Kim MacAskill, a former PlayStation narrative director, has launched a petition urging the creators of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the game's writers. As highlighted by Eurogamer, MacAskill's petition calls on Sony to set a new standard for crediting in transmedia adaptations, specifically requesting that the credits for the Until Dawn movie be revised to acknowledge the original game developers.
In her petition, MacAskill expressed frustration over the lack of recognition for the game's creators, 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."
MacAskill further elaborated on her concerns in a LinkedIn post, drawing a comparison between the crediting of HBO's adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us — which credits both the studio and Neil Druckmann as writer and director — and the Until Dawn movie. She recounted being told by Sony executives that she would never be credited for the IP she created while salaried at the company, expressing her struggle with the disparity in treatment. She directly addressed Sony, saying, "I am struggling with the difference between Neil Druckmann's favor and that of others in your company."
When MacAskill inquired about the rights to her created IP, a Sony representative acknowledged her position but firmly stated that such recognition was not possible company-wide, emphasizing that it was "nothing personal." MacAskill's goal was simple: "All I wanted was to be credited and to potentially have enough ownership for adaptation."
In her petition, MacAskill is not only advocating for the Until Dawn creators but also for the integrity of the entire industry. She is urging Sony to revise their approach to IP crediting in transmedia adaptations, suggesting that an executive producer credit or equivalent acknowledgment would honor the creators whose passion and vision have transformed the entertainment landscape. "Let's advocate not only for the Until Dawn creators but for the integrity of the industry. By ensuring that creative voices are properly recognized, we can continue to inspire future generations of creators who dare to dream beyond current constraints," she wrote, encouraging people to sign the petition to support game creators in receiving the recognition they deserve in transmedia narratives.
In related news, it was reported that Until Dawn Remastered might be one of the PlayStation Plus games for May 2025, potentially serving as a promotional move for the recently released Until Dawn movie. However, the movie did not meet expectations, receiving a 5/10 rating from IGN, with the review stating, "Until Dawn is more disappointing than deadly, leaving all the promise of the horror game behind for a jumble of horror-movie re-creations."
