The Last of Us PlayStation Director Calls Out Lack of Credit on HBO Series

The Last of Us debuted on HBO a few days ago, giving a whole new audience a chance to experience the story originally told in the PlayStation 3 game. While writer Neil Druckmann has been closely involved with the show's creation, the same can't be said for Bruce Straley. Straley was the co-director on the PS3 game alongside Druckmann, and played a pivotal role in building its world. Despite the importance of his contribution, Straley was left unmentioned in the credits for the new HBO series. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Straley said that the moment illustrates the importance of unions in the video game industry.

"It's an argument for unionization that someone who was part of the co-creation of that world and those characters isn't getting a credit or a nickel for the work they put into it," Straley told the Los Angeles Times. "Maybe we need unions in the video game industry to be able to protect creators."

A greater focus has been placed on unionization in the video game industry over the last few years. Last May, employees at Activision Blizzard voted in favor of becoming just the second video game union in North America, as the Game Workers Alliance. Efforts to unionize started in 2021, after employees cited 14-hour days creating some of the most successful games in the industry. The vote came after Activision Blizzard reportedly refused to recognize the union voluntarily.

Straley left Naughty Dog in 2017, and co-founded Wildflower Interactive last year. It's impossible to say whether a union would have been able to successfully get Straley credit on The Last of Us, but it's easy to see how this situation could be frustrating. One episode in, the series is already looking like a massive success story for HBO, and yet Straley's name is nowhere to be found. With eight episodes left to go, hopefully the series can rectify that mistake.

Do you think the video game industry needs better unionization? Would you like to see Straley credited on the show? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Kotaku]