Nihon Falcom, the developer behind the beloved Trails series, is considering incorporating AI into its translation process for future game releases. The studio’s CEO, Toshihiro Kondo, shared these insights during an interview with 4Gamer, as reported by Automaton Media.
AI to Assist with Initial Translations
Kondo revealed that using AI for the initial phases of translation could streamline the process significantly. According to him, this approach could “compress the entire process and ultimately speed up development.” However, Kondo made it clear that human oversight would still be essential to ensure the final translation’s accuracy and quality. AI would merely handle the first draft, with human translators refining and polishing the results. This hybrid approach could potentially reduce the gap between Japanese and Western releases of Nihon Falcom’s games, which are often delayed due to the sheer amount of text involved.
The Challenge of Translating Trails Games
The Trails series, in particular, presents a daunting challenge for localization due to its extensive amount of dialogue and narrative. Kondo explained that the text in these games is “several times larger than that of a typical RPG,” making simultaneous worldwide releases impossible under current conditions. For this reason, Western fans typically have to wait at least a year after the Japanese launch to get their hands on localized versions of Trails games.
While the possibility of hiring a dedicated translation team to work alongside the developers was not discussed in the interview, it’s likely that the studio’s relatively small size makes such a strategy difficult to implement.
AI in Future Projects
Although Kondo did not confirm whether the studio has already experimented with AI for translations, his comments suggest that it’s a possibility for future releases. However, it’s unlikely that games already in development, such as Trails through Daybreak 2 or the upcoming Trails in the Sky remake, will be impacted by this change. Other upcoming titles like Ys X: Nordics are also expected to follow the traditional localization process.
As AI technology continues to evolve, it seems increasingly probable that we’ll see its influence in the gaming industry, particularly when it comes to streamlining complex tasks like translation. While AI might take on the initial burden of translation, human experts will remain vital to ensuring the localization retains the nuance and depth of the original Japanese script.
Stay tuned for updates on Nihon Falcom’s developments, including any potential use of AI in future projects.
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