In a move to champion creators' rights, Kim MacAskill, a former narrative director at PlayStation, has launched a petition urging the makers of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the original game's writers. As highlighted by Eurogamer, MacAskill's campaign calls on Sony to lead the industry by revising how credits are handled in transmedia adaptations of their intellectual properties.
MacAskill expressed her frustration in the petition, 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'." She emphasized the hard work and dedication of the game developers, arguing that they deserve recognition for their contributions.
Further elaborating on her stance in a LinkedIn post, MacAskill questioned the disparity in crediting practices between different Sony projects, notably comparing it to HBO's adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, where both the studio and Neil Druckmann were credited. She recounted a conversation with Sony executives who informed her that, due to her salaried position, she would never receive credit for the IP she helped create.
MacAskill's petition seeks more than just personal recognition; it aims to set a precedent for how creators are acknowledged in transmedia adaptations. She proposes that Sony should provide an executive producer credit or equivalent acknowledgment to honor the creators whose vision and passion have significantly impacted the entertainment industry.
"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," MacAskill wrote, urging supporters to sign the petition and stand with game creators in demanding recognition in transmedia narratives.
In related news, it was reported earlier that Until Dawn Remastered is set to be included in the PlayStation Plus games lineup for May 2025, possibly as a promotional move for the recently released Until Dawn movie. However, the film received a lukewarm reception, earning a 5/10 score from IGN, with our 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."
