Kim MacAskill, a former PlayStation narrative director, has initiated a petition aimed at the creators of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the original game's writers. This call to action, highlighted by Eurogamer, seeks to influence Sony, a major player in the gaming industry, to set a new standard in crediting for transmedia adaptations.
In her petition, MacAskill expressed frustration over the lack of recognition for the game developers who crafted the iconic Until Dawn game. She pointed out that while the film credits the movie's director and writers, the game developers are merely acknowledged with a generic "based on the Sony game" statement. MacAskill emphasized the dedication and creativity of these developers, stating, "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 LinkedIn, MacAskill drew a comparison between the credits given to Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann for HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us and the lack thereof for the Until Dawn team. She questioned the disparity, noting that Sony executives had informed her that her own intellectual property would never be credited to her due to her salaried status, which she felt was unfair.
MacAskill's petition calls for Sony to reconsider their approach to crediting in transmedia adaptations. She suggests that providing an executive producer credit or similar acknowledgment would appropriately honor the creators whose vision and passion have significantly influenced the entertainment industry. Her plea is for a broader recognition that would not only benefit the Until Dawn creators but also set a precedent for the entire industry, inspiring future generations of creators.
In other news, it appears that Until Dawn Remastered will be featured in the PlayStation Plus games lineup for May 2025, possibly as a promotional move tied to the recent release of the Until Dawn movie. However, the movie received a lukewarm reception, scoring a 5/10 in IGN's Until Dawn movie review, which criticized it for failing to capture the essence of the original horror game and instead delivering a disjointed collection of horror movie tropes.
