Yves Blesdel
@yves-blesdel.bsky.social
EN→FR, Video Game Translator and LQA Tester
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
French publishing house Harlequin decided to use AI translation instead of human translations.
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
December 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
French publishing house Harlequin decided to use AI translation instead of human translations.
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
All their freelance translators (some of whom had been working with Harlequin for +30y!!!) were told they would no longer receive work from Harlequin
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
To my fellow translators: what do you wish someone had taught you about translation (whether the act or translation or having a freelance job) that you had to learn by yourself?
December 7, 2025 at 8:06 AM
To my fellow translators: what do you wish someone had taught you about translation (whether the act or translation or having a freelance job) that you had to learn by yourself?
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Looking for some reading material over the holidays? Introducing LocRewind 2025, a recap of all the news, YouTube essays, Reddit threads, banger tweets and assorted localization drama that made headlines this year!
Loc Rewind 2025
The end of the year draws near, and it was a tumultuous one for the gaming industry - seemingly never-ending waves of layoffs and studios collapsing like houses of cards had severe repercussions on em...
locdandloaded.net
December 16, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Looking for some reading material over the holidays? Introducing LocRewind 2025, a recap of all the news, YouTube essays, Reddit threads, banger tweets and assorted localization drama that made headlines this year!
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
For the first time since its inception, I'm happy to report that ALL nominees of #TheGameAwards include #TranslatorsInTheCredits! We've come a long way since the dark days of credit withholding, and none of this would've been possible without your support!
November 18, 2025 at 11:02 AM
For the first time since its inception, I'm happy to report that ALL nominees of #TheGameAwards include #TranslatorsInTheCredits! We've come a long way since the dark days of credit withholding, and none of this would've been possible without your support!
Amazing job application tracker here. 📌
Something that helped me keep sane when I had to look for work was having a spreadsheet where I could keep every detail of job applications in one place.
I updated it in 2024 & made a template, anyone can use it by clicking File > Make a Copy.
🔹 tinyurl.com/8vc5nwmn
I updated it in 2024 & made a template, anyone can use it by clicking File > Make a Copy.
🔹 tinyurl.com/8vc5nwmn
September 11, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Amazing job application tracker here. 📌
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
I'm running another manga freelancer meetup at ANYC this year, so, if you're interested, please fill out this form: forms.gle/QfjhbaWQsaDf...
Can't wait to see y'all ✨
Can't wait to see y'all ✨
2025 ANYC Manga Freelancer Meetup RSVP
Please join us for our fourth annual ANYC manga freelancer (&friends) meetup! ANYC this year is scheduled to run August 21 - 24. More info here: https://animenyc.com/
The meetup will be held outdoors...
forms.gle
July 7, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'm running another manga freelancer meetup at ANYC this year, so, if you're interested, please fill out this form: forms.gle/QfjhbaWQsaDf...
Can't wait to see y'all ✨
Can't wait to see y'all ✨
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
One tip I highly recommend all translators get into the habit of, is have a round of translation (ideally your second draft) where you re-read the source and compare it to your translation. This will help you catch misunderstandings and mistranslations.
June 17, 2025 at 11:21 PM
One tip I highly recommend all translators get into the habit of, is have a round of translation (ideally your second draft) where you re-read the source and compare it to your translation. This will help you catch misunderstandings and mistranslations.
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
I've witnessed people I know get dumber very quickly because they use ChatGPT too much.
They go from only asking about code to asking how to answer a basic email or even use it during work calls.
It doesn't make them more productive, just unreliable and disfunctional.
They go from only asking about code to asking how to answer a basic email or even use it during work calls.
It doesn't make them more productive, just unreliable and disfunctional.
June 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I've witnessed people I know get dumber very quickly because they use ChatGPT too much.
They go from only asking about code to asking how to answer a basic email or even use it during work calls.
It doesn't make them more productive, just unreliable and disfunctional.
They go from only asking about code to asking how to answer a basic email or even use it during work calls.
It doesn't make them more productive, just unreliable and disfunctional.
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Translator/Localizer friends. I am in a position to revise a translation test given to potential freelancers. Could you please share what you like and dislike about such tests? I want to hear opinions to decide what I should cut, add, or tweak. It hasn't been updated in a number of years. Thank you!
June 18, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Translator/Localizer friends. I am in a position to revise a translation test given to potential freelancers. Could you please share what you like and dislike about such tests? I want to hear opinions to decide what I should cut, add, or tweak. It hasn't been updated in a number of years. Thank you!
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
A translation is both the work of the original author and the translator. The author wrote the story, while the translator wrote the words readers read to experience the story. If you enjoyed a translated novel it's thanks to the translator.
artreview.com/the-philosop...
artreview.com/the-philosop...
Why Should a Translation Be ‘Faithful’?
At once a science and an art, the act of translation is a fiercely humanist endeavour
artreview.com
June 21, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A translation is both the work of the original author and the translator. The author wrote the story, while the translator wrote the words readers read to experience the story. If you enjoyed a translated novel it's thanks to the translator.
artreview.com/the-philosop...
artreview.com/the-philosop...
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
I've noticed a lot of inexperienced (and even some experienced) translators will write in this wooden way and not realise it's unnatural.
If you're an aspiring translator please, please, please read books written in your native language, not just translated stuff.
If you're an aspiring translator please, please, please read books written in your native language, not just translated stuff.
I really want someone to do a study on the linguistic phenomenon that sees native English speakers consuming so much translated Japanese media that they start using a voice similar to that translated media. Because I've never met anyone who talks like this IRL, except for those people.
June 21, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I've noticed a lot of inexperienced (and even some experienced) translators will write in this wooden way and not realise it's unnatural.
If you're an aspiring translator please, please, please read books written in your native language, not just translated stuff.
If you're an aspiring translator please, please, please read books written in your native language, not just translated stuff.
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Pinknoise hasn't been paying its freelancers since November in some cases (data from Linkedin), and they collaborate with
@riotgames.com, @warnerbrosgames.com, @rockstargames.com and Electronic Arts (data from its web).
@riotgames.com, @warnerbrosgames.com, @rockstargames.com and Electronic Arts (data from its web).
💥Desde CSVI denunciamos la falta de comunicación por parte de la compañía PinkNoise en pos del retraso del pago a múltiples autónomes del sector. No toleraremos que se menosprecie e infravalore el trabajo de les compañeres. Exigimos una respuesta ya. ¡El trabajo se paga!
May 16, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Pinknoise hasn't been paying its freelancers since November in some cases (data from Linkedin), and they collaborate with
@riotgames.com, @warnerbrosgames.com, @rockstargames.com and Electronic Arts (data from its web).
@riotgames.com, @warnerbrosgames.com, @rockstargames.com and Electronic Arts (data from its web).
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Question: Do you have a favourite translator? If so, who and why? Any language pair is okay!
March 5, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Question: Do you have a favourite translator? If so, who and why? Any language pair is okay!
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
The famous green owl app Duolingo is going even harder into AI made by stolen content. It's not curated by native speakers so you have no idea if what you're learning is correct. Their algorithm overall tries to hit the happy brain juices instead of helping you learn. So here are some alternatives!
September 24, 2024 at 10:02 PM
The famous green owl app Duolingo is going even harder into AI made by stolen content. It's not curated by native speakers so you have no idea if what you're learning is correct. Their algorithm overall tries to hit the happy brain juices instead of helping you learn. So here are some alternatives!
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
How to turn off MS Word scraping your writing to train its AI medium.com/illumination...
MS Word is Using You to Train AI
How to turn off AI-scraping from your Word documents
medium.com
November 18, 2024 at 12:27 PM
How to turn off MS Word scraping your writing to train its AI medium.com/illumination...
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
“If you are a translator – or aspire to be one – don’t fear your voice. Embrace it. Approach each project with the humility of a listener and the courage of a creator.”
Bracing words by Shelly Bryant in “The Translator as Co-Author”: open.substack.com/pub/tlinsigh...
Bracing words by Shelly Bryant in “The Translator as Co-Author”: open.substack.com/pub/tlinsigh...
The Translator as Co-Author
Finding Your Voice in the Text
open.substack.com
December 31, 2024 at 6:48 AM
“If you are a translator – or aspire to be one – don’t fear your voice. Embrace it. Approach each project with the humility of a listener and the courage of a creator.”
Bracing words by Shelly Bryant in “The Translator as Co-Author”: open.substack.com/pub/tlinsigh...
Bracing words by Shelly Bryant in “The Translator as Co-Author”: open.substack.com/pub/tlinsigh...
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
One of my pet peeves when playing games is bad subtitles. Tiny text, illegible fonts, no speaker names, poor line breaking, the list goes on! Movies and TV have standardized style guides, so why don't games?!
Anyway, so I decided to rant about it.
j-entranslations.com/why-do-video...
Anyway, so I decided to rant about it.
j-entranslations.com/why-do-video...
Why Do Video Game Subtitles Suck? - J-En Translations
A look at why some video game subtitles suck and what game devs can do to improve the standard of subtitles in all languages.
j-entranslations.com
December 22, 2024 at 2:07 AM
One of my pet peeves when playing games is bad subtitles. Tiny text, illegible fonts, no speaker names, poor line breaking, the list goes on! Movies and TV have standardized style guides, so why don't games?!
Anyway, so I decided to rant about it.
j-entranslations.com/why-do-video...
Anyway, so I decided to rant about it.
j-entranslations.com/why-do-video...
Intergalactic🙂↕❤
December 13, 2024 at 4:06 AM
Intergalactic🙂↕❤
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
This. If you're an aspiring translator don't use MT or AI translation. You'll never learn how to understand or convey the nuances of the original text if you cheat. It's hard but if you don't learn how to do the hard stuff then you'll never get better.
We don’t talk enough about the skills loss that AI is causing, and even less about the skills that won’t be created because people will cling to technology for the most basic information processing tasks. I wonder who will be the experts needed when the experts never quite materialise.
December 12, 2024 at 10:12 PM
This. If you're an aspiring translator don't use MT or AI translation. You'll never learn how to understand or convey the nuances of the original text if you cheat. It's hard but if you don't learn how to do the hard stuff then you'll never get better.
December 13, 2024 at 3:45 AM
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Witcher community: If English isn't your first language - thanks to our incredible localisation and video teams - we also have the trailer available in (among others):
🇩🇪 youtu.be/3hrQSmB3hHo
🇫🇷 youtu.be/9L2y-8Jzn8I
🇮🇹 youtu.be/N_Rfnz7pB4g
🇪🇸 youtu.be/KKq6gl52XJs
🇩🇪 youtu.be/3hrQSmB3hHo
🇫🇷 youtu.be/9L2y-8Jzn8I
🇮🇹 youtu.be/N_Rfnz7pB4g
🇪🇸 youtu.be/KKq6gl52XJs
The Witcher IV — Cinematic-Reveal-Trailer | The Game Awards 2024
YouTube video by CD PROJEKT RED DACH
youtu.be
December 13, 2024 at 2:13 AM
Witcher community: If English isn't your first language - thanks to our incredible localisation and video teams - we also have the trailer available in (among others):
🇩🇪 youtu.be/3hrQSmB3hHo
🇫🇷 youtu.be/9L2y-8Jzn8I
🇮🇹 youtu.be/N_Rfnz7pB4g
🇪🇸 youtu.be/KKq6gl52XJs
🇩🇪 youtu.be/3hrQSmB3hHo
🇫🇷 youtu.be/9L2y-8Jzn8I
🇮🇹 youtu.be/N_Rfnz7pB4g
🇪🇸 youtu.be/KKq6gl52XJs
Well, lemme just do a thread. These are some of the things I really wanted to know before and when I started:
1. Freelance vs Agency vs Company Work. The pros & cons, and how to choose the right path. Interviews from various experienced translators sharing their experiences working either freelance
1. Freelance vs Agency vs Company Work. The pros & cons, and how to choose the right path. Interviews from various experienced translators sharing their experiences working either freelance
What do aspiring and new translators want to know more about when it comes to translations skills, training, and/or the industry?
December 8, 2024 at 4:43 PM
Well, lemme just do a thread. These are some of the things I really wanted to know before and when I started:
1. Freelance vs Agency vs Company Work. The pros & cons, and how to choose the right path. Interviews from various experienced translators sharing their experiences working either freelance
1. Freelance vs Agency vs Company Work. The pros & cons, and how to choose the right path. Interviews from various experienced translators sharing their experiences working either freelance
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
I'm putting together a Starter Pack of Japanese teachers! Does anyone have any other teachers or people who share Japanese study tips/resources they'd recommend?
bsky.app/starter-pack...
bsky.app/starter-pack...
December 4, 2024 at 10:25 PM
I'm putting together a Starter Pack of Japanese teachers! Does anyone have any other teachers or people who share Japanese study tips/resources they'd recommend?
bsky.app/starter-pack...
bsky.app/starter-pack...
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
There's a lot translators consider when they translate something. Should I keep the wording here or will that read awkwardly and create misunderstanding? Should I lean into the character's voice or hold it back?
j-entranslations.com/balancing-ja...
j-entranslations.com/balancing-ja...
Balancing Japanese-English Translation - J-En Translations
There are times when you need to know how to balance Japanese-English translation, especially when working in media translation.
j-entranslations.com
December 3, 2024 at 8:58 PM
There's a lot translators consider when they translate something. Should I keep the wording here or will that read awkwardly and create misunderstanding? Should I lean into the character's voice or hold it back?
j-entranslations.com/balancing-ja...
j-entranslations.com/balancing-ja...
Reposted by Yves Blesdel
Thought I'd do a thread on being hired as a Writer / Narrative Designer in games, since I've been on both sides of the process. Here's some answers to frequently asked questions. Opinions my own, mileage may vary, etc. 🧵
November 17, 2024 at 11:43 PM
Thought I'd do a thread on being hired as a Writer / Narrative Designer in games, since I've been on both sides of the process. Here's some answers to frequently asked questions. Opinions my own, mileage may vary, etc. 🧵