The Traitors is a popular murder mystery TV series in which communication is key. The group of either “faithful” or “traitor” players compete to evade murder or banishment and to survive until the end. If they want to stay in the game, the traitors must hide their identity while the faithful must uncover it. If you’ve never met the player before, the main resource you have is communication. Analysing or managing behaviour, body language, and communication is key to strategy.
Tailoring communication is also the aim of localisation. Localisation plays a role in transmitting an identity and in connecting with a specific audience. Positive impressions are important and content needs to adapt to the linguistic and cultural expectations of the market. With communication being so important to The Traitors, it can teach us a lot about language and localisation. Let’s take a look at some of the core communication strategies in the game and how this ties to localisation.
The Importance of Consistency
In The Traitors, players tend to distinguish a person as “authentic” if their character remains consistent. If a player displays a certain character, but this changes abruptly, this immediately marks the person out as suspicious. The lack of consistency calls that person’s authenticity into question.
If a quieter character who previously observed the action begins to voice their opinion more openly, players can become suspicious. Likewise, if players appear bubbly and upbeat, but later become withdrawn, they might be seen as having something to hide. As long as players maintain their temperament throughout the game, they tend to fly further under the radar.
Consistency is also a core aspect of localisation. We need to ensure that the language and terminology we’re using is consistent across content. This is important not only for clarity but also to make sure we’re accurately expressing a company’s identity.
Any inconsistency can undermine either the clarity of the content, or the strength of a company’s unique voice. As a result the customer can struggle to gain a clear sense of the company and their values.
The Impact of a Powerful Argument
At the roundtable, players can present their arguments and try to convince the other players to banish a particular individual. This is where argument comes into play. If a player articulates their theory and backs this up with solid evidence, they can influence the group’s opinion. Nevertheless, asserting a powerful argument can equally draw attention if it appears to be out of character. Players have to choose the right moment and setting.
In localisation, the aim is to express how a good or service can bring value to a customer. A customer can make a considered decision if they have access to information in their own language. That way they have a fuller understanding of what is on offer, the value it can bring, and evidence of this.
Crafting a Compelling Narrative
Another element of communication that has been critical to past players’ success, is the use of storytelling. Crafting a convincing narrative has proved to be an effective way to influence opinion and reach an outcome. This method is especially effective if the narrative becomes a convincing alibi. A traitor that wins a shield and only reveals this to certain individuals incriminates the players believed not to know. In the latest series, a traitor invoked the status of a banished former detective to lend authority to their theories.
Storytelling is also relevant to localisation. Telling a story is important for evoking emotion in the audience. It can help make content feel more relevant and personal. Localisation helps companies tell their own stories in a way that connects with customers in local markets.
Nonverbal Communication
We form impressions in large part from body language, not just verbal speech. In The Traitors, players often become acutely aware of the body language of others. Whether it’s facial expressions, breathing rate, or perspiration, players take note of body language. The direction of a player’s gaze or nervous disposition can equally become fuel for potential theories. Besides body language, outfits can also form a part of strategy. Players can vary their outfits to reflect their aims. Colourful and playful outfits might subtly communicate innocence and trustworthiness, while sharp and formal might communicate seriousness.
n localisation too, it’s not all about the language itself. Translation is one aspect of localisation, but localisation also involves adapting to the cultural reality of the target market. This includes adapting the formatting, layout, currency and units of measurement. It also involves being mindful of local connotations of terms or phrases, and the expectations and preferences of the audience. Ultimately, it is not only language that does the talking, but the overall ensemble of visual and linguistic elements. All together these form an impression and determine whether the content hits the mark or just misses the target.
All in all, The Traitors demonstrates the power of communication, with some important transferable lessons to the world of translation and localisation.
If you’d like to learn more about languages and localisation, you can check out our other blog posts here.
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5 March 2026 14:01