“I recently spoke to a former colleague of mine,” Kat continues. “I said, ‘Remember how we used to take lunch breaks together and wish we had a job where we might use our talents and try new things? Well, now I have such a job.’ People might say, ‘Ah, Kat swallowed the propaganda’, but I owe it all to my team. My team allows me to be myself and in return I always give 120% in my work. Also, Riot gives our managers the ability to give everyone enough freedom to do the best job possible.”
The localization team that Kat is part of is responsible for translating/testing all content (projects/publishing/e-sports/entertainment/etc.) into 20 different languages for players around the world. But there is much more to it than simply translating words into another language. Localization is an important part of Riot’s games, and the localization team ensures that players from everywhere can find cultural reference in our content, with the necessary sensitivity, and that we make a positive impression.
“Riot has offices around the world. The goal is to be a global company, and localization is an important part of that,” says Kat. “Early involvement of localization experts and having all regions involved in decisions is essential for a global company. But that’s not all, because Riot also involves RIGs (Riot Inclusion Groups) to ensure that all decisions are made with as many different opinions and perspectives as possible.”
Besides localization, Kat has become a key person on our RIGs. There are currently seven of them and Kat is a member of all of them. The RIGs aim to bring people together with a focus on marginalized groups within the gaming industry. These groups share experiences, host events, and build communities. They also lend their expertise to things like character design when the champions or agents are meant to represent specific communities. For example, Riot Noir, our RIG for black Rioters, has helped that K’Sante accurately reflects West African culture.
“I join every RIG either because I have had a similar experience, I can learn something from the group, or I want to show my loyalty to their members. And sometimes all three reasons apply at the same time,” says Kat. “The RIGs also help me to exercise my kuleana (responsibility). I consider it my kuleana to help the next generations find their way in the gaming and entertainment industry. I hope to inspire and inform Kānaka Maoli and Polynesians that the gaming and entertainment industries are ready for their stories and are great platforms to tell them. Together we can make these industries a better place for underrepresented or marginalized groups.”
Rainbow Rioters Find Their Lane is a series of articles brought to you by Rainbow Rioters, our RIG for LGBTQ+ Rioters. The series revolves around the successes and setbacks that shape careers and the development of one’s identity in line with the job. Read the other posts in the series Patrick Ryan and Maria Pentinen through.
