A game localization budget should begin with the text that will actually be translated. A repository can contain dialogue, unused strings, developer notes, duplicate exports and programming identifiers. Counting everything in the folder produces a number that may not describe the work.
Create a defined source version, identify the translatable fields and choose the Spanish locale. Then separate translation and review from testing inside the running game.
Calculate the base language work
COLONFILM's proposed rate for English to European Spanish is $0.12 per source word, with a $950 project minimum. The total is the greater of those two amounts.
That means 5,000 source words are priced at the $950 minimum; 10,000 words cost $1,200; 25,000 cost $3,000; and 50,000 cost $6,000. These examples describe our service pricing, not a market average.
Protected IDs, keys and placeholders are excluded from the agreed translatable count. Repeated strings are reviewed in context, and no repetition discount should be assumed unless it is included in the quote.
Decide which content belongs in the project
List the game dialogue, UI, item descriptions, quests, achievements and store copy separately. The same terminology may need to carry across all of them, but their review requirements differ.
A button label needs to fit its interface and communicate the action immediately. A character speech may depend on personality and surrounding dialogue. Store copy may need a different editorial treatment from either one.
If some text is unfinished, mark it as pending. Otherwise, you may pay to translate a version that will be replaced before release.
Separate file checks from in-game LQA
Translation and file checks can verify agreed terminology and protected-token handling. They cannot reveal every issue that appears after import, such as a truncated label, an unexpected line break or dialogue shown to the wrong character.
In-game linguistic quality assurance needs a playable build, access instructions, test coverage and a way to report issues. Budget it as a defined stage. Also decide who will implement fixes and who will verify them in a later build.
Plan for updates and ambiguity
Use a change log after the source version is locked. Send changed strings with stable IDs and enough surrounding context to show whether earlier translations should also change.
Maintain a terminology decision list. A question resolved early can prevent the same wrong interpretation appearing across dozens of items or quests. Developer time answering those questions is part of a realistic schedule, even when it is not part of the translation invoice.
Send a representative sample
The best quote request includes a sample file, source word count, target locale, screenshots and release plan. Include unusual syntax and your most constrained interface strings. That lets the project be scoped around the real game instead of an idealized text file.
Send your source material for a written quote confirming the supported scope, final price and delivery schedule.
Explore English to Spanish Game Localization for the scope and enquiry details. Continue reading: Prepare Game Files for Spanish Localization Without Breaking Strings.