Staff Profile

Established Freelance Translation Business

Since graduating from the T&I MA Course (Chinese strand) at Newcastle University in 2011, I established a successful freelance translation business that focused on localisation and game translation that ran for 10-years. I also translated, transcreated, and reviewed a wide variety of texts, covering fine art, literature, business, and advertising, as well as working in AVT.

Industry Experience

By working with industry leaders in the field of localisation, I developed a specialism in Chinese to English video game translation.

Aside from 40 years of 'hands on' video game research, I have also worked as a translator, reviewer, style guide creator, and cultural consultant on 80+ video game projects for numerous localisation agencies, translating over three million characters of Chinese text and proofreading a similar quantity of English words.

This includes innovative titles from independent developers to AAA games from industry leaders on platforms that include PC, mobile (Android and IoS), Nintendo Switch, and PS4 VR.

I have translated, transcreated, and reviewed genres that include: MMOs, MMORPGs, single-player RPGs, FPS, MOBA, RTS, TBS, action adventure games, arcade classics, casual games, 2D and 2.5D platformers, and others.

In addition to C-E video game localisation, I have been employed to create style guides in English for AAA titles, to be translated into FIGS.

In terms of other localisation, I have also worked on the translation of several apps designed for use in education, rehabilitation, and driving.

Return to Academia

I become a full-time member of staff at Newcastle University in 2018, specialising in localisation of digital products (apps, videogames, and websites) and Chinese to English translation. I completed a PhD (2024) in: Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study.

Retaining a close relationship with my industry contacts, I now bring vital industry practices and knowledge to my modules within the school, as well as providing employment opportunities for students within the industry.

As Newcastle University's Lecturer in Translation Technology, I play a central role in the delivery the new Translation and Localisation pathway. This includes module leadership of two new localisation modules, which focus on CAT tools, AI, MT, and the general localisation of digital interactive software products.

Completed Research:

Monograph (Routledge): Culture Specific Items in Chinese to English Video Game Translation: Transmediality and Interactivity in the Localisation of a Wuxia RPG

This was based on my PhD thesis:

PhD thesis on: Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study

It involved the research of Chinese video games based on wuxia literature, localisation, ideology in translation, team translation, Bourdieusian Theory (Habitus and Cultural Capital), Norms in Translation, Skopos Theory, and User Centred Translation.

The monograph also features the first theoretical framework which can contextualise and explain the translation of culture specific content in video games, and potentially other digital interactive products, such as apps and websites.

Current Research:

• Research paper on: An Actor Network Theory Analysis of the Roles of Translators, Reviewers, and Project Managers in Video Game Localisation (near completion).
• Research paper on development of criteria for assessment of Chinese to English video game translation (in progress).
• Book on the pedagogy of localisation (in planning stage).
• Book on the pedagogy of Chinese to English video game localisation (in planning stage).
• Book on cultural approaches and strategies in translation: Chinese to English and English to Chinese (in planning stage)

Future work:

My research interests are: game translation, game localisation, the localisation of digital products (including apps and websites), transcreation, CAT tools, MT, and the utilisation of AI in localisation. While I am interested in these topics from a general cultural perspective, due to my industry background and teaching, I am naturally drawn to the language directions of Chinese to English, and English to Chinese, which have a higher demand and level of academic interest.

I would be interested to collaborate with fellow scholars and researchers in related topics, who have similar interests and potentially - experience in the industry.

Funding:

• 2023, Newcastle University HaSS Education Development Fund, 'The Testing and Analysis of Web-based CAT Tools to be Utilised in Localisation and Translation Modules'.

Leading teaching and module design of the new Translation and Localisation MA Pathway:

SML8026 Localisation 1 - Module Leader (also co-taught by Dr Ya-Yun Chen)

SML8027 Localisation 2 - Module Leader (also co-taught by Dr Ya-Yun Chen)

CHN8035 Chinese-English Subtitle and Video Game Translation - (this is Dr Ya-Yun Chen's module, but I am responsible for the design and delivery of Chinese to English video game translation, and AVT content)

Chinese to English translation modules:

CHN7004 Translating 1 (Chinese to English) - Module Leader (also co-taught by Michelle Deeter)

CHN8037 Specialised Translation (Chinese to English) - (this is Michelle Deeter's module, but I am responsible for the delivery of some content).

• Articles

  • Robertson D. Getting China's Game. The Linguist 2018, (June/July 2018), 15-17.
  • Robertson D. Review of Thinking Chinese Translation. The Linguist 2011, (April 2011).

• Authored Books

  • Robertson D. Culture Specific Items in Chinese to English Video Game Translation: Transmediality and Interactivity in the Localisation of a Wuxia RPG. Routledge, 2025. Submitted.
  • Robertson D. Chinese to English Video Game Linguists and Culture Specific Items in the Translation of a Wuxia RPG: a controlled partial-localisation case study. PhD. School of Mondern Languages, Newcastle University, 2024.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Robertson D. Evolution of CSIs in Video Game Translation and Localisation: Interactive CSIs. In: Translation and Interpreting Studies Conference. 2023, Newcastle University: Confucius Institute at Newcastle University. In Preparation.
  • Robertson D. Bringing Industry Expertise to the Teaching of Video Game Translation and Localisation. In: ‘Inside the Academy / Outside the Academy’. 2019, Newcastle University: APTIS. Submitted.
  • Robertson D. A Video Game Localisation Workshop with Keywords Studios. 2019, Newcastle University: School of Modern Languages.

• Report

  • Robertson D. The Testing and Analysis of Cloud-based CAT Tools to be Utilised in Localisation and Translation Modules. Newcastle University: School of Mondern Languages, Newcastle University, 2023.