For indie teams planning Japanese support.
I help indie game teams decide whether Japanese should start with the Steam page, demo, in-game strings, or full-game localization - then turn that decision into clear QA notes, redlines, and implementation-ready issue logs.
Why scope first
If the game itself is English-only, a fully localized store page can create a mismatch between store copy and gameplay support. The safer question is whether Japanese should start with the store page, the demo, the UI strings, or a full localization plan.
Review the Steam page, genre, text dependency, demo readiness, current Japanese support, and in-game string needs before choosing where translation should begin.
If gameplay remains English-only, Japanese store copy should avoid implying full Japanese gameplay support.
The output is written: recommended first scope, redlines, issue rows, priority notes, and implementation guidance.
Service paths
Start with the smallest useful Japanese scope - then expand only when the material, player experience, and budget make sense.
Decide whether the first scope should be the Steam page, demo, strings, or full-game scope.
Review demos, Next Fest builds, Early Access slices, and the first Japanese experience.
Review Japanese text, machine translation, or translated string files before they reach players.
Understand the real scope before quoting translation or LQA work.
Pricing
Entry checks stay fixed and simple. Larger localization, LQA, and full-game work are scoped after reviewing your materials.
Best when you are not sure whether Japanese should start with the store page, demo, strings, or full game.
Best when you have a demo, Next Fest build, or Early Access slice.
Best when you already have Japanese text, translated strings, or machine-translated copy.
Best when you are considering full Japanese localization.
Shorter, clearer Japanese strings your UI can actually hold.
Clean up machine-translated Japanese before it reaches players.
Keep Japanese update copy clear, accurate, and easy to trust.
Create the rules before the translation grows.
Confirm whether implemented fixes match the Japanese QA notes.
Ongoing Japanese QA for updates, patches, demos, and recurring localization work.
Steam Page Japanese Check is handled inside Fit Check or Demo Readiness when it fits the scope. If the full game is English-only, the Japanese store page should avoid implying full Japanese gameplay support.
Deliverables
Every review is delivered as written, implementation-ready notes your team can act on without a live meeting.
Send a Steam page, demo note, screenshot set, or sample string file. I will confirm whether it fits a Japan Fit Check, Demo Readiness QA, Localization QA Pass, or Full Game Localization Scope Review.
Samples
The goal is not Japanese for its own sake. The goal is the right first scope, clearer copy, and implementation-ready notes.
Fictional examples only. These show deliverable format, not client results.
Story-heavy RPG. English-only gameplay. Steam page has several lore-heavy paragraphs.
Start with a localization scope review, not a Japanese-only store page. Japanese store copy can be redlined, but it should clearly avoid implying full Japanese gameplay support.
Playable demo with tutorial prompts, menu labels, and item names.
Review tutorial clarity, UI length, and first-session terminology before deciding whether to expand into full localization.
Existing Japanese strings from UI, tutorial, or item text.
Tone mismatch, inconsistent terms, line-length concern, or missing context.
Process
Send the materials. I confirm the first useful Japanese step in writing, then return traceable recommendations.
URL, strings, screenshots, store copy, or demo access.
Fit Check, Demo Readiness, LQA Pass, or Full Scope Review confirmed in writing.
Priority, expectation notes, redlines, issue rows, severity notes, or rewrite suggestions.
Your team keeps control while decisions stay documented.
Delivery Clarity
Every review turns Japanese-language concerns into written decisions your team can act on: what to localize first, what to prioritize, why it matters, and how to implement safely.
Each review explains whether Japanese should start with store copy, demo, strings, or full scope.
Severity, location, source text, suggested text, and notes are structured for your team.
Follow-up happens in writing so language decisions do not disappear into a meeting.
Sometimes, but it depends on the game. For text-heavy games, a Japanese Steam page without Japanese gameplay can create a mismatch between the store page and player experience. I help decide whether Japanese should start with the Steam page, demo, in-game strings, or full localization scope.
A Steam URL is enough for a Japan Fit Check. For deeper QA, you can also send screenshots, sample strings, a demo key, a CSV/string file, or a short note about your current localization plan.
Full-game localization is handled by custom quote after scope review. The scope depends on word count, file format, context access, UI constraints, terminology needs, LQA needs, and timeline.
That is a common starting point. I can review existing Japanese for tone, terminology, UI length, context mismatch, and player-facing clarity before it reaches more users.
You receive written redlines, issue logs, suggested Japanese, and implementation notes. Your team keeps implementation control while the language decisions stay clear enough to apply.
Follow-up happens in writing through email, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Notion, GitHub Issues, Slack, or Discord text. This keeps every Japanese-language decision visible and easy to review.
The review focuses on Japanese-language clarity, localization scope, QA concerns, and implementation readiness. Business outcomes such as sales, reviews, wishlists, and rankings remain outside the scope.
Send a Steam page, demo note, screenshot set, or sample string file. I will confirm whether it fits a Japan Fit Check, Demo Readiness QA, Localization QA Pass, or Full Game Localization Scope Review.