Sony Slammed by Ex-PlayStation Director for Omitting Until Dawn Writers from Movie Credits

A former PlayStation narrative director, Kim MacAskill, has launched a petition aimed at the creators of the Until Dawn movie to ensure that the game's writers receive proper credit in the film adaptation. As highlighted by Eurogamer, MacAskill's petition calls on Sony to set a new standard in the gaming industry by revising the credits of the Until Dawn movie to include the names of the game developers who were instrumental in creating the iconic game.

In her petition, MacAskill expressed her frustration over the current crediting system, stating, "I've just left Until Dawn where the film director, writers, etc, were all credited, but instead of [Sony] mentioning the leading game dev(s) who created this ICONIC game you're clearly proud of, [Sony] just wrapped it as 'based on the Sony game'. They spent years breaking their brains to make something incredible, and the world DESERVES to know their names... instead… No credit. No thanks. No honor."

Further elaborating on her concerns in a LinkedIn post, MacAskill questioned the disparity in crediting practices by comparing the Until Dawn movie to HBO's adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, which properly credits both the studio and Neil Druckmann as both writer and director. She highlighted her conversation with Sony executives, who informed her that the IP she created would never be credited to her because she was salaried, with no royalties, control, ownership, or acknowledgment. She challenged Sony directly, asking, "I am struggling with the difference between Neil Druckmann's favor and that of others in your company."

MacAskill also revealed that when she inquired about the rights to the intellectual property she developed while working for Sony, a representative responded that while they understood her position, it was a firm-wide policy that could not be changed, emphasizing it was "nothing personal." Her primary request was to be credited and potentially have enough ownership to participate in adaptations.

Through her petition, MacAskill is advocating for a change in Sony's approach to IP crediting, especially in transmedia adaptations. She proposes that providing an executive producer credit or equivalent acknowledgment would honor the creators whose vision and passion have significantly impacted the entertainment industry. She urges supporters to sign the petition to stand with all game creators in demanding the recognition they deserve in transmedia narratives.

In related news, it was reported that PlayStation Plus games for May 2025 will include Until Dawn Remastered, possibly as a promotional move for the recently released Until Dawn movie. However, the movie received a lukewarm response, earning a 5/10 rating in IGN's Until Dawn movie review, which criticized it for not living up to the horror game's promise and instead delivering a jumbled mix of horror movie clichés.