Until Dawn movie finally hit the cinema screen on April 25. Aside the 53% Tomatometer score and mixed reviews, a new controversy has hit the movie, and this time it is coming from former PlayStation Narrative Director, Kim MacAskill.
MacAskill blew hot in a post on LinkedIn after discovering that the leading game developers were not credited in the Until Dawn movie but rather wrapped up in a text that read “based on the Sony game”. According to MacAskill, “They spent years breaking their brains to make something incredible and the world DESERVES to know their names… instead…”.
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“Why should IP creators keep working for you?” MacAskill added. “Film and TV, which is grotesque at the best of times, still own the need to note the importance of credit. Why won’t you?”
A lot of the comments under the post asserted that the reason why Sony skimped on the credits was to maintain control over the IP. According to a comment by Jaffery Nicolaysen, “The more they proliferate the name of the creator, the more leverage the creator has”.
However, some may argue that the reason why companies often create movie adaptations of their games is to draw more awareness to the game. Therefore, by writing “based on the Sony game” in the credits, it will prick the curiosity of some fans to check the game to see the brains behind it. This is an unpopular opinion by the way.
MacAskill shared a screenshot of PlayStation’s response to her claim on the Until Dawn IP after she left. According to her, all she wanted was to get credited, which may potentially give her enough ownership for adaptation.
MacAskill’s screenshot of PlayStation’s response
“As a former Sony Interactive Entertainment and PlayStation Narrative Director who was firmly told that the IP I personally created would NEVER be credited to me as I was salaried (no royalties, no control, no ownership, no acknowledgement) I am struggling with the difference between Neil Druckmann’s favor and that of others in your company.”
MacAskill has started a petition regarding Until Dawn credits
Until Dawn game was written by Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick, directed by Will Byles and Nik Bowen, and produced by Pete Samuels. None of these names appeared in the movie credits, not to mention countless others.
MacAskill has started a petition on Change.org which has attracted 134 verified signatures at the time of writing. In the petition, MacAskill noted that, “This issue is not exclusive to any single company, but rather pervades the entire gaming industry”.
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The petitioner is “calling upon Sony, a leader in the gaming world, to set a precedent for change by revising the Until Dawn credits” as well as “revise their approach to IP crediting, particularly in transmedia adaptations”.
In other news, Until Dawn may be heading to PlayStation Plus. The discovery was made through a listing in the PlayStation Store. It is believed to be one of the free games that will lead the May 2025 lineup of the PlayStation Plus monthly titles.
Do you think game writers have a case for demanding to be credited in movie adaptations, even when they are not directly involved in the movie scripting? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
