“Five Nights at Freddy’s”, a phenomenon in gaming culture, has sparked a series of fascinating curiosities. This text explores the behind-the-scenes and peculiar details that make the FNAF universe so intriguing. From fan theories to the secrets behind the animatronic characters, every aspect of this indie horror game offers a rich tapestry of mystery and speculation. Discover how the intricate narrative has captured the imagination of millions, inspiring a legion of followers and spin-offs.

Furthermore, explore the cultural impact and lasting legacy of this computer game, which has transcended its modest beginnings to become an icon of contemporary pop culture. Get ready to delve into the dark depths of “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”

1 – A NEGATIVE REVIEW THAT BECAME A PHENOMENON

Who could have anticipated that a negative review could give rise to an idea that would become a multimillion-dollar gaming phenomenon? That was the journey of Scott Cawthon, whose inspiration for Five Nights at Freddy’s emerged after a harsh reaction to his previous creation, Chipper & Sons Lumber Company, a Christian-themed game centered around tree farming.

Faced with comments comparing his characters to sinister animatronics, Scott felt disheartened and close to abandoning his game development career. However, instead of giving up, he channeled his frustration by consciously transforming the criticized art style into a deliberately terrifying new creation. The result? A success that surprised even his initial detractors.

2 – CREATING THE GAME

Creating a video game is a challenging endeavor, especially when you’re alone in the development process. Whether it’s for a simple mobile game or a high-caliber title, most projects rely on numerous development teams. These teams can range from small groups of two members to large conglomerates of over 100 people, especially in large companies.
It is in this context that the fascination around Five Nights at Freddy’s arises, where Scott Cawthon took on the development of the series alone.

This responsibility not only tasked him with managing and promoting the game but also with creating and texturing all the visual elements, developing dialogue scripts, conceiving all the gameplay, and even programming every line of code. And all of this within strict deadlines.

3 – BASED ON A TRUE STORY?

In Five Nights at Freddy’s, we take on the role of an individual who accepts the position of night guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza for five nights. Although the pizzeria appears to be a fun environment for children, there are various rumors circulating about children disappearing and even cases of homicide. All these rumors are linked to the animatronic dolls used to entertain customers on the premises.

William Afton, the founder of the pizzeria, used the lovable animatronics as a facade for his crimes. In 1985, five children disappeared while at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza with their parents. This series of disappearances, known as the Missing Children Incident, resulted in the closure of the pizzeria and the abandonment of the animatronics. The children were kidnapped and murdered by William Afton, whose bodies were later concealed inside the animatronic dolls.

4 – FEELING OF REVENGE

Within the universe of Five Nights at Freddy’s, four main animatronics dominate the scene: Freddy (the bear), Chica (the chicken), Bonnie (the rabbit), and Foxy (the fox). In the second game, the list expands to six, adding to the original three (Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica) three new characters: Puppet, Balloon Boy, and Mangle.

In this fictional world, a substance known as Remnant is released when a child dies. This essence represents the memories and essence of the child’s soul, connecting them to the animatronic where their body was hidden.

As victims of murder, these children are filled with a burning desire for revenge, directed towards their assailant. However, they mistakenly confuse all adult security guards who enter the pizzeria with Afton, triggering a series of homicides in an erroneous attempt at justice. Thus, it’s not exactly malevolence, but it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant to be alone in a room with them.

5 – GAMES AND BOOKS

In less than ten years, Scott has released eleven titles of Five Nights at Freddy’s, consisting of eight main games and three spin-offs. And the exciting news is that it seems Scott is far from closing the lid on his creation. Help Wanted 2, the ninth main game in the series and the twelfth overall, is scheduled to be released later this year.

For those who aren’t satisfied with just the games, Scott Cawthon has also gifted fans with a trilogy of novels inspired by the franchise. However, if you expect the books to be an extension of the narrative from the main games, you’d better prepare for an unpleasant surprise. The novels tell a slightly different story, considered a completely independent canon from the games’ plot.

6 – NEVER GIVE UP

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform that has propelled numerous ambitious projects, but when the campaign for the first Five Nights at Freddy’s game fell far short of its $10,000 goal within three days, Scott chose to cancel the initiative and remove the post. However, this setback didn’t discourage him, as evidenced by the current success of the franchise. This experience serves as a valuable reminder that we shouldn’t give up at the first hurdle.

7 – CHANGES IN THE FOURTH GAME

In the fourth installment of Five Nights at Freddy’s, there’s a slight change of scenery. Instead of taking on the role of a security guard trying to escape animatronics in a pizzeria or haunted house, you find yourself in a child’s bedroom trying to keep the terrifying nightmare animatronics away from the door. Throughout the game, it becomes clear that the protagonist is a boy, possibly the youngest son of William Afton.

Following the release of the fourth game, many YouTubers and fans began to speculate that the entire Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise could just be a nightmare created by the hyperactive and anxious imagination of this child.

However, the game also suggests the death of the child – or at least a serious injury. Still, some argue that the dream theory could hold if we consider that the child is still alive and that the events of the other games are some kind of terrible fever-induced delirium induced by the coma.

8 – NIGHTMARES

Scott Cawthon managed to create animatronics so terrifying that he even had a nightmare about one of them. In a forum post that was deleted but preserved on the Five Nights at Freddy’s Wiki, Scott shared how, in his dream, he saw Bonnie, the animatronic rabbit, outside his room.

While trying to lock the creature out, he found that the door was already locked – an indicator that, in the games, usually means the animatronic is inside the room with you. He woke up before things got worse, but the experience still left him deeply disturbed.

9 – FAMOUS YOUTUBER IN THE MOVIE

Corey Williams makes a brief appearance in the trailer of the FNAF movie – as Golden Freddy and Abbie politely request to return to the pizzeria. This brief scene will be enough for franchise fans to recognize Corey from his popular YouTube channel, CoryxKenshin.
Corey was one of the early creators to support FNAF from the beginning and contributed significantly to bringing the games into the mainstream through his viral videos. His inclusion in the movie is an excellent gesture of recognition for the key role he played.

10 – SUCCESS IN THEATERS

Nothing symbolizes success like having Hollywood interested in turning your game into a major film franchise. Although news of the movie adaptation first emerged in 2015, when it was revealed that Warner Bros. had acquired the rights to this indie phenomenon, there was a prolonged period of silence.

During this time, fans began to fear that the film would never get off the ground. Concerns were allayed when Scott shared a photo in a tweet revealing that the project was now in the hands of Blumhouse Productions – the production company behind films like “Paranormal Activity” and “Megan”.

Finally, the film hit theaters and, although it received mixed reviews, it has already become a massive box office success. In just three days in theaters, the film managed to gross $130.6 million worldwide. An extremely positive outcome, especially considering the budget was only $20 million.

The “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie not only captures the essence of the game franchise but also offers fans a cinematic experience filled with references and captivating details. From the intriguing casting choices to the connections with the game’s narrative, every aspect reveals meticulous care in the adaptation for the big screen. The trivia surrounding the production, from the challenges of bringing the animatronics to life to the backstage secrets, only adds to the viewers’ fascination. As the film continues to achieve success at the box office and spark discussions among fans, its influence on the cinematic and cultural landscape is undeniable, solidifying its place as a landmark at the intersection of games and cinema.