Written by: Yuting (Erin) Zhang | Special Guest: Jamie Cox
This magazine series explores game localization from multiple perspectives—but one common concern among students continues to surface: how do you break into the game localization industry?
In this article, we’re excited to talk with Jamie Cox, a localization professional who has worked on both the vendor side (LSPs) and the client side (game studios). He shares his career story, talks about current trends in the industry, and gives helpful advice for students who want to work in game localization.
About our guest: Jamie Cox is a localization professional with over eleven years’ experience. He is a graduate of the University of Montana, with a MA from Portland State University. He has worked at vendors like Gengo and Welocalize, then transitioned to the client side, working at companies like Blizzard Entertainment, BetterUp, and now That’s No Moon, where he is the Senior Localization Producer.
Understanding the Vendor vs. Client-Side Experience
ROAR: You’ve worked on both the vendor side and the client side. What do you think are the key differences between these two environments?
Jamie: I think there are two aspects that are the biggest differences between the two.
The first key difference is the level and type of knowledge. At an LSP, most people you work with are localization experts—you can easily exchange ideas and learn from each other. But on the client side, especially in game studios, unless you’re in one of the rare cases with a large in-house team, localization teams are often small—sometimes just one or two people.That makes it harder to bounce ideas around, so you need to be more confident in your own ideas and decisions.
The second key difference is the stakeholder relationship. At an LSP, your main stakeholders are your clients—it’s a clear but hierarchical dynamic, as they assign you tasks. If something goes wrong, like a delay or quality issue, it can create tension. On the client side, your stakeholders are your coworkers. Since you’re working toward the same goals, the relationship feels more collaborative and balanced. Delays or issues are met with more understanding.
ROAR: The gap in knowledge you mentioned ties to something we frequently discuss in class—stakeholder education. From your in-house experience, how do you work with stakeholders who are not familiar with localization?
Jamie: People at game studios come in with very different levels of localization knowledge. Sometimes you’re lucky—someone in leadership understands its value, has seen how it can impact sales or timelines, and knows how to integrate localization early. But often, that’s not the case, and you have to educate stakeholders from the ground up. Localization is highly dependent on other teams and usually comes later in the production pipeline, often after audio and dialogue is nearly complete. We’re not an afterthought, but we’re a “later thought” because so much has to happen before we begin. And when something upstream shifts, it affects us heavily.
That’s why clear communication is so important. I’ve found it helpful to explain why I need something, how it impacts the project, and when I’ll need it. If people can plan around your needs instead of being surprised, they’re much more likely to support you. Building good relationships with stakeholders—just being a helpful, collaborative coworker—makes a big difference too.
ROAR: Just a quick follow-up question—personally, which side do you prefer?
Jamie: I’m really glad I started at an LSP because that’s where I learned the most. You’re exposed to so many types of content and clients, and you can see what works well and what doesn’t. That said, I really enjoy being on the client side now. There’s a stronger sense of ownership over the content. As a vendor, you can care deeply about your work, but you often can’t put your name on it. On the client side, you’re responsible for the entire localized experience.
Career Transitions and Skill Building
ROAR: When you transitioned from working at LSPs to game companies, what challenges did you face—whether in the interview process or in the actual work?
Jamie: I think for any interview, you need to shape your experience to show how it aligns with the role. You’re not making anything up, but you highlight the most relevant parts. If the position is focused on game development, you can talk about any game-related projects you’ve worked on, even if they were just a portion of your past work.
Speaking of actual work, one of the biggest shocks for me after moving from an LSP to a game studio was realizing how organically localization often develops on the client side. Usually, someone just sees a need and starts handling it—whether or not they’re following best practices. That’s why localization can be found under either engineering, product, marketing, etc.—it just depends on who took initiative first. The challenge is that you often walk into workflows or tools that are outdated, but can’t be changed mid-development. Unlike LSPs—where you’re often working with the latest tools to meet diverse client needs—game studios tend to prioritize delivery over optimization. The focus is on getting the game out first.
ROAR: When transitioning from the vendor side to the client side, what are some experiences or responsibilities that you found lacking at LSPs but necessary for in-house roles?
Jamie: In my experience, most of what you do on the client side is also done at LSPs. However, one area I didn’t get much experience with—at least in my case—was budget creation and allocation. At an LSP, the client typically tells you how much budget they have, and you work within those limits. But on the client side, you’re the one setting the budget and allocating resources accordingly. The same applies to timelines. As a vendor, you’re usually handed a deadline and expected to deliver. In-house, you need to look at the broader production schedule and figure out when localization can happen.
ROAR: Whether on the client side or vendor side, what other hard and soft skills do you think are especially important in game localization—besides language and PM skills?
Jamie: I think language expertise and PM skills probably make up 90% of the job, so what you’re learning in school is already highly relevant. Beyond that, I’ll share one hard skill and one soft skill.
For the hard skill, anything that helps you self-service tasks more efficiently is incredibly valuable. For example, I had a coworker at Blizzard who wrote Python scripts to help organize files—it saved us a lot of time. Even if you’re not a developer, having some technical experience is helpful. Try to get hands-on with game engines like Unity or Unreal to understand how localization works within them. Most studios use proprietary engines, but like TMSs, they share similar foundations—the experience is highly transferable.For the soft skill, I’d like to mention media literacy. People in the game industry are often here because we’re “nerds“ who love games. And games become a second language or a slang to convey ideas. For example, if someone says, “I want this part of the game to play like a Metroid game,” and if you don’t know what Metroid is, you won’t know they’re referring to a side-scroller or a platformer. And we don’t just talk about games in terms of mechanics—we also reference them narratively. How stories unfold or worlds are built through gameplay is part of the conversation. Without that knowledge, it can be harder to follow. That said, some of the best producers I’ve worked with at game studios weren’t gamers at all. But they care about the media generally and have strong media awareness with TV shows or movies. It can also help shape what inspires you and how you create.
Common Roles and Entry Points in Game Localization
ROAR: We’re already quite familiar with roles at LSPs, which are often a more accessible starting point. But when it comes to client-side game localization roles, what are some of the common job titles today? It seems much harder to start on the client side—are there any entry-level starting points for students to break in?
Jamie: Yes, it can be tough—especially at studios hiring just one localization person. They’re often looking for someone with significant experience, like having shipped a game, which is hard for newcomers to offer. The most common client-side role is localization producer. Depending on the company, it might also be called project manager or program manager, but the responsibilities are similar.
For students early in their careers, a good entry point is through related roles. If you have a second language expertise, LQA is a great starting point. Depending on the company, it might fall under QA or localization. Customer support is another viable path. Both can be long-term careers or stepping stones into localization.
Some larger studios—like Blizzard and Riot—offer localization internships, which are often paid and can lead to full-time roles. But they often require you to be on-site.
ROAR: If students are interested in game localization but aren’t seeing many current job openings, what practical steps can they take to get noticed and break into the industry?
Jamie: I think it’s important to acknowledge that right now is a really tough time to find a job, especially a gaming job. It’s always been competitive, but with indie studios closing and even big studios downsizing, it’s harder than ever. So if your job search takes longer than expected, it’s not a reflection on you—it’s the state of the industry.
My suggestion is to stay up to date on platforms like LinkedIn. I recommend following big gaming voices like Amir Satvat—he doesn’t talk about localization specifically, but he shares great insights about the game industry overall.
Also, remote roles in games are still rare. I’ve been lucky—my roles at Blizzard and That’s No Moon have been remote—but I don’t think that’s very common. You might need to be open to relocating to places like LA or Seattle, where there are more game studios and opportunities. And most importantly—don’t be too disheartened. A lot of people apply multiple times before landing their first role. Just keep learning and stay connected.
Thanks for reading! We hope Jamie’s journey and advice offer a grounded perspective on what to expect, how to prepare, and encouragement for anyone exploring a future in game localization. The path may not be linear, but with persistence, adaptability, and a passion for games and localization, opportunities are still out there—and the industry is open to you.
Resource mentioned in this article:
- Amir Satvat’s website, a really valuble resource and information hub for gaming careers.