain and evolve bilingual glossaries, QA macros, and linguistic instructions; run regular terminology audits to reduce inconsistencies across releases.
Provide detailed editorial feedback to translators and vendors, with examples and explanations to improve future translations and reduce rework.
Localize and proofread creative content such as item descriptions, lore, quest text, and character bios, ensuring tone, style, and cultural resonance with French (EU) players.
Review audio scripts and phonetic guides for French voice-over recordings and coordinate with audio teams to ensure faithful delivery of linguistic intent.
Evaluate regional variations and sensitivity issues in French dialects, ensuring use of European French conventions and avoiding regionally inappropriate expressions.
Estimate proofreading and QA effort for localization sprints, helping localization producers plan resources, timelines, and vendor scope for French (EU) work.
Participate in pre-localization checks to flag problematic source text (ambiguous terms, placeholders, gendered phrasing) and reduce source-side rework.
Train and mentor junior proofreaders and external linguists on company QA processes, tools, and quality expectations for European French.
Review community-translated content and user-generated localization contributions for quality, appropriateness, and alignment with official translations.
Support release readiness by performing final language sign-off for French (EU) assets, coordinating with product, legal, and marketing stakeholders to clear copy for launch.
Adapt copy for platform-specific constraints (character limits for consoles, mobile UI, subtitle line lengths) without losing meaning, brand voice, or player comprehension.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of video game genres, gameplay terminology, and evolving community vernacular to ensure translations remain relevant and authentic.

Secondary Functions

Help set and monitor localization KPIs for French quality, such as defect escape rate, vendor accuracy, and time-to-approve metrics, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
Perform periodic audits of vendor performance and contribute to vendor selection and onboarding for French (EU) projects, including linguistic tests and sample edits.
Support cross-functional localization projects such as live ops, seasonal events, and marketing campaigns by providing rapid, high-quality proofreading and transcreation input.
Create concise QA reports summarizing recurring linguistic defects and recommended preventive actions for writers, developers, and translation teams.
Assist with preparation of localization kits, context screenshots, reference materials, and pseudo-localized builds to streamline translator and QA workflows.
Participate in user research and player feedback reviews to incorporate community insights into localized text and voice.
Contribute to automation and tooling initiatives by providing linguistic requirements for TMS integrations, QA scripts, and regex-based checks.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Native-level proficiency in European French (français de France) with demonstrable localization or proofreading experience for games or interactive media.
Strong working knowledge of common CAT tools and TMS platforms (e.g., SDL Trados, memoQ, Smartling, Lokalise, Transifex).
Experience with localization QA tools and terminology managers (e.g., Xbench, Verifika, QA Distiller) and ability to run batch QA checks and filters.
Familiarity with game development and localization pipelines, including in-context review (ICR), pseudo-localization, and continuous localization workflows.
Practical experience using bug/issue trackers (JIRA, GitHub Issues, Asana) to file, track, and verify localization defects.
Ability to test inside game engines and builds (Unity, Unreal) or in staging environments, capturing screenshots and contextual evidence for reported bugs.
Knowledge of subtitle timing standards, line-length best practices, and audio synchronization requirements for VO and cinematics.
Understanding of UI/UX constraints — character limits, truncation handling, text expansion and contraction strategies for French localization.
Competency with spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) for QA matrices, QA logs, terminology updates, and effort estimation.
Basic scripting or regex skills to create search-replace patterns, run QA checks, or automate recurring text tasks (helpful but not mandatory).
Experience working with creative localization, transcreation, and marketing copy adaptation while preserving brand voice and conversion goals.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and a methodical approach to identifying subtle linguistic, contextual, and technical issues.
Clear written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with translators, developers, producers, and external vendors.
Strong cultural sensitivity and the ability to judge tone and register appropriate for European French-speaking audiences.
Excellent time management and prioritization skills to handle multiple sprints, release deadlines, and rapid turnaround requests.
Problem-solving mindset with an ability to propose pragmatic, player-centered solutions to localization challenges.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced live-ops and iterative development environment.
Team-player attitude with experience giving and receiving constructive feedback and mentoring colleagues.
Customer-focused perspective, valuing player experience and accessibility in localized content.
Proactive ownership of quality, including initiative to update guides and prevent recurring errors.
Good organizational skills for maintaining glossaries, style guides, and QA documentation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Translation, Applied Linguistics, Modern Languages, Communications, or equivalent professional experience in game localization.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree or postgraduate diploma in Translation, Localization Management, Game Writing, or a related field.
Professional certification in localization or translation (e.g., ATA, IAPTI or industry-specific localization certificates).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Translation and Interpreting
Linguistics
Modern Languages (French/English)
Game Design, Creative Writing, Media Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of progressive experience in translation, localization QA, or proofreading roles with direct exposure to video game content.

Preferred:

3+ years of experience specifically proofreading or performing QA for French (European) video game localization, including work on released titles or ongoing live-service games.
Experience interacting with development teams, localization vendors, and international stakeholders in agile environments.
Demonstrated portfolio or examples of in-game edits, published localized assets, or documented QA reports for games.