About
About me
Hi, my name is Christian Hoffmann—I’m a freelance localization professional specializing in translating games from English to German. I’ve always been fascinated by language and stories, especially interactive ones. After I spent some time in the world of science (because I was interested in how that squishy thing between our ears comes up with and understands stories), I set up shop as a rent-a-boat ferryman between the shores of the English and German languages. For a modest obol1, I ferry the precious scrolls of any storyteller across the treacherous seas of localization.
Why take a voyage to Germany?
It’s a beautiful country full of people who are known for their incredible sense of humor. It’s true, just ask any German! Jokes aside, Germany is the fifth biggest market in terms of gaming revenue (newzoo.com) and the third largest consumer group on Steam by language (gamescribes.com). In other words, if you’re thinking about localizing your game, you should definitely consider adding German as a language. Feel free to contact me if you want to know which games are best suited for the German market.
Why the name Charon Translations?
As do most other people in the localization business, I love a good pun, especially if it involves a bit of thinking. The German word for “translate”, “übersetzen”, has a double meaning2: 1) to change spoken words or written text from one language to another, and 2) to ferry something across from one point to another3. A translator is an “Übersetzer”, which can be read as “ferryman”, at least if you tilt your head and squint a bit. And who is the most amazing mythical ferryman of them all? Exactly—Charon, the OG (Original Greek) translator. Coincidentally, the name “Charon” most likely comes from the Greek “charopós”, meaning “of keen gaze”, and a good eye is exactly what every translator needs!