Board Game Translation

From English into German.

Do you want your board game to reach a wider audience? Let me help make your game accessible for the German market. Germany has a population of over 80 million people - and we're a nation of board game players to boot. Every year (except in a pandemic...) the Essen Game Fair, or Spiel, draws huge crowds of board game enthusiasts to Essen in Germany and gives out the prestigious Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres awards. And what's a prerequisite to winning this prestigious award? Your game has to be released in Germany – in German.

What I can do for you

My name is Veronika and I've been working as a translator since 2007. Translation is my profession and board games are my hobby, so it seemed a natural fit to combine the two. I'll deliver a high-quality translation at affordable rates so you can reach German audiences and take your game to the next level. Here's what I offer:

  • High-quality translation of your game
  • Proofreading step by another translator
  • Design adjustments in Adobe InDesign, if required
  • Trade-in of your board game as partial payment

Translating board games

Usually, the biggest piece of text that needs translating is the board game manual. You've put a lot of effort into explaining the rules clearly and concisely in English, so you'll want to make sure your rulebook doesn't lose any of the clarity in its translation.

Game components

Does your game have extra components like card that contain text? Let me translate these for you, too. The fewer language-dependent game components you have, the simpler your game will be to localize. If you're a small operation or indie board game developer, consider making components like cards available as print-on-demand files for your customers to download and print at home.

Formats

From simple text files and Microsoft Word to Google documents and Adobe InDesign – simply send me the editable file type that's easiest for you. You have a beautifully designed manual ready in Adobe InDesign? Send me those .indd files and I can make sure the translated text fits nicely on the page; German text is usually quite a bit longer than the English original! Non-editable file types like PDFs are more effort to translate, but I can handle those, too, with a small surcharge.

Languages

What languages do you need?

The language pair I offer as a board game translator is English into German. Do you want your board game translated into several languages? Let me help. To make your life as a creator easier, I can reach out to my network of professional translators and find you translators for several other language pairs. All you need to do is ask! My network consists exclusively of individual freelance translators, so you're not paying any agency fees.

What clients are saying

Feedback from customers

"Veronika was quick, efficient and provided a high-quality translation. I would definitely work with her again in the future!" - Quentin

"Veronika was responsive, timely, and did a great job with the translation of my game. A pleasure to work with." - Rita

Experience

Games I've translated

Get in touch

Please get in touch via e-mail or via my contact form if you feel I can help you with your project, or see my contact page for other ways to contact me. You can also check out what other services I offer or follow me on Twitter.