On August 8, 2014, a new horror game came out that would take gamers everywhere by storm. The game in question is Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF), made by video game developer and writer Scott Cawthon. This was a horror game in which you would play as a security guard working their first week at a children’s pizzeria called “Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza”. The player is tasked with monitoring security cameras from 12am to 6am. 

What makes this game scary? The pizzeria has a handful of animatronics that dance and sing for children during the daytime. At night, these animatronics are supposed to just sit on the stage. 

The horror aspect comes from the fact that you soon find out that these animatronics will move throughout the pizzeria during the night. You also have to make sure your security office doesn’t lose power, whilst defending yourself from killer animatronics. 

This concept alone does contribute to its fear factor, but this game is known for its usage of jump scares. The animatronics will jumpscare you while you play the game. If this happens, it’s game over. The goal of the game is to survive 5 nights, each night increases in difficulty. 

Currently, there are 9 games. All of these games have a similar theme, starring new characters and new components thrown in on top of having to check the cameras and maintain power in the security office. 

For example, in the second Five Nights at Freddy’s game (which also came out in 2014), on top of checking cameras and not losing power, the player has to keep a music box wound up. The player can also wear an animatronic mask to fend off animatronics in an act of deception (this isn’t always effective).

The most recent FNAF game to have come out is Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach. While elements to this game are still true to what the game once was, it is vastly different. This is a free-roam game, and takes place in a mega pizza plex. You have to survive until dawn and uncover the truth about this pizza plex. A unique factor about this game is that there are multiple endings that could be taken in. 

What’s next for FNAF? Currently, a FNAF movie is in the works. Not much information has been released about the movie as of yet, however, Blumhouse Productions and Scott Cawthon will be running it. Actors set to star in this movie are; Matthew Lillard, Emma Tammi, Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Jason Blum, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Elizabeth Lail. Filming for this movie is said to begin in February of 2023.