Baldur’s Gate 3 is seemingly the latest high-profile release to launch with an incomplete set of credits.
As spotted by freelance localization producer Katrina Leonoudakis (via X), the credits omit the names of the individual translators who provided the Brazilian and Portuguese localization.
Altagram Group was responsible for that specific translation, and while the credits include the names of department leads and C-suite execs like CEO Marie Amigues, the names of individual translators are nowhere to be found.
Leonoudakis points out that other localization companies that worked on the title, such as Asmodee Italia and WhisperGames, have credited their translators.
They also noted that the Brazilian Portuguese localization has been inundated with praise, and suggested those who actually worked on the translation have now been completely “shut down” as a result of the omission.
Responding to that thread, another X user highlighted a post from Danial Hasri that indicates Baldur’s Gate 3 also failed to credit the individuals at support studios who worked on the project.
A screenshot shared on the platform shows Larian has included the names of outsourcing studios such as Wushu Studios, Vivid Dreaming Productions, and Tom-Tom Studio Budapest in the credits, but hasn’t included the names of employees who actually contributed to the title at those companies.
Developers continue to speak out against miscrediting, but are studios listening?
Earlier this year, Game Developer spoke with a number of developers who’ve been affected by miscrediting to understand the impact of a practice that many feel has become normalized.
During our discussions, those with first-hand experience working in localization suggested that, often, it’s the localization companies themselves who withhold names from partner studios. It was, however, also claimed the “laissez-faire” attitude of developers and publishers who fail to take contractors to task actively enables that behavior.
“[Studios and publishers] often get blindsided by agencies refusing to credit their workers after the fact, or even simply do not bother or think to ask for translators’ names,” said one source, speaking to Game Developer. “People do hard work that millions of players enjoy on a daily basis. They deserve to have their names known.”
This isn’t the first time a major studio has failed to properly credit developers. Over the past few years, we’ve heard stories of developers being improperly credited on projects like Metroid Dread, The Callisto Protocol, Pentiment, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and God of War Ragnarok.
Game Developer has reached out to both Larian and Altagram for more information.
Update (8/9/23): Larian told Eurogamer “This was all Altagram group,” Larian director of publishing Michael Douse told Eurogamer. “We reached out, and compelled them to fix this.”
“Full credits will be coming in Hotfix 3. As soon as we (Larian) were made aware, we took steps with Altagram to remedy this immediately.”