Baldur’s Gate III, an eagerly anticipated game that has already garnered significant attention, is facing criticism for failing to credit a number of outsourced workers who contributed to its completion. Freelance localization producer, Katrina Leonoudakis, was the first to identify this issue, highlighting that the game’s credits omitted translators who worked on the Brazilian and Portuguese localizations. These translations were handled by a company called Altagram Group, whose executives and department leads were mentioned in the credits. However, other language translations, such as Italian, were properly credited, despite being outsourced to different companies.
The problem extends beyond the translators, as reports reveal that developers from outsourcing studios were also left unacknowledged in the credits. While the names of each studio were listed, individual contributors were not recognized.
Fortunately, Larian, the developer of Baldur’s Gate III, has responded swiftly. In a statement to Eurogamer, they clarified that the oversight in crediting belonged to Altagram Group and stated that they have compelled the company to rectify the situation. Larian further assured that a fix is forthcoming.
While it is commendable that Larian is committed to resolving this issue and ensuring that individuals receive the recognition they deserve, inadequate crediting has become a recurring problem in the gaming industry. Several localization experts interviewed by Game Developer described a casual approach to appropriately crediting contractors. This regrettable trend has been witnessed in multiple instances over the past year, including translators of Persona 3 and Persona 4 not being properly credited, as well as artists and developers of prominent titles like Metroid Dread and God of War: Ragnarok being denied their rightful acknowledgment.
