Localization & Slavic Legends with Samael Raid

Godforge continues to build steam as Fateless Game Studio invites more community voices into the spotlight. In this week’s Fateless Podcast, Simon, Sham, and Brad are joined by Samael, a well-known Raid content creator from Poland. With over four years of YouTube experience and nearly six years in Raid: Shadow Legends, Samael shares his perspective as a long-time gamer, community leader, and advocate for Polish-speaking players.

Let’s dive into the highlights from the episode, from localization challenges to Slavic mythology, and what Polish players really want from Godforge.

Samael’s passion for gaming began early, with his very first computer, the Commodore 64. A brief console stint with a Mega Drive gave him a taste of Shining Force, a game he still replays on his phone today. But it was *Sid Meier’s Pirates!* that left the deepest impression, kicking off a lifelong love for RPGs, strategy, and action-adventure games.

“I always play a knight or warrior with sword and shield,” Samael said, describing his go-to RPG class. “Frontline, doing the damage.” If you’ve got a tank charging in with sword and board, Samael’s already on your side.

One major topic Samael brought to the table was language support. While Polish subtitles are common in PC games, mobile games often leave Polish players behind. This is a growing concern, especially as Godforge eyes a global launch.

“If there would be Polish language in Godforge, that would be a huge thing for Polish players,” Samael explained. “People ask me about it all the time.”

Right now, most Polish gamers are used to English-only experiences, especially in mobile games. But that doesn’t mean they’re satisfied. Players want localized content, and Samael is leading the charge, encouraging both fans and the dev team to make it happen.

Simon and Sham peeled back the curtain on the how and why of localization in game development. Full voiceover dubs are extremely costly, which makes subtitles the more viable option—at least for now. The good news? Tools for localization have improved significantly, and AI has reduced the cost of initial translations.

However, LQA (Localization Quality Assurance) is the real key.

“You don’t want to become a meme like ‘All your base are belong to us,’” Sham joked. “The translation has to feel right, not just be literally accurate.”

Polish presents unique challenges, with complex suffixes and word forms. And while AI can speed things up, Samael pointed out that bad translations, especially AI-generated ones, are painfully obvious when there’s no human checking the final result.

It’s not off the table.

Brad, Simon, and Sham made it clear: localization decisions will be based on demand and impact. They’re open to working with passionate community members like Samael to make it happen.

“If there’s interest, and we can organize a solid translation pass and LQA, then yeah, why not?” said Simon.

So Polish fans, now’s the time to raise your voices. Your feedback might be what tips the scales and gets your language into the game.

The conversation got especially lively when the topic shifted to Godforge’s upcoming Slavic faction. Samael lit up at the mention of iconic figures like Baba Yaga, Dracula, Koschei, and Maria Morevna, some of which have already received high praise from the Fateless team.

“Baba Yaga looked so good, we had to upgrade her from epic to legendary,” Simon revealed. “We couldn’t keep her at epic, it was just too good.”

But Samael had even more to add.

He pitched the legend of Lech, Czech, and Rus—the mythical founders of Poland, Czechia, and Russia—as potential additions to Godforge. These characters could bring powerful archetypes: a fierce warrior, a spirited buffer (Czech beer buffs, anyone?), and a wise mage.

If there’s ever an event featuring these legendary brothers, you heard it here first.

Samael’s already signed up for the Godforge beta, and he’s encouraging his Polish audience to do the same. The hype is real—even among players who remain cautiously optimistic.

“Every time I do a Godforge video, I tell people to sign up,” Samael said. “They’re asking if I’ll be covering the game—so yeah, there’s a lot of interest.”

He’s also helping bridge the gap for players who struggle with English, offering guidance through his channel and local communities.

The Godforge devs are continuing to show a rare level of transparency and community involvement. Whether it’s early previews, candid conversations about localization, or acting on fan feedback, Fateless is building something truly collaborative.

Samael’s appearance on the podcast is a prime example of how passionate voices from around the world can shape the game’s future.