Sony Slammed for Omitting Until Dawn Writers from Movie Credits

A former PlayStation narrative director, Kim MacAskill, has launched a petition urging the creators of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the original game's writers. As highlighted by Eurogamer, MacAskill's campaign seeks to influence Sony to revise the credits of the Until Dawn adaptation, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the game developers who crafted the iconic game. MacAskill expressed her frustration on 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'. 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."

In a detailed LinkedIn post, MacAskill further 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 notably credits both the studio and Neil Druckmann for his roles as writer and director. She revealed that Sony executives had informed her that the intellectual property she created while employed by them would not be credited to her due to her salaried status, lacking royalties, control, ownership, and acknowledgment. Addressing Sony directly, she questioned the fairness of this policy, stating, "I am struggling with the difference between Neil Druckmann's favor and that of others in your company."

MacAskill's petition calls for Sony to reconsider their approach to IP crediting, especially in transmedia adaptations. She proposes that an executive producer credit or equivalent acknowledgment would appropriately honor the creators whose vision and passion have significantly impacted the entertainment industry. She emphasized the broader implications for the industry, stating, "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. Sign this petition to urge Sony… and stand with all game creators… demanding well-deserved recognition in transmedia narratives."

In related news, it was reported that one of the PlayStation Plus games for May 2025 will be Until Dawn Remastered, possibly to coincide with the release of the Until Dawn movie just before the weekend. However, the movie received a lukewarm reception, earning a 5/10 in IGN's Until Dawn movie review, which noted, "Until Dawn is more disappointing than deadly, leaving all the promise of the horror game behind for a jumble of horror-movie re-creations."