"Ex-PlayStation Director Slams Sony for Omitting Until Dawn Writers from Film Credits"

A former PlayStation narrative director, Kim MacAskill, has launched a petition urging the creators of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the game's original writers. As highlighted by Eurogamer, MacAskill's petition targets Sony, calling for a change in how intellectual property (IP) is credited, especially in transmedia adaptations.

In her petition, MacAskill expressed frustration that the Until Dawn movie credits the film's director and writers but only vaguely references the game as "based on the Sony game," without acknowledging the key game developers. She emphasized the significant effort these developers put into creating the iconic game, arguing that their contributions deserve recognition.

MacAskill elaborated on her concerns in a LinkedIn post, drawing comparisons with HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us, which credits both the studio and Neil Druckmann for his roles as writer and director. She questioned the disparity in treatment between different Sony IPs, revealing that Sony executives had told her that salaried employees would never receive personal credit for their IP creations, regardless of their contributions.

The former director also shared her unsuccessful attempts to gain rights or acknowledgment for the IPs she created while at Sony, underscoring a broader issue within the company's approach to crediting its creative workforce. MacAskill's petition calls for Sony to reconsider its stance on IP crediting, suggesting an executive producer credit or equivalent acknowledgment for creators involved in transmedia projects.

She argues that proper recognition not only honors the creators but also sets a positive precedent for the industry, inspiring future generations of game developers. MacAskill's call to action is for supporters to sign the petition and stand with game creators in demanding the recognition they deserve in transmedia narratives.

In related news, Until Dawn Remastered is rumored to be part of the PlayStation Plus games lineup for May 2025, potentially as a promotional move for the recently released Until Dawn movie. However, the movie itself received a lukewarm reception, earning a 5/10 in IGN's review, which criticized it for failing to capture the horror game's promise and instead delivering a disjointed mix of horror movie tropes.