99-453: Five Nights at Freddy's ( FNaF ) is an American multimedia horror franchise created and owned by Scott Cawthon . The franchise began with the release of its first video game on August 8, 2014. Three sequels were released up to July 2015, setting a Guinness World Record for "most video game sequels released in a year". The first seven games were independently developed and published by Cawthon, while he partnered with Steel Wool Studios for
198-482: A gas leak . 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", in which the player can use mechanics reminiscent of the first game (such as interactive doors and
297-529: 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 . 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
396-462: A business-simulation game in which the player runs a pizzeria, but frequently veers 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
495-401: 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. 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. In June 2017, Cawthon hinted at
594-410: 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
693-406: A clown-like animatronic named Baby from an upcoming game titled Sister Location . 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
792-497: A frightening and distinct horror game. Reviewers praised the atmosphere, sound design, and gameplay mechanics, although some found the jumpscares repetitive and the game to have little replay value . It became the subject of Let's Play videos on YouTube and gained a large fan following. The game's success led to the launch of a media franchise , including many sequels and books, and its popularity led to several imitations and fangames . A film adaptation by Blumhouse Productions
891-422: 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
990-439: A horror-focused experience. Players commented that characters in the game were unintentionally unsettling and animatronic-like in appearance; reviewer Jim Sterling calling the game "terrifying". Although initially discouraged by this poor reception, he was inspired to make something intentionally scarier. Cawthon developed the game alone over the course of six months, with his sons and friends serving as beta testers . He coded
1089-408: A man reportedly lured five children into a back room and killed them. Although the suspect was arrested, the children's bodies were never found. The restaurant later received complaints that the animatronics began to emit foul odors while blood and mucus leaked from their eyes and mouths. On the fourth night, the voicemail implies that Schmidt's predecessor was killed by an animatronic while recording
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#17327974628381188-399: A minigame involving a new animatronic, which offers the player a two-hour skip in the next night for completing the minigame. 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
1287-462: 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
1386-417: A monitor panel, which contains audio, camera, and ventilation. 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
1485-403: A multi-book deal with Scholastic in 2016, which began with The Silver Eyes , released on Amazon Kindle on December 17, 2015 and in paperback on September 27, 2016. This was followed by two additional novels, The Twisted Ones and The Fourth Closet , published in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The Five Nights at Freddy's series consists of psychological horror-themed video games in which
1584-495: A negative reputation online as a " toxic " fanbase, but has remained an influential subculture on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Cawthon remained engaged with the FNaF community, using his website, the official website, and Steam forums to talk with fans. The success of Five Nights at Freddy's inspired the creation of a considerable amount of fangames . The prevalence of Five Nights at Freddy's fangames on
1683-410: A night security guard at a family pizzeria. Schmidt must complete his shifts while avoiding the homicidal animatronic characters that wander the restaurant at night. The player has access to security cameras to monitor the animatronics throughout the shift, and a set of steel doors that can lock out the characters. Using the cameras and doors consumes the player's limited electricity, and draining all of
1782-499: A novel trilogy for the franchise from 2015 to 2018, transitioning it into a multimedia one. The trilogy was later followed by a short story anthology series titled Fazbear Frights and later its sequel series Tales from the Pizzaplex . Other print publication such as an in-universe activity book, cookbook, graphic novel adaptations of the novels and a series of guide books were also published. A film adaptation directed by Emma Tammi
1881-405: A single screen with shrill, distorted audio; these jump scares usually close, restart, or freeze the game. The player must use various tools to prevent being attacked via jump scares and advance through each game. In the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, and ninth games, the player gains access to a series of (predominantly eight-bit) minigames randomly after death, or after completing
1980-406: A specific task. The minigames usually relate to a story or event relevant to the game, in a cryptic manner. The minigames in the second game portray homicides mentioned by another worker of the restaurant, and the reason of the animatronics gaining life. 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
2079-473: A spin-off game titled FNaF World , launched in January 2016. Cawthon used Clickteam Fusion 2.5 for game development and Autodesk 3ds Max for 3D graphics, enhancing later titles with professional voice actors and original soundtracks. For Help Wanted and Security Breach , Cawthon worked with game development company Steel Wool Studios. In 2015, Cawthon expanded the franchise into literature, announcing
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#17327974628382178-427: A standout horror game. Gamezebo called it a "brilliant horror experience" that capitalized on fear of the unknown, and GameSpot appreciated how it created fear without incorporating graphic violence . The reviewer for GameRevolution called it the most terrifying game he had ever played. Reviewers felt that Five Nights at Freddy's gameplay mechanics were well-designed. PC Gamer said that despite
2277-547: 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. 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 ,
2376-422: A tragic accident. 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 game, the player can access a minigame called "Princess Quest", which depicts the origins of a character called Vanny; a recreation of these minigames
2475-500: Is No Pause Button! , in which the main character is depicted wearing the Freddy animatronic head. 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. Set thirty years after the events of the first game, its main character works at Fazbear's Fright,
2574-427: 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 . 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
2673-406: Is also featured in the ninth 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
2772-448: Is an unknown and unnamed child who has delusions of being attacked by nightmarish versions of the first game's animatronic characters. The player must defend themselves with a flashlight and doors. 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
2871-485: 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
2970-415: Is given access to a network of security cameras that provide views of various parts of the restaurant. These camera feeds are used to track the movement of the animatronics throughout the night. Each of the four animatronic characters has distinct behaviors, and most of their movement takes place off-screen. The player has a set of lights that they can use to illuminate the hallways to the left and right of
3069-424: 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. 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. On April 23, 2016, Cawthon posted a teaser image on his website of
List of Five Nights at Freddy's media - Misplaced Pages Continue
3168-403: Is near. Vents are featured in the second, third, sixth, and eighth 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 games as means for the player to travel through, rather than the animatronics. Every game in
3267-415: 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
3366-404: Is trapped and tormented in a personalized hell with all animatronics he created. 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, while also constructing a new location, the Pizzaplex. Five Nights at Freddy's
3465-494: The Clickteam Fusion 2.5 game engine , Five Nights at Freddy's was released for Windows through Desura on August 8, 2014, and through Steam on August 18. It was made available for Android , iOS , and Windows Phone later in 2014. Versions for Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One were released in 2019. Five Nights at Freddy's received generally positive reviews from critics, many considering it
3564-498: The Help Wanted VR sub-series and Five Nights at Freddy's : Security Breach (2021). 6 spin-off games have also been released, excluding troll games, and the series has inspired numerous fangames , the most prominent of which were later absorbed into the franchise as official spin-offs under The Fazbear Fanverse Initiative . Beginning with Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes , Cawthon and Kira Breed-Weasley co-wrote
3663-443: The 2010s, these failures caused Cawthon to suffer a crisis of faith. He lost interest in game development until he regained it following a spiritual experience. The experience left Cawthon less inclined towards making Christian games, and he began production of the secular Five Nights at Freddy's . After his construction and management game Chipper & Sons Lumber Co. received negative reviews, he decided to make his next game
3762-569: 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. 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
3861-511: The accidental death of his own daughter, Elizabeth. William's direct murder victims start with his co-worker Henry's daughter and expand to include five children visiting the restaurants with their families. 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. After accidentally murdering his brother, Michael begins seeking redemption, starting with recovering
3960-422: 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. 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. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 has different tools; there are no protective doors, and
4059-417: The animatronic, becoming a bionic revenant called Springtrap. Some time after, the whole restaurant chain shuts down. 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
List of Five Nights at Freddy's media - Misplaced Pages Continue
4158-403: 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. 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
4257-424: The animatronics, with limited power to use their tools. 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. Shortly after
4356-437: The atmosphere and lack of defensive tools created a compelling feel of dread. PC Gamer wrote that the game distinguished itself from the rest of the horror genre by relying not on jumpscares, but by pressuring the player with the possibility of one. Other reviewers considered Five Nights at Freddy's to be too reliant on jumpscares, which were effective at first but would become repetitive over time; Nintendo Life said that
4455-514: The atmosphere to make the experience tense. Gamezebo described the sound design as excellent, suggesting that players wear headphones not to just improve the experience, but to also detect the noises the animatronics made as they approached. Critics debated Five Nights at Freddy's approach to horror. TouchArcade said that Five Nights at Freddy's challenged the player by forcing them to yield to their own paranoia, causing them to lose if they gave in to their fear. Nintendo Life contended that
4554-511: The bed behind them. At the doors, the player must listen for animatronics' breathing, which can determine whether they are near. 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. 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
4653-418: The behaviors for the animatronics were memorized, some players would find nothing interesting beyond the ambience. The sound design was praised. GameSpot noted the lack of music during gameplay, finding the quiet to be panic-inducing when it was interrupted by noises from the animatronics. GameRevolution considered the silence unnerving, and that the random sounds that occurred while playing complimented
4752-425: 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. 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. In Five Nights at Freddy's 4 ,
4851-406: The dark Funtime Auditorium (a party room) and avoid its animatronic. Sister Location is the only game where the player can move between rooms. 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. After the player has completed this portion of
4950-400: 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". On December 4, 2017, after teasing the game several days earlier, Cawthon released Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator as freeware on Steam. The game is
5049-435: The doors open and the lights go out. The titular Freddy Fazbear character then appears playing the " Toreador Song ", causing a game over unless the shift ends before he can attack. The player must conserve power by using the doors, cameras, and lights sparingly, saving enough electricity to last until the end of the shift. The game is divided into levels called "nights", each lasting roughly ten minutes in real-time. As
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#17327974628385148-445: The employee tells Schmidt about the restaurant and its history. The security officer explains that the restaurant's four animatronic characters – Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy – are allowed to become mobile at night due to their servomotors locking up if they are left off for too long. He warns Schmidt that if an animatronic encounters a human after hours, it will mistake them for an animatronic endoskeleton and it will stuff
5247-567: 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. Five Nights at Freddy%27s (video game) Five Nights at Freddy's ( FNaF ) is a 2014 point-and-click survival horror game developed and published by Scott Cawthon . The player controls Mike Schmidt,
5346-418: 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. Security Breach holds the open-world aspect to this title allows players to experience a new level of immersion, similar to that of Five Night's at Freddy's 4 . Players will also have access to a nifty tool called
5445-430: The fourth and seventh games, the battery life is infinite. In the eighth game, the flashlight battery varies depending on the game segment being played. Flashlight battery life is again finite in the ninth game, but can be recharged at various recharge stations throughout the game. In the first, fourth, seventh, eighth, and ninth games, doors are a means of defense for the player, and can be closed when an animatronic
5544-456: The fourth night. 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. The player cannot leave the room and must use a camera system and two doors with lights to defend themselves from
5643-512: The franchise at a later date. The Five Nights at Freddy's fanbase has created elaborate theories on the nature of the games and their storylines. The complicated narrative of the franchise has been examined and debated by fans through social media, fan creations, and wikis . Cawthon has occasionally commented on some fan theories, including one presented by the YouTuber MatPat . The Five Nights at Freddy's community has developed
5742-479: The game with the Clickteam Fusion 2.5 engine and used Autodesk 3ds Max to model the 3D graphics. The audio was produced with a combination of sound effects that Cawthon created himself and files that he purchased off the internet. Five Nights at Freddy's was first released for Windows via the Desura distribution platform on August 8, 2014. On August 18, it was also released via Steam . A version for Android
5841-412: The game's reliance on the scares and simple controls meant there was little replay value . Although TouchArcade found repeat playthroughs monotonous, the reviewer said it conjured a well-designed atmosphere that would create the horror it intended. Five Nights at Freddy's became a financial success and gained a large following. Its popularity was fueled by Let's Play videos that were uploaded to
5940-457: The game, they complete tasks in a room and fend off hostile, previously salvaged animatronics. 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. 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
6039-434: 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. The player also no longer has access to a camera system. 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
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#17327974628386138-422: The human into a spare mechanical suit, killing the person in the process. The player is indirectly told about disturbing events in the restaurant's history. One of the voicemails mention "The Bite of '87", an incident which is implied to have led to the loss of a person's frontal lobe and forced animatronic mobility during the day to be prohibited. Newspaper clippings viewable through the camera feeds reveal that
6237-605: The main character resembled a "scary animatronic animal." Initially discouraged by the criticism, Cawthon, who had predominantly created Christian-oriented games , leveraged this feedback to develop something intentionally frightening. Five Nights at Freddy's was released on August 8, 2014, via Desura , followed by a Steam release after gaining approval through the crowdsourcing platform Greenlight. The game rapidly gained popularity after being showcased by prominent YouTubers. The success of Five Nights at Freddy's led to multiple sequels released between 2014 and 2023, and
6336-414: The main series contains jump scares , which end a game in defeat as the animatronics are implied to attack the player off-screen. 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 games), Nightmare, and Nightmarionette (in the fourth game), consist of
6435-467: 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, eighth, and ninth 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. Most camera feeds are dull, sometimes almost black and white in color, and full of video noise . In
6534-531: The message. The final message on the fifth night only consists of garbled sound. Schmidt receives paychecks after the fifth and sixth nights. After completing the sixth night, the player is given access to a seventh "custom night" where they can manipulate the AI difficulty of the animatronics. Upon finishing the seventh night, Schmidt is fired. Scott Cawthon had developed several adventure games marketed towards Christians , all of which under-performed commercially. By
6633-597: 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, 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
6732-457: The novel Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes , published in 2015. Blumhouse Productions acquired the rights to make a film adaptation of the game in 2017. After several delays, filming began in 2023 and the picture was released in theaters and through Peacock on October 27, 2023. Cawthon retired from game development in 2021 amidst a controversy over his donations to Republican Party politicians. He intends to pass on management of
6831-410: The office, and if they detect an animatronic in one of the hallways, they can activate a set of steel doors to prevent the character from entering. If an animatronic is not prevented from entering the office, it will kill the player, causing a game over . Use of the cameras, doors, and lights consume the player's limited electrical power; if all the power is exhausted, the cameras become inoperable,
6930-493: 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. Afterwards, William's soul
7029-399: The player completes each night, the animatronics become more hostile and the difficulty increases. The main game has a total of six levels, comprising the five main nights and an extra sixth night. Five Nights at Freddy's begins with Mike Schmidt listening to a voicemail from his unnamed predecessor at the start of his first shift. Similar messages play on the following nights, in which
7128-412: 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 . 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
7227-404: 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. Five Nights at Freddy's 3 uses
7326-420: The player runs the pizzeria and whether they salvaged all the animatronics, but the true ending has Cassette Man reveal himself as Henry Emily, William's former business partner, and set the restaurant on fire after revealing its real 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, finally releasing
7425-455: The player's blind spots: the doorway or vent exit, respectively. 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. Several games include use of a flashlight. In the second game, the flashlight has a finite battery life and cannot be recharged, while in
7524-402: The player, including dysfunctional cameras and the inability to play audio to lure away the animatronic. 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. The game has two endings: a "good" ending and a "bad" ending. The bad ending reveals that
7623-500: The power causes these tools to become inoperable. If the player fails to keep the animatronics out of the office, they will be jumpscared and experience a game over . Cawthon conceived the idea for Five Nights at Freddy's based on criticism of his previous game, Chipper & Sons Lumber Co. Reviewers complained of its unintentionally frightening characters that had animatronic-like movement, inspiring Cawthon to create an intentionally scarier experience. Developed in six months using
7722-527: The previous games, such as the heater, fan, music box, and power generator. 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. It also introduces several other minigames, in which the gameplay is variant, and also at times has free-roam . Special Delivery features location-based augmented reality gameplay. The player can switch on their camera, and
7821-403: The publishing platform Game Jolt forced the company to create an entire video game category dedicated to the franchise and its imitations. Polygon later wrote that some of the fanbase had become primarily connected through fangame adaptations rather than the main media franchise, some choosing to play imitations rather than support Cawthon. Various artists have created music revolving around
7920-573: The release of the first game, Cawthon confirmed rumors about a sequel. 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. A trailer was released on October 21, 2014, introducing new animatronic characters and the absence of doors. 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
8019-406: The remains of his sister. 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
8118-488: 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
8217-401: 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
8316-429: 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. On January 3, 2015, an image
8415-487: The simple premise of gameplay, its mechanics combined into a frightful experience, which was concurred by GameRevolution . Nintendo Life found the controls to be easily accessible, and praised the game for making a tense mood apparent from the start. TouchArcade believed that the gameplay would feel lacking if the player was not scared by the atmosphere, and that its controls amounted to little more than "a game of red-light, green-light ". PC Gamer considered that once
8514-448: The sixth night, being replaced by Fritz Smith in the seventh night. 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
8613-479: 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. 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 . A trailer
8712-495: 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 . 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
8811-401: The third game, the cameras stop working if their associated system fails. 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 games are activated with buttons on the walls and illuminate
8910-432: The video-sharing platform YouTube ; by 2015, Five Nights at Freddy's had become one of the most uploaded video games on the site, and was featured by influencers such as Markiplier , Jacksepticeye , and PewDiePie . The success of Five Nights at Freddy's sparked a media franchise beginning with the release of a sequel, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 . The franchise expanded to include written works starting with
9009-433: Was also released, but was withdrawn for substandard graphics. PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch console ports were released on November 29, 2019. 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. In addition to
9108-483: Was launched on August 26, followed by ports to iOS on September 11, and Windows Phone on December 1. Versions for Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One were released on November 29, 2019. Reception of the game was generally positive. According to the review aggregate website Metacritic , Five Nights at Freddy's received "generally favorable reviews". Critics considered Five Nights at Freddy's to be frightening, with some reviewers praising it as
9207-453: 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, but was soon withdrawn due to its downscaled graphics. 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 . The first game revolves around
9306-448: Was released in 2023. Five Nights at Freddy's is a point-and-click survival horror game. The player controls Mike Schmidt, a night security guard for the family pizza restaurant Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The player must complete their shift that lasts from midnight to 6:00 a.m. without being caught by the homicidal animatronic characters that wander the pizzeria at night. The player character , defenseless and confined to an office,
9405-472: 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), 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
9504-508: Was released on July 13, 2015, hinting that the game was set in the main character's house. 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. The player character
9603-925: Was released on October 27, 2023, with a sequel set for release in December 2025. 2019 – PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2019 – PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2019 – PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2019 – PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2017 – IOS 2020 – Xbox One , Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 2019 – Android , IOS 2020 – Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2021 – PlayStation 4 2020 – Android , IOS 2021 – PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch 2020 – Nintendo Switch , Oculus Quest , Android , IOS , Xbox One 2022 – Google Stadia , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S 2023 – Nintendo Switch 2017 – Android TBA – Console , Mobile device 2021 – Android , IOS Five Nights at Freddy%27s Five Nights at Freddy's ( FNaF )
9702-558: 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
9801-403: Was uploaded to Cawthon's website teasing a third entry in the series. Other images followed 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. This was later revealed as a hoax; the "leaked" download linked to a humorous clone of a previous game of Cawthon's, There
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