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Media franchise created by Scott Cawthon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) is a video game series and media franchise created by indie game developer Scott Cawthon. The franchise features ten main video games, several spin-off games, novels, and a film adaptation.
| Five Nights at Freddy's | |
|---|---|
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| Genre(s) | Horror fiction |
| Developer(s) |
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| Publisher(s) |
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| Creator(s) | Scott Cawthon |
| Platform(s) | |
| First release | Five Nights at Freddy's August 8, 2014 |
| Latest release | Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit August 7, 2024 |
The video game series follows a set of night guards and other characters that try to survive from midnight to 6 a.m. for five levels, called "nights", while fending off attacks from homicidal animatronic characters. Each game is set in a different location connected to a fictional family pizza restaurant franchise named "Freddy Fazbear's Pizza". The core gameplay mechanic involves using tools effectively and managing limited resources to avoid being caught by the animatronics.
Cawthon conceived the idea for the first video game after his family-friendly resource management game, Chipper & Sons Lumber Co., was criticized for the resemblance of its characters to frightening animatronics. Responding to this feedback, he developed a horror game that intentionally featured scary animatronics. Released in August 2014, the game's success prompted the development of sequels. Cawthon created most of the games himself using Clickteam Fusion but partnered with Steel Wool Studios to create an open-world game and a virtual reality anthology.
The series has a mixed critical reception, with praise for its storytelling and atmosphere but criticism for its gameplay. It has achieved significant commercial success, with merchandise available internationally. The franchise has also garnered a cult following that produces fan media inspired by it.
The concept for Five Nights at Freddy's stemmed from the negative reception of Scott Cawthon's earlier game, Chipper & Sons Lumber Co., where players said that the main character resembled a "scary animatronic animal."[1][2] Initially discouraged by the criticism, Cawthon, who had predominantly created Christian-oriented games, leveraged this feedback to develop something intentionally frightening.[2][3] Five Nights at Freddy's was released on August 8, 2014, via Desura,[4] followed by a Steam release after gaining approval through the crowdsourcing platform Greenlight.[5] The game rapidly gained popularity after being showcased by prominent YouTubers.[1][6]: 82
The success of Five Nights at Freddy's led to multiple sequels released between 2014 and 2023,[7] and a spin-off game titled FNaF World, launched in January 2016.[8] Cawthon used Clickteam Fusion 2.5 for game development and Autodesk 3ds Max for 3D graphics,[9] enhancing later titles with professional voice actors and original soundtracks.[10] For Help Wanted and Security Breach, Cawthon worked with game development company Steel Wool Studios.[11][12] In 2015, Cawthon expanded the franchise into literature, announcing a multi-book deal with Scholastic in 2016,[13] which began with The Silver Eyes,[14] released on Amazon Kindle on December 17, 2015[15] and in paperback on September 27, 2016.[16] This was followed by two additional novels, The Twisted Ones and The Fourth Closet, published in 2017 and 2018, respectively.[17][18]
The Five Nights at Freddy's series consists of psychological horror-themed video games in which the player is usually a night-time employee at a location connected with Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a fictional children's restaurant that takes inspiration from family pizza chains like Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz Pizza Place.[3][19] The restaurant has life-size animatronic characters resembling anthropomorphic animals that perform on a show stage, usually for children's parties, but leave their posts and wander the restaurant at night; the guard's job is to watch over them and prevent them from attacking. The animatronics' mobility is stated in the first game to be necessary for them to continue functioning properly in the morning, though subsequent games reveal they are actually possessed by ghosts.
In Five Nights at Freddy's, the player can control the two security doors connecting their office to the adjacent hallways as a barrier against animatronics in the vicinity. Each night, the player has a power supply that depletes faster when a tool is used.[1][20] If the power goes out, the player can no longer use any tools and is defenseless against the animatronics unless a shift ends before main animatronic Freddy Fazbear can attack.[1] Five Nights at Freddy's 2 has different tools; there are no protective doors, and the player must instead use an empty animatronic head and flashlight to defend themself against the animatronics. The game introduced a music box which must be remotely wound up on a regular basis to prevent an attack from a particular animatronic. Eight-bit mini-games were introduced, which are played randomly after death and give cryptic clues into the lore.[21]
Five Nights at Freddy's 3 uses a monitor panel, which contains audio, camera, and ventilation.[22] The player must keep certain systems from malfunctioning. These malfunctions can be triggered randomly or by the hallucinations of the animatronics from the first and second games. The ability to seal vents is also added and must be used to prevent the sole tangible animatronic from entering the office. The player can use an audio-based function on the cameras, which triggers a childlike voice to lure Springtrap, the game's only physical animatronic possessed by William Afton's spirit, away from the office.[23] The 8-bit minigames return and are playable after each night if the player completes side tasks such as clicking on a poster or inputting a code into a wall. If the player completes the minigames, they unlock a secret ending.[24]
In Five Nights at Freddy's 4, the gameplay occurs in a bedroom setting, and instead of being a nighttime security guard, the player takes the role of a small child who experiences nightmarish visions of the animatronics due to fearing their real-life counterparts.[25] The player also no longer has access to a camera system.[26][27] The player has four areas in the bedroom to monitor: two hallway doors on both sides of the room, the closet directly in front of them, and the bed behind them.[25] At the doors, the player must listen for animatronics' breathing, which can determine whether they are near.[26]
If the player hears breathing at the side doors, they close the door and wait for the animatronics to walk away. If they open the doors too early, however, the animatronics jump scare the player.[26] The player must also prevent small animatronics from accumulating on their bed, and prevent an animatronic from entering their closet. Five Nights at Freddy's 4 also introduces a minigame involving a new animatronic, which offers the player a two-hour skip in the next night for completing the minigame.[25]
An elevated control pad is introduced for Sister Location, which can light a room or shock the animatronics. Other mechanics include a second control pad in a breaker room, which controls power to the facility and a flash beacon, which allows the player to see in the dark Funtime Auditorium (a party room) and avoid its animatronic. Sister Location is the only game where the player can move between rooms.[28]
Pizzeria Simulator has business-style gameplay, and the player must spend in-game money to buy features for their pizzeria. A series of minigames can be played by testing the establishment's attractions.[29] After the player has completed this portion of the game, they complete tasks in a room and fend off hostile, previously salvaged animatronics.[30] The gameplay of Pizzeria Simulator shares a number of elements with Five Nights at Freddy's 3, including the importance of ventilation and the ability to distract animatronics with sound.[31]
Ultimate Custom Night is a customizable night, in which fifty animatronics are present and have a maximum AI level of twenty. The game includes many mechanics from the previous games, such as the heater, fan, music box, and power generator.[32] The player can choose which characters they want active for a night, and how active the characters will be.
Help Wanted combines the gameplay of every other game, and turns into a virtual experience for the player.[33] It also introduces several other minigames, in which the gameplay is variant, and also at times has free-roam.[34] Special Delivery features location-based augmented reality gameplay. The player can switch on their camera, and the footage itself is the game's background. The animatronics will try to attack corresponding to the environment. The animatronics generally have cloaking, which leads them to being invisible.[35]
Security Breach holds the open-world aspect to this title allows players to experience a new level of immersion,[36] similar to that of Five Night's at Freddy's 4. Players will also have access to a nifty tool called the Faz-Watch, which allows them to view maps, read messages picked up from random areas on the map, check security cameras for nearby danger, and look at their current objectives.[37] It incorporates Freddy as a helpful companion throughout the game, though he has limited power and must be charged at stations through the map. Players can distract hostile animatronics by knocking things over to get their attention, while they can crouch and hide in various structures to evade them as they follow you throughout the map. Unlike other Five Nights games there are limited save points and there is only a single save station after 6 a.m.
In the first, second, third, seventh,[a] eighth,[b] and ninth[c] games, the player has a security-camera system, which observes the animatronic characters. One location can be viewed at a time, and some areas are not visible on the cameras.[38] Most camera feeds are dull, sometimes almost black and white in color, and full of video noise. In the third game, the cameras stop working if their associated system fails.[39] Cameras are used in the fifth game as a mechanic in the fake ending and custom night update, but not in the main game.
In all games except for the third, lights are used to ward off animatronics or warn the player. Lights in the first, second, fifth, and eighth[b] games are activated with buttons on the walls and illuminate the player's blind spots: the doorway or vent exit, respectively.[38] The lights are similar in the fifth game, but are mounted on a control pad and illuminate the animatronics' rooms. The fifth game also introduced a flash beacon, which is used to orient the player in the third and fifth nights' pitch-black rooms.[40]
Several games include use of a flashlight. In the second game, the flashlight has a finite battery life and cannot be recharged,[41] while in the fourth and seventh[a] games, the battery life is infinite. In the eighth[b] game, the flashlight battery varies depending on the game segment being played. Flashlight battery life is again finite in the ninth[c] game, but can be recharged at various recharge stations throughout the game.
In the first, fourth, seventh,[a] eighth,[b] and ninth[c] games, doors are a means of defense for the player, and can be closed when an animatronic is near. Vents are featured in the second, third, sixth, and eighth[b] games, as a medium through which animatronics can get to the player. Both doors and vents are again present in the fake ending and custom night update of the fifth game with the same function. Vents are also present in the fifth and ninth[c] games as means for the player to travel through, rather than the animatronics.
Every game in the main series contains jump scares, which end a game in defeat as the animatronics are implied to attack the player off-screen.[42] In most jump scares, an animatronic character suddenly appears in the player's view, followed by a loud screaming or roaring noise. Some jump scares, including those by Golden Freddy (in the first and seventh[a] games), Nightmare, and Nightmarionette (in the fourth game), consist of a single screen with shrill, distorted audio; these jump scares usually crash (or restart) the game. The player must use various tools to prevent being attacked via jump scares and advance through each game.[27]
In the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth,[b] and ninth[c] games, the player gains access to a series of (predominantly eight-bit) minigames randomly after death, or after completing a specific task.[24] The minigames usually relate to a story or event relevant to the game, in a cryptic manner.[43] The minigames in the second game portray homicides mentioned by another worker of the restaurant, and the reason of the animatronics gaining life.[44] The minigames in the third game show the story behind Springtrap's creation. Minigames in the fourth game tell the story of a character who dies in a tragic accident.[43]
There is only one minigame in the fifth game, which depicts the death of animatronic engineer William Afton's daughter. The minigames in the sixth game depict various events in the series, all connected to Afton. In the mobile version of the eighth[b] game, the player can access a minigame called "Princess Quest", which depicts the origins of a character called Vanny; a recreation of these minigames is also featured in the ninth[c] game, with some significant additions.
The Five Nights at Freddy's series mainly revolves around a chain of family restaurants under the ownership of Fazbear Entertainment, a company founded by Henry Emily and William Afton. The latter is a robotics engineer who creates a series of animatronic mascots to entertain customers, including Freddy Fazbear, a brown bear and the namesake of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, Bonnie, an indigo rabbit, Chica, a yellow chicken, and Foxy, a red pirate fox. Other notable animatronics include the Puppet, the ghostlike Golden Freddy, Freddy's predecessor Fredbear, and Circus Baby,[44] the mascot of the restaurant's sister location, Circus Baby's Pizza World. William is also a negligent father and child murderer who hides his victims' bodies inside animatronics, which their souls inhabit; he specifically designs Circus Baby to be capable of murdering children, which leads to the accidental death of his own daughter, Elizabeth.[44]
William's direct murder victims start with his co-worker Henry's daughter[d] and expand to include five children visiting the restaurants with their families.[45] Meanwhile, an incident involving William's youngest son being shoved into Fredbear's mouth by his older brother Michael results in the closure of Fredbear's Family Diner, a predecessor location.[44] After accidentally murdering his brother, Michael begins seeking redemption, starting with recovering the remains of his sister.[44] After the closure of a Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location, William dismantles the remaining animatronics in a backroom, releasing the souls that inhabit them who proceed to torment him. Seeking refuge from the ghosts, William hides inside an old yellow rabbit animatronic suit. Shortly after, the suit's mechanisms fail and snap shut, crushing William to death as his soul inhabits the animatronic, becoming a bionic revenant called Springtrap.[45] Some time after, the whole restaurant chain shuts down.[44]
Thirty years later, a horror attraction based on the restaurant chain known as Fazbear's Fright is constructed and leads to Springtrap's excavation; a fire destroys the attraction before it can open to the public. The destruction frees the souls of William's first five victims and destroys the original mascots, though Springtrap escapes. Some time after the fire, Henry lures Springtrap and all animatronics that were not destroyed in Fazbear's Fright into a single pizzeria. With help from Michael, Henry sets fire to the restaurant and destroys every animatronic inside, freeing the souls of the children that inhabited them, including Elizabeth. The fire also kills Henry, Michael, and William.[44][45][46] Afterwards, William's soul is trapped and tormented in a personalized hell with all animatronics he created.[44]
Years later, Fazbear Entertainment is re-founded and releases an in-universe virtual reality experience based on the past of the restaurant, in an effort to convince the public the company's previous controversies were merely fiction,[47] while also constructing a new location, the Pizzaplex.
Five Nights at Freddy's was released for Microsoft Windows on August 8, 2014, followed by ports for Android and iOS on August 27 and September 11, respectively. A Windows Phone version was also released,[48] but was soon withdrawn due to its downscaled graphics.[49] Ports for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch were released on November 29, 2019, alongside separate releases for Five Nights at Freddy's 2, 3 and 4.[50]
The first game revolves around a character called Mike Schmidt, who begins working as a night security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where the animatronics move at night and supposedly kill anyone they see by stuffing them into a spare animatronic suit. Schmidt is guided by the previous night guard, known as Phone Guy, who assists them in their defense against the animatronics through pre-recorded telephone messages until his death in the fourth night.[51] He explains to Schmidt that the animatronics' mobility is a purposely programmed "free-roaming" mode to prevent the animatronics' servomotors from locking up. He also states that they see any human still in the restaurant as an animatronic endoskeleton without a suit. The player must survive from 12 a.m. to 6 am.[3][51]
The player cannot leave the room and must use a camera system and two doors with lights to defend themselves from the animatronics, with limited power to use their tools.[51][52] Various hints and clues imply that, contrary to Phone Guy's explanation, the mobility and hostility of the animatronics results from them being possessed by the vengeful souls of children who were killed at the restaurant. Mike is fired from his job after the seventh night for tampering with the animatronics, body odor, and unprofessionalism.[53]
Shortly after the release of the first game, Cawthon confirmed rumors about a sequel.[54] He posted a teaser of the sequel on his website one month after the original game's release and continued to post teasers until the sequel's release.[55] A trailer was released on October 21, 2014, introducing new animatronic characters and the absence of doors.[56] Five Nights at Freddy's 2 was released for Microsoft Windows on November 10, 2014, earlier than its planned release of December 25. Ports for Android and iOS were released on November 13 and 20, 2014, respectively. A Windows Phone port was also released, but was withdrawn for substandard graphics.[49] PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch console ports were released on November 29, 2019.[50]
The gameplay is largely similar to its predecessor. Players must survive a night shift at the "new and improved" Freddy Fazbear's Pizza restaurant from 12 a.m. to 6 am, without being attacked by any of the animatronics that wander from room to room.[3][57] In addition to the animatronics from the first game, which are depicted in a deteriorated state, the game features several new antagonists, who can be fended off using different tactics.[41][57] The explanation given for the animatronics' behavior during the game is similar to the one from the first Five Nights at Freddy's. The protagonist is a new character, Jeremy Fitzgerald, who is promoted to daytime security after the sixth night, being replaced by Fritz Smith in the seventh night.[53]
During the game, Phone Guy from the previous game calls Jeremy to give him hints on how to survive each night while talking about the restaurant's history. During these calls, it is revealed that the restaurant has become the subject of a police investigation due to various rumors. It is also possible to access hidden Atari-styled minigames that provide further insight on the restaurant's troubled past, showing a purple figure killing multiple children. On the fifth night, the location is put on lockdown due to an unspecified event. At the end of the game, Jeremy receives a paycheck dated 1987, revealing that the events of the game take place before the first Five Nights at Freddy's, and the restaurant is closed, with a new location set to be opened elsewhere.[53]
On January 3, 2015, an image was uploaded to Cawthon's website teasing a third entry in the series.[58] Other images followed[59] before a trailer was released on January 26, 2015. On February 15, Cawthon posted on Steam that Five Nights at Freddy's 3 was cancelled after a hacker allegedly leaked the game.[60] This was later revealed as a hoax; the "leaked" download linked to a humorous clone of a previous game of Cawthon's, There is No Pause Button!, in which the main character is depicted wearing the Freddy animatronic head.[61] Five Nights at Freddy's 3 was released for Microsoft Windows on March 3, 2015, with Android and iOS ports following on March 7 and 12, respectively. PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch console ports were released on November 29, 2019.[50]
Set thirty years after the events of the first game, its main character works at Fazbear's Fright, a horror attraction based on the long-gone Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The player must defend themselves from the deteriorated animatronic-costume hybrid named Springtrap. Burnt and tattered hallucinations of some of the animatronics from the previous two games appear; and although they cannot kill the player, they can hinder ventilation, sound, and camera systems. Failure to maintain the systems can create many issues for the player, including dysfunctional cameras and the inability to play audio to lure away the animatronic.[23][53]
The player receives guidance from a founder of the horror attraction for the first two nights and listens to old tape recordings which were found by the attraction's workers for the rest of the nights.[62] The game has two endings: a "good" ending and a "bad" ending. The bad ending reveals that the souls of the murdered children still haunt the animatronics. The good ending is reached by completing secret minigames in which animatronic characters bring a cake to what seems to be a sorrowful child's soul. After completing the secret minigames, the souls of the children are freed.[24][53]
On April 27, 2015, Cawthon began posting images on his website teasing another game in the series, which was originally titled Five Nights at Freddy's 4: The Final Chapter.[63] A trailer was released on July 13, 2015, hinting that the game was set in the main character's house.[64][65] Five Nights at Freddy's 4 was announced with a release date of October 31, 2015. It was pushed forward to August 8 and again to July 23, when the game was unexpectedly released on Microsoft Windows through Steam. Android and iOS ports were released on July 25 and August 3, 2015, respectively. PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch console ports were released on November 29, 2019.[50]
The player character is an unknown and unnamed child who has delusions of being attacked by nightmarish versions of the first game's animatronic characters.[43] The player must defend themselves with a flashlight and doors.[66][67] The game's story is told through minigames, in which an unnamed young boy is bullied by his older brother because of his irrational fear of a restaurant with a yellow animatronic bear and rabbit called Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, respectively. He is guided by a plush version of Fredbear, whom the boy imagines can speak to him when he is alone. The child appears to be ultimately killed by Fredbear in a freak accident.[68] The game had a Halloween update with "nightmare" versions of animatronics from Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and Halloween-themed reskins for Nightmare Bonnie and Nightmare Chica.[69]
On April 23, 2016, Cawthon posted a teaser image on his website of a clown-like animatronic named Baby from an upcoming game titled Sister Location.[70] Several teaser images of different characters and hints at their origins followed. The trailer for the game was released on Cawthon's YouTube channel, with new animatronics and a new location. The release date was announced as October 7, 2016. Cawthon made a prank release of the game on October 5, apparently releasing a "mature" edition after a decision to delay the game to make it more kid-friendly. The download link led to a clone of Cawthon's previous game, Sit 'N Survive.[71]
Sister Location was released for Microsoft Windows on October 7, 2016, followed by ports for Android on December 22, 2016, and iOS on January 3, 2017, respectively. It was also released on Nintendo Switch in North America on June 18, 2020, and on Xbox One on July 10, 2020. The PlayStation 4 port was released in Europe and North America on July 21 and 22, 2020, respectively.
The player character Michael Afton, nicknamed Mike (jokingly called Eggs Benedict),[72] is a new employee of Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental (a sister company of Fazbear Entertainment that rents animatronics for children's parties). The animatronics were originally intended for Circus Baby's Pizza World, which never opened due to a gas leak.[73] Mike is guided by HandUnit, an AI character similar to the Phone Guy of previous games. HandUnit instructs him about his job, often telling him to disregard safety; the animatronic Baby often gives instructions that contradicts that of HandUnit, but are vital to survival.
The game also has a "custom night",[74] in which the player can use mechanics reminiscent of the first game (such as interactive doors and a camera system) which were absent from the main game, except for a non-canonical ending, titled the "Fake Ending". New minigames are also available, describing Michael's fate after the events of the main game.[75] A cutscene is shown after the "Golden Freddy" custom-night preset, in which Michael speaks to his father, William Afton/Springtrap, in a foreboding way.[76]
In June 2017, Cawthon hinted at the development of a sixth main game in the series. On July 2, 2017, he announced his decision to cancel the game and said that he had been "neglecting other things in [his] life for the sake of trying to keep up with mounting expectations".[77] On December 4, 2017, after teasing the game several days earlier, Cawthon released Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator as freeware on Steam.[30] The game is a business-simulation game in which the player runs a pizzeria, but frequently shifts into the survival-horror vein of the series' other games.
A mobile version for iOS and Android titled FNaF 6: Pizzeria Simulator was released on August 13, 2019. Unlike the PC version, the mobile release, which is developed and published by Clickteam LLC USA, is pay-to-play. A Nintendo Switch and Xbox One port was released on October 31, 2020, with a PlayStation 4 port released on March 31, 2021.
The game's story follows the manager (implied to be Michael Afton) of a new Freddy Fazbear's restaurant run by the mysterious "Cassette Man". Every night, Michael, under Cassette Man's guidance, must salvage one of four decrepit animatronics that were found in the restaurant's back alley, including William / Springtrap (now referred to as "Scraptrap") and Elizabeth / Circus Baby (referred to as "Scrap Baby").
The game has multiple endings depending on how well the player runs the pizzeria and whether they salvaged all the animatronics, but the canon ending has Cassette Man reveal himself as Henry Emily, William's former business partner, and set the restaurant on fire after revealing its true purpose as a trap to lure in the remaining animatronics. The restaurant burns to the ground, seemingly killing the player character, Henry, and all the animatronics,[44] finally releasing the spirits haunting them.
Ultimate Custom Night was originally intended to be a post-launch add-on to Pizzeria Simulator, but was eventually turned into a stand-alone game, releasing on June 27, 2018, as freeware.[78][79] A mobile port for iOS and Android was released on April 28, 2020, and a console port for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch was released on April 30, 2021. The customizable night contains a total of fifty animatronics from previous games, which allows the player to determine how aggressive they are during the night (similar to the custom nights in earlier games). The player can select the office to play in, unlock cutscenes, and choose from 16 themed game modes available.[80][81] Although unconfirmed, it has been heavily speculated that the game takes place in some version of Hell or Purgatory, where William Afton, following his death in Pizzeria Simulator, is being continuously tortured by the vengeful spirit of one of his victims.
However, the anthology novel series Fazbear Frights implies that the game is actually Afton's repeating nightmare, and not hell or purgatory. This comes from the fifth book, Bunny Call, which has a story called "The Man in Room 1280" where a burned man is kept alive by a shadow child despite the fact that he should be dead and suffers nightmares. In the following book, Blackbird, the epilogue confirms that the man is actually William Afton. Although it was never confirmed if the Fazbear Frights series is set in the same continuity as the games, Cawthon confirmed that it's supposed to reveal mysteries from the previous games.[citation needed]
On August 18, 2018, Cawthon confirmed on his Steam thread that the next main installment in the Five Nights at Freddy's series would be available as a virtual reality game.[82] On March 25, 2019, during Sony Interactive Entertainment's State of Play live stream announcing several new games for the PlayStation 4, a trailer announcing the game was shown.[83] In the game, the player is a technician repairing a pizzeria's animatronics. From a first-person perspective, they fix the animatronics, solve puzzles and navigate dark hallways while avoiding malfunctioning and hostile animatronics.[84] The game was released on May 28, 2019. A non-VR version of the game was released on December 17, 2019, for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4.
Curse of Dreadbear, a Halloween-themed downloadable content (DLC) pack for Help Wanted was released in three parts, with several "waves" of new minigames released on October 23, October 29, and October 31, 2019, for a total of 10 new minigames.[85] The DLC pack includes new animatronic characters, returning animatronics from previous games, and a Halloween-themed hub.[86] Some of the new stages are re-skinned versions of existent minigames, such as a version of the FNAF 1 minigames called Danger! Keep Out! Notable new game modes include a shooting gallery, a free-roaming corn maze, and an assembly line in which the player must construct an animatronic.
On August 8, 2019, on the first game's fifth anniversary, Cawthon posted a new image on his website, teasing the next installment for the series. It shows the "Mega Pizzaplex", a large entertainment complex containing a laser tag arena, an arcade, a cinema and a Freddy Fazbear's Pizza restaurant; in the main square, '80s-style versions of Freddy, Chica, and four completely new animatronics can be seen playing for an excited crowd. On April 21, 2020, the characters' names were leaked from Funko's list of upcoming products, and the title was revealed as Five Nights at Freddy's: Pizza Plex. Scott Cawthon confirmed the leaks via Reddit but revealed that the title was not official. The game was initially scheduled for an early 2021 release,[87] but was delayed to late 2021.[88]
Security Breach was released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Steam on December 16, 2021. The game's plot revolves around a young boy named Gregory being trapped in a large entertainment complex teeming with murderous animatronics who hunt him down by the orders of Vanny, a mysterious woman in a rabbit costume, while also evading the complex's security guard, Vanessa. Suffering a malfunction that causes him to ignore Vanny's hacking, Freddy assists Gregory in escaping the complex.
A Stadia port was launched on July 1, 2022, ports for Xbox One and Series X/S were released on November 22, 2022, and a Nintendo Switch port was released on April 19, 2023. Free downloadable content titled Ruin was released for PlayStation 5, 4, and Steam on July 25, 2022, with an Xbox One and Series X/S port releasing on April 23, 2024, and a Nintendo Switch port in the works.
On May 24, 2023, during a PlayStation Showcase, Steel Wool Studios announced a direct sequel to Help Wanted titled Help Wanted 2, scheduled for release in December 2023.[89] On November 20, 2023, the gameplay trailer was released on the official Steel Wool Studios YouTube channel, revealing several characters from the game along with the release date of December 14 on PlayStation 5 and Steam.[90][7] A Meta Quest version of the game was released on May 9, 2024, and the game was launched physically with a flat version on June 20.[91][92][93]
An eleventh main installment, Secret of the Mimic, was announced on August 6, 2024, as part of the series' 10th anniversary.[94] The game will center on the Mimic, introduced in Security Breach's Ruin DLC.[95] It will be the third virtual reality game of the series.[96]
Cawthon announced a spin-off from his series, FNaF World, on September 15, 2015.[97] Unlike the main series, the game is a role-playing video game using the first four games' animatronic characters. The game is set in a fanciful world where the characters must fight enemies and progress by unlocking perks and items. Originally planned for release on February 2, 2016, Cawthon rescheduled the release for January 22 and released it on January 21.[8]
Players and critics criticized the game for missing key features and being unstable and unfinished, for which Cawthon apologized: "I got too eager to show the things that were finished that I neglected to pay attention to the things that weren't." He decided to remove it from Steam, saying that the game would be improved and later re-released free of charge.[98] Cawthon announced that he asked Valve to refund all purchasers the price of the game.[99]
He released a free version of the game, featuring a 3D overworld and an updated character-selection screen, in February 2016. Cawthon posted a new teaser the following month, with characters such as the main series' Purple Guy and most of the characters from the Halloween update of Five Nights at Freddy's 4. He created minigames for the game's second update, including Foxy Fighters, FOXY.exe, Chica's Magic Rainbow, and FNaF 57: Freddy in Space.[100]
An augmented reality game with location-based gameplay, Five Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery, was announced on September 13, 2019.[101] The game was released for free on iOS and Android on November 25, 2019. Dark Circus: Encore!, DLC for Special Delivery, was released on December 13, 2021.[102]
Its story bridges the gap between Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted, and Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach, and is told in epistolary format. One series of emails tells of a woman, Ness, triggering red-flag reports with her harmful and offensive search words. The emails eventually reveal that she is under the control of William Afton, and that Ness is Vanny from Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted ("Ness" being short for Vanny's real name "Vanessa"), who was possessed by Afton after encountering a digital form of him while play-testing one of Fazbear's products. Another series of emails tells the story of the employees at Fazbear Entertainment scanning the circuit boards of old animatronics for "The Freddy Fazbear Virtual Experience".
As of 2023, Five Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery has been downloaded 40 million times, and has 6.7 million monthly active users.[103]
On February 1, 2024, Illumix announced the closure of Special Delivery. On February 2, the game was no longer available to download on iOS and Android. The game's servers shut down on March 14.[citation needed]
Freddy in Space 2 is a side-scrolling platform shooter game and a sequel to the FNaF 57: Freddy in Space mini-game from FNaF World. It was released for free on December 3, 2019, on Game Jolt.[104] The game was made to promote a "#CancelCancer" charity livestream on YouTube, which was hosted by Matthew Patrick of Game Theorists for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.[105]
Security Breach: Fury's Rage is a side-scrolling beat 'em up game featuring the main cast of Security Breach (not including Gregory or Vanessa). The game was made to compensate for the release of Security Breach being delayed for a second time and was released for free on Game Jolt on April 28, 2021.[106]
Freddy in Space 3: Chica in Space is a side-scrolling platform shooter game and a sequel to Freddy in Space 2, it was released on October 18, 2023, under the title FNAF: The Movie: The Game, which was developed by Cawthon, claimed to be a spoiler-heavy tie-in game of the Five Nights at Freddy's film, which was revealed to be Freddy in Space 3 in disguise. It was released for free on Game Jolt.[107]
On January 22, 2024, an adaptation of the Fazbear Frights: Into the Pit anthology novel was leaked to be in development in an upcoming slate of new novels to be released in 2024.[108] The following day, a trailer was leaked online.[109] Later that day, series creator Scott Cawthon made a post on Reddit acknowledging the leaks and stating the game would release for the series' 10th anniversary on August 8.[110] On January 25, 2024, Mega Cat Studios confirmed they were developing the game.[111] The gameplay trailer for the game released June 6.[112] It will be the first installment of the series to be fully in 2D and made with pixel art.[113] The game was accidentally released to Japanese consoles early on August 7, which was repurposed as the new release date.[114] PlayStation and Xbox ports were released on September 27.[115]
Five Laps at Freddy's is a kart racing game based on characters from Five Nights at Freddy's developed by Clickteam. It was announced on June 19, 2024, to coincide with the series' 10th anniversary.[116] A gameplay trailer was released August 3. A demo of the game was released August 7 and a full release of the game is expected in 2025.
On December 20, 2023, an official Roblox adaptation by the name of Five Nights at Freddy's: Survival Crew was accidentally released in an unfinished state by its developers, Metaverse Team Frights. The game was immediately taken down after major backlash and Cawthon promised the game would be released in a functional state sometime in 2024.[117][118][119] In the short time the game was released, players described the gameplay as similar to the cooperative horror game, Dead by Daylight.[120]
On August 21, 2020, Cawthon announced his plan to help fund and publish Five Nights at Freddy's games developed by fans, bundled with previous installments in their respective series.[121][122][123][124][125][126] Games published under this initiative include the One Night at Flumpty's series, the Five Nights at Candy's series, the Joy of Creation series,[123][127] and Popgoes Evergreen (including its prologue game). Cawthon stated that these games will come to other platforms, such as mobile and consoles, and may have merchandise created for them.[121][122][123] The first game to be released under this initiative was a port of One Night at Flumpty's for Android and iOS on October 31 and November 18, 2020, respectively, followed by two of its sequels later in 2021 on the same platforms.[124][125][126] Another game planned to be published under this initiative, Five Nights at Freddy's Plus, a remake of the original game, currently has an uncertain future after the firing of its main developer, Phil Morg following controversies in the games fanbase.[128] The game has since been removed from Steam.[129]
Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes is the first novel by Scott Cawthon and Kira Breed-Wrisley. It was published independently on Amazon Kindle on December 17, 2015, and a paperback release by Scholastic followed on September 27, 2016. The novel follows a group of childhood friends who meet in their hometown and discover unnerving secrets about the once-beloved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.[130] According to Cawthon, the novel "expands the mythos and reveals a human element never before seen in the games". Although the novel inhabits the Five Nights at Freddy's universe, the book and the games are not "intended to fit together like two puzzle pieces".[131][132]
Five Nights at Freddy's: The Twisted Ones, the second novel by Cawthon and Breed-Wrisley,[133] was discovered on Amazon under Cawthon's name on January 8, 2017.[134] Although the discovery sparked controversy about the book's legitimacy,[135] Cawthon soon confirmed that it was an official publication.[136][137] The novel, published on June 27, 2017, by Scholastic, involves Charlie, the main character from The Silver Eyes, who is "drawn back into the world of her father's frightening creations" while trying to move on.[138]
Five Nights at Freddy's: The Fourth Closet, the third novel by Cawthon and Breed-Wrisley, was published on June 26, 2018, by Scholastic. The novel focuses on Charlie's friends, who are searching for the truth behind what happened to Charlie in The Twisted Ones while mysterious events unfold after a new restaurant opens.[139]
| 2023 | Five Nights at Freddy's |
|---|---|
| 2024 | |
| 2025 | Five Nights at Freddy's 2 |
A film adaptation based on the game series was released for streaming on Peacock and theatrically in the United States on October 27, 2023, by Universal Pictures.[140] Directed by Emma Tammi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Cawthon and Seth Cuddeback, the film stars Josh Hutcherson with Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Matthew Lillard appearing in supporting roles. The film received generally negative reviews from critics but was a commercial success, becoming Blumhouse Productions' highest-grossing film worldwide with nearly $300 million.[141][142] A sequel is in development.[143]
| Game | Metacritic |
|---|---|
| Five Nights at Freddy's | 78/100[144] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's 2 | 62/100[145] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's 3 | 68/100[146] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's 4 | 51/100[147] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location | 62/100[148] |
| Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator | N/A |
| Ultimate Custom Night | N/A |
| Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted | 80/100[149] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach | 64/100[150] |
| Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit | 87/100[151] |
The original Five Nights at Freddy's received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator website Metacritic, assigning the Windows version a score of 78 out of 100.[144] Indie Game Magazine praised the game for its simple take on the horror genre, labeling the game a "fantastic example of how cleverness in design and subtlety can be used to make an experience terrifying". They noted that its artistic direction and gameplay mechanics contributed to a feeling of "brutal tension", but criticized it for taking too long to load when launched.[152]
Omri Petitte for PC Gamer gave Five Nights at Freddy's a score of 80 out of 100, commenting that the game took a "less-is-more" approach to its design, and praising the overall atmosphere for emphasizing the fear and suspense of an approaching threat, rather than the arrival of the threat itself as in other horror-oriented games. However, the gameplay was criticized for becoming repetitive once a player masters it, noting players have "not much more to expect beyond managing battery life and careful timing of slamming doors shut."[52] Ryan Bates of GameRevolution gave the game a 4.5 out of 5, commending the game's minimalistic presentation (particularly its audio design and lack of music) for contributing to the terror of the game, along with its repetitive gameplay that would "[reach] almost OCD-type levels, adding to the tense environment." He opined that the game was "horror done right", but felt it was too short.[153]
Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade gave a rating of 3.5 out of 5, noting the game's reliance on atmosphere to induce fear, noting that "if the atmosphere doesn't get to you, all that's left is a very simple game of red light-green light."[154] Eurogamer's Jeffrey Matulef called the game "wonderfully creative", and compared the animatronic animals in the game to Weeping Angels due to their ability to only move when they are not being observed.[155]
Five Nights at Freddy's 2 received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic, assigning the Windows version a score of 62 out of 100.[145] Omri Petitte for PC Gamer gave Five Nights at Freddy's 2 a score of 70 out of 100, commenting that what he wanted in the sequel "was more mind games and more uncertainty. I wanted the plodding animatronic suits to find me and rip my face off in new and interesting ways. I wanted working legs. What I got was a horror game dipping heavily into deception and subtlety, a wonderfully cruel cocktail of supernatural mystery and jolts of panicked adrenaline. Enjoying the good parts, though, comes with a cost of a frustratingly steep difficulty."[41]
Destructoid gave the game a positive review, saying that "It's absolutely terrifying to know that you could be attacked at any moment from multiple avenues", praising the introduction of new animatronics and mechanics, but also criticizing the jumpscares and called the game "too hard for its own good".[21] In a review for the Nintendo Switch version of the game in 2019, Mitch Vogel of Nintendo Life said, "Five Nights at Freddy's 2 may not necessarily reinvent the wheel, but it still does a fine job of keeping you on the edge of your seat."[156]
Five Nights at Freddy's 3 received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic, assigning the Windows version a score of 68 out of 100.[146] Omri Petitte from PC Gamer gave Five Nights at Freddy's 3 a score of 77 out of 100, praising the reworked camera system, but commented on how the jumpscares from the other animatronics "felt a little stale by the third night."[23] In a more critical review, Nic Rowen from Destructoid gave the game a 6.5 out of 10, saying that even though the game is "by far the most technically proficient and mechanically satisfying installment yet," he criticized Springtrap and Fazbear's Fright for lacking the "charm of the original cast and locations."[157]
Five Nights at Freddy's 4 received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic, assigning the Windows version a score of 51 out of 100.[147] Destructoid criticized the gameplay as being too confusing, and gave the game a review score of 4 out of 10.[158] The Escapist gave the game a positive review score of 4 out of 5 stars saying that they liked the reworked mechanics, darker and emotional storyline, scary jumpscares, and sad ending but noted the game's bugs and glitches.[159] Nadia Oxford of Gamezebo gave it 4 out of 5 stars in her review praising it for its intense environment, creepy sounds and graphics, and jumpscares. She criticized the game for being difficult to survive in certain environments when relying on audio cues and the Android version not containing the story-centric minigames.[160]
Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location received "mixed or average" reviews from critics according to Metacritic, assigning a score of 62 out of 100.[148] Destructoid rated the game 6/10,[161] while GameCrate rated it 7.50/10.[162] Shelby Watson of The All State gave the game a positive review, citing it to be comparable to the first game's quality, but unlike the first game, never allowing the player to operate the mechanics on muscle memory alone. She writes, "...[E]ach night is so different, it is impossible to get comfortable with the mechanics enough that it feels like second nature. The game changes so much, you are forced to adapt and are always on the edge of your seat, waiting for what is to come."[163] TechRaptor rated the game 9/10, calling it "genuinely terrifying" with a "great storytelling" and praised the voice acting.[164]
Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator received mostly positive reviews. GameCrate called it the "best value in gaming right now",[165] with Rock Paper Shotgun calling it "spooky as hell".[29] The Ball State Daily News also gave a positive review, giving the game a 7.6/10 and calling it "an interesting evolution of the Five Nights [at Freddy's] formula".[166] IGN listed Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator in their top 18 Best Horror Games of 2017.[167]
Ultimate Custom Night received mostly positive reviews. Rock Paper Shotgun deemed the game "an intriguing mess",[168] with PC Gamer calling it "a neat, customisable take on the classic survival horror formula".[169]
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for the PlayStation 4 version according to Metacritic, assigning a score of 80 out of 100;[149] the Nintendo Switch version received "mixed or average" reviews, with Metacritic assigning a score of 53 out of 100.[170] Reviewers praised the game for its effective use of virtual reality and its success in introducing new mechanics while preserving the series' feel and atmosphere while being accessible for players new to the series. However, the game's frequent use of jump scares could make it less scary and more obnoxious over time for some players.[34][171][172]
Stuart Gipp at Nintendo Life criticized the Nintendo Switch version of the game and gave it a score of 3 out of 10. The main criticism being that the game had become pointless for having removed the VR mode making it a "sub-par minigame collection" with "limited gameplay" since previous main games were available already for the console, and speculated that the only reason for releasing it for the console were to capitalize on the console's market share.[47] The game is listed as one of PlayStation's "Favorite Horror Games of 2019" on their website[173] and is one of the top 30 best selling VR games on Steam.[174] The game was nominated for the Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game at the New York Game Awards in 2020.[175]
Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic.[150] Jeuxvideo.com gave a mixed review, praising the atmosphere and the originality of certain gameplay sections, but criticizing the bugs and technical issues.[176] The Escapist's Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw was more critical of the game, praising the visuals, but criticizing the bugs, design, and restrictive save system.[177] The game was nominated and won Players' Choice December 2021 on PlayStation's official blog.[178]
Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit received "generally positive" reviews, according to Metacritic.[179] Game Rant praised the game for its story and visuals, while ComicBook.com praised it for its faithfulness to the source material.[180][181]
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Since the release of the first game, popular video creators such as PewDiePie, Markiplier, and Jacksepticeye have garnered millions of views, which helped the games receive additional attention from their playthroughs.[1][3][182][183] In May 2015, YouTube reported that videos of the Five Nights at Freddy's series were the platform's eighth-most-watched playthroughs.[184]
The interpretive, non-linear, and cryptic narrative of Five Nights at Freddy's is a popular topic for fans to discuss and debate.[1][3][185] Channels such as The Game Theorists feature Five Nights at Freddy's-related videos with the goal of discovering the lore of the franchise.[186][187][188] With over 60 videos and 800 million views combined, Matthew Patrick of The Game Theorists has described the series as "a delightfully incomplete and mysterious story with just enough threads to keep you guessing."[1]
Thousands of fan games have been inspired by the game mechanics of Five Nights at Freddy's.[126][189] Fan games for the franchise are incredibly common to the point Game Jolt made FNaF games its own genre to avoid overwhelming the site.[6]: 74 Along with fan games, multiple fan songs have been created, including some by The Living Tombstone, each having accumulated hundreds of millions of views.[190][191] The Living Tombstone's first FNaF song was played in the closing credits of the film adaptation.[192]
Although the Five Nights at Freddy's fandom has been criticized for immaturity,[193] Cawthon defended them and criticized the broader community for what he called an unfair generalization.[194]
In September 2020, a video featuring Jack Black dancing to The Living Tombstone's first Five Nights at Freddy's fan song went viral on the social media platform TikTok.[195] Black had previously appeared on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in April 2020, wearing a mask headpiece modeled after Glitchtrap, antagonist of Help Wanted and its sequel, where he revealed that he is a fan of the Five Nights at Freddy's series.[196] Black and his son Samuel had previously played Five Nights at Freddy's 4 with Markiplier to promote his own film Goosebumps.[197]
Five Nights at Freddy's merchandise is primarily produced by two companies: Sanshee and Funko.[198] Products include stuffed toys, action figures, posters, clothing, keychains, and stationery, among other things.[199][200] McFarlane Toys also has a line of Five Nights at Freddy's merchandise, consisting mainly of construction sets;[201] Todd McFarlane called the line "the single largest-selling product, bar none, by a lot that [he's] done in 20-plus years."[202] The merchandise, available internationally, has been a factor in the franchise's success.[203]
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