In 2014, an indie horror game
took the Internet by storm. Everyone was rabbiting on
about this scary title in which you had to outfox
a group of eerie animatronics. Some people were too chicken to play it. And many of those who did
simply couldn't bear it for a long! see you on the flip side Oh God. what the fuck? Almost a decade later, this fearsome franchise has
numerous sequel games, various books and comics, a range of merchandise, and now, scheduled for release in October 2023, is the first
movie. Can anyone stop the advance
of these maniacal machines?! Tell me how to stop them. you don't! it's too late he's coming More importantly, does anyone want to stop them? This is the evolution of five nights at Freddy's! In 2013, a family friendly
mobile game was developed and released by Scott Cawthon. Titled ‘Chipper & Sons Lumber Co.’, Its story followed Chipper, a humanoid beaver, and his son Tyke, the player character, as they completed objectives
like collecting wood during the daily
operation
of their lumber company. Gameplay involved talking
to other characters, chomping trees, building things,
and lots of different mini games. It was intended as a
cutesy little time filler, but those who played it all seemed
to settle on the same complaint: The main beaver looked like
“a scary animatronic animal!” Reviewers like Jim Sterling said it made
the game “unintentionally terrifying.” While the game's creator,
Scott Cawthon, was initially wounded by this criticism, he would ultim
ately use the feedback
to create his most successful and intentionally dark franchise to date! Fun fact: Before the jump scares, Cawthon’s previous library of games
included religious titles like ‘The Pilgrim's Progress’, as well as wackier games
such as ‘Fart Hotel’. Now that’s scary! Just one year after
Chipper & Sons Lumber Co., Cawthon released Five Nights
at Freddy's on August 8th, 2014. The premise of Five Nights at Freddy's, which is often abbreviated
as FNaF, centers around a fictional p
izza restaurant
called Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. This restaurant featured
animatronic characters that entertained patrons
during the day. However, at night, these uncanny
robots become sentient and roam the restaurant
in search of blood! Stepping into the shoes
of Mike Schmidt, a security guard with, hopefully,
nerves of steel, players are tasked with surviving
a workweek from hell. Five night stand between them and safety
as they juggle watching security feeds, slamming door shut, and
using limit
ed resources, all to dodge the animatronics
and avoid getting caught. The classic animatronics present
in the game are Freddy Fazbear, the eponymous main villain; Bonnie; a rabbit animatronic; Chica the chicken, and Foxy; a discontinued pirate Fox. These four characters are
major antagonists throughout the main
series of games, though plenty of other animatronics
have since been introduced in various formats and styles. The popularity of FNaF quickly grew
thanks to its tense atmosphere and jump
scare filled gameplay, which led to lots of funny reactions from YouTubers captured
during the playthroughs. oh oh no, Dad no, no, no, no, no, no, no. hold out just a little longer. The game has also been praised
for its mysterious and unsettling storyline, with a narrative that has gradually
unfolded across the various games and through other types of media. It usually involves dark
and supernatural elements, including the possession of
animatronics by vengeful spirits. The franchise's success
has led
to a dedicated fanbase, numerous fan theories, and a rich lore that continues to
expand with each new installment. There are even two distinct areas
now recognized by fans: the Clickteam Era, which consists of the original
five point and click games made by Scott Cawthon using
the Clickteam Fusion 2.5 software, and the Steel Wool Era, created by Scott Cawthon with the help of production teams
like Steel Wool Studios and Illumix. Going back to the early days, it wasn't long before a seque
l was
released for the original game, named Five Nights at Freddy's 2. In fact, it launched just 87 days
after the first game! Talk about not letting
the animatronic dust settle! As soon as it launched, YouTubers like Markiplier
were all over it. Markiplier's first dive into the game alone
drew an impressive 58 million views! where is the Chica?
I seldom found Chica wind it up, wind it up, wind it up It played much like the original, except the player now had
different tools at their disposal. I
nstead of relying on
protective doors, the player must employ
an empty animatronic head and a flashlight as their
means of defense. What's more, the sequel introduced a crucial element
in the form of a music box that requires regular remote winding
to avoid potential attacks from a specific animatronic. To deepen the storyline, the game incorporated
eight bit minigames too, which trigger randomly
upon a player's death and offer cryptic clues
about the game's lore. FNaF 2 saw the first appearance
of
The Puppet and Balloon Boy animatronics and introduced the toy version
of the main antagonists, with the classic versions returning
as so-called ‘withered animatronics’. The player also assumes a new role, that of security guard Jeremy Fitzgerald. Fun Fact: Five Nights at Freddy's doesn't
involve much dialogue, which makes the phone call
the player receives at the start of the first two
games a bit of a shock! What you might not know and what you may find
even more shocking is that the myste
rious ‘Phone Guy’
on the other end is actually the game's developer,
Scott Cawthon! Some of the things you can expect to see during your first week here to help you get
started down this new and exciting career path. Less than four months
later in the real world, but 30 years after the closing of
Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in-game, a third FNaF title was
released in March 2015. Five Nights at Freddy’s 3
took place in ‘Fazbear's Fright: The Horror Attraction’. Just like in previous games, It's an ind
ie point and click survival in which the player must yet
again survive the night. However, this time
the protagonist is not named, and there is only one animatronic
that can kill the player... Springtrap! There are no doors or lights
to worry about, either. Instead, the player must focus on audio
cues and sealing off vents to survive, as well as using a maintenance
panel to reboot any systems that happen to go offline. The third game also introduced
the character of William Afton, the co-founder
and owner
of Fazbear Entertainment and Afton Robotics, LLC. His mummified remains
are inside SpringTrap, and Afton may or may not be
the serial killer responsible for most of the incidents and
tragedies throughout the series! Creator Scott Cawthon had originally intended
for Five Nights at Freddy’s to be a trilogy but following the negative reception
the third game received he decided to make a fourth game... then a fifth and so on! Five Nights at Freddy’s 4
originally subtitled, ‘The Final Cha
pter’,
came out in July 2015. Chronologically, it served as
the first game in the series and a prequel to FNaF 2. This fourth game takes place in 1983, and rather than being a security guard, the player now takes on
the role of a child. In terms of gameplay, it is noticeably different
from previous titles, taking place in a bedroom
where you must avoid monstrous and distorted versions
of the familiar original foes. Instead of using a monitor, players must carefully inspect
various elements of th
e room, including the doors, closet, and bed, while using a flashlight to repel any nightmarish
animatronics lurking outside. Unlike earlier games with rapid screen
switching and defensive norms, FNaF 4 adopts a slower tempo Acting prematurely without waiting for the appropriate cues
can quickly result in a game over. Though none of the FNaF games
achieved overwhelmingly high ratings, the fourth installment received the lowest
acclaim with a critic score of just 51. Destructoid clearly didn't
ap
preciate the game and said, “You'd be better served experiencing
Five Nights at Freddy's 4 the way it was obviously
intended to be enjoyed. By going on YouTube and watching
some twenty-five-year-old, dressed like a fourteen-year-old, scream and cry his way through the
game like a seven-year-old.” Fun Fact After Night 5, a cutscene reveals the chilling
"Bite of '83" event. It shows the crying
child being bullied and his head forced into
the Fredbear animatronic. But don't mix it up with
the Bite
of ’87 that's a whole other bite
in the series! was that the Bite of 87 In October 2016, the franchise returned to
a more familiar setting with the release of Five Nights
at Freddy's: Sister Location. It featured a major change
to its gameplay, allowing players to free-roam
and explore areas for the first time. The setting, of course,
was the “sister location,” which was an underground facility
known as Circus Baby's Pizza World. Here, there's a new set of
animatronic characters, each with its o
wn unique
behavior and mechanics. Making up the new creepy
cast are Circus Baby, Ballora, begin audio prompt in three Funtime Freddy, Funtime Foxy, and Ennard, among others. The player can use a control
pad to illuminate rooms or shock animatronics. A second pad in the breaker
room manages facility power and a flash beacon. With power, the Funtime Auditorium can be lit helping to avoid lurking animatronics. There are three distinct
endings to Sister Location, which are achieved by
completing spe
cific tasks. Speaking of tasks, here's one for you: Click the ‘Like’ and ‘Subscribe’
buttons down below, and you'll continue to power this channel! It might also prevent a possessed
animatronic from biting my head off, so... thanks! The sixth installment of the FNaF
franchise was released in December of 2017. Titled ‘Freddy Fazbear's
Pizzeria Simulator’, It's the sequel to
Five Nights at Freddy's 3. As its title suggests, the primary objective of this game
revolves around managing a pizzeria and
ensuring it maintains
a safe atmosphere. Neglecting this duty can lead
to potential lawsuits, and if faced with too many legal actions, you might even end up going bankrupt! However, once the player has
successfully established their pizzeria, the actual gameplay takes
a different turn. You must then occupy an office
until the closing hours, defending against the salvaged
animatronics that lurk within while completing designated tasks. you're not who I expected to see The business style gamepla
y of Pizzeria
Simulator was a first for the franchise, with players spending in-game money
to buy features for their pizzeria. A series of minigames could also be played
by testing the establishment's attractions, and many new animatronics
were introduced, though most of them are not hostile. In addition to the mainline games, Scott Cawthon released
multiple spin-off titles, which added new gameplay
elements and story layers. 'FNaF World' launched
in 2016, and boy, it wasn't playing by the old r
ules! Instead of the usual scares, it dived into turn based RPG madness, where animatronics team up
for some quirky battles. Ultimate Custom Night
was released in 2018, acting like a reunion party
for all the animatronics. Drawing from the series' legacy, It gave players the reins
to their own horror show. It's like a buffet, but everything's trying to scare you! Games not enough for you? How about some FNaF bedtime stories? Scott and Kira Breed-Wrisley
wrote The Silver Eyes in 2015, And if that
didn't keep you awake, there's The Twisted Ones in 2017 and The Fourth Closet in 2018. Sweet dreams! According to Cawthorn,
these novels “expand the mythos and reveal a human
element never before seen in the games." If you thought FNaF was done
haunting your dreams, think again! With a dozen books from 'Five Nights
at Freddy's: Fazbear Frights' released between 2019 and 2022 and the still-unfolding tales of Five Nights
at Freddy's: Tales from the Pizzaplex, It looks like our reading nights are
set
to be as restless as the game nights! Fun Fact: In 2021, Scott Cawthon
announced his retirement from professional game development On the seventh anniversary of
the first game's trailer, he said, “I realize that I was in my mid-30s
when I created the series and now I'm approaching
my mid-40s, I realize that I miss a lot of things that I got to focus on before five
nights at Freddy's became such a success... I miss making games for my kids, I miss doing it just for fun, and I miss making RPGs
even though I stink at it. All of this is to say that I am retiring.” However, his retirement does not mean
an end to Five Nights at Freddy's. Not by a long shot! More on that in a moment. As previously mentioned, Cawthon
teamed up with Steel Wool Studios and Illumix to bring about a
second era of FNaF. "Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted"
brought the series into virtual reality, allowing players to experience the horror
in an even more immersive way. Prepare to jump out of your skin from
all
sides in glorious 360 degrees. Oh the wonders of technology! According to Metacritic, it's the highest-rated game
in the franchise so far, scoring 80 out of 100
on PlayStation 4. A sequel, titled Five Nights at Freddy's:
Help Wanted 2, is set to come out in
December 2023. "Five Nights at Freddy's AR:
Special Delivery" was released on iOS
and Android in 2019. to turn your phone into
augmented reality terror. Furthermore, "Five Nights
at Freddy's: Security Breach launched in 2021 for PC
and multi
ple consoles. Both titles introduced new characters, settings and gameplay mechanics. Security Breach provides players with the ability to roam freely
around the complex, adding a fresh layer of tension and
unpredictability to the experience. While Cawthon may no longer be
directly involved in game production, he has made sure
his legacy will continue. The franchise has expanded beyond
video games into merchandise, including action figures, clothing, and collectibles. A Five Nights at Freddy's
m
ovie adaptation is also in the works and is set to premiere
on October 27th, 2023. Cawthon helped to write the screenplay, ensuring the movie remains
as authentically terrifying as accidentally opening
your front camera. A successful film might just introduce
a whole new batch of fans to the joy of sleepless nights! The idea of a film adaptation has
been floating around since 2015, but like finding the right
animatronic for the job, it took its time. Fast forward to 2018, and our dynamic duo,
Ca
wthon and Breed-Wrisley, finally got their script-writing
hats on and delivered the first draft! Initially, Cawthon revealed
that the movie would involve the events of the first game, but since then, he has announced
a different idea for the story, one that he “liked better!” Directed by Emma Tammi, Josh Hutcherson will play the role
of security guard Mike Schmidt, while Matthew Lillard
takes on the role of William Afton. Fun Fact: Trailers for the movie confirmed
that YouTuber ‘CoryxKenshin’ ha
s a cameo appearance
as a taxi driver. Seeing as he was one
of the YouTubers who reacted to the original game and helped make it popular, it's a nice way to bring
things full circle. What happened? With an estimated budget
of $25 million and the backing of
Blumhouse Productions, which has produced
movies like Split, he's not allowed to touch you. Whiplash and Get Out, wait, wait, wait, wait sin Expectations are soaring higher
than a jump scare on max volume. And I think you should maybe
tell me
about that tell me how to stop them you don't! The Five Nights at Freddy's
franchise has grown from a simple indie horror game
into a multimedia phenomenon with an intricate and expanding lore, a dedicated fanbase, and continued development and expansion
across various platforms and media. Scott Cawthon's creativity and
dedication to the series have played a significant role
in its ongoing success, but as he prepares to step away from it, will it continue to survive
through the night? Curious ab
out the evolution
of other games? Drop your wishes in the comments and subscribe for more evolution videos.
Comments
That is crazy. The original was created in 2014 and literally 9 years later, they now have a movie. How nice😊
Despite being almost a decade, FNAF still is the biggest and most (culturally) popular game in the world among fans and indie gamers. And with the movie coming out soon I'm glad to say that the franchise will still be strong. Oh, how time flies?
You guys remember when we struggled to figure out the lore? Good times🙂
Finally we got the evolution of fnaf 👏
Fun fact:In FNaF 3, you play as Michael Afton, the son of William Afton, you play as Michael in sister location as well,he changed his name in FNaF 1 and also in Pizzeria Simulator you, once again play as Michael Afton,also William Afton is the murderer of 6 kids,5 possessing the animatronics,one possessing the puppet.
When I played it for the first time I was wishing for 6am to hit...I wanted to click exit so bad at that time💀
You know I was so afraid of this franchise when I was younger it just horrified me to see this but over time I grew to love it and it's just kinda jarring to see how far it has come, thank you flatlife for this amazing video and I can't wait for the next one 😁
Fun Fact: When Movie Adaptation Of The Franchise Was First Annouced In 2015 Warner Bros. Was Originally Involved The Project However Things Didn't Go As Planned When WB Decided To Turnaround The Project In January 2017 But Thankfully Blumhouse Acquired Film Rights Later Same Year.
After for so long for the games of merchandise and books and a first ever movie, FNAF is almost a 10 year decade, I was 11 seeing this franchise, and some music videos As a little fan of FNAF, I can't wait to see FNAF in the big screen as my first horror movie ever
this game has aged so well like 10 games later
I’ve been waiting for this to come out!! Great job Flatlife!
Fnaf has been part of my life since around 2016-2018 and im still a fan
I was waiting a long time for you to make this video for so long. I appreciate it.
Having a not well-known name on the internet (SammfeatBlueheart), I became a fan back in 2014, drew lots of arts around 2015-16, and finally left the fandom in 2017 due to my adulting struggles and dealing with other fans with art requests and drama. But it's really nice to see the franchise evolved in a great way and now that we have a movie that is rumored since 2015. I might come back drawing art about it? IDK. But for now, I don't think so due to adulting life is so hard and dealing with a lot of responsibilities makes it way harder. It feels like I'm not working for myself at all. As always, Flatlife vids amaze me. They help me know a lot of things since I'm always interested about evolutions of things.
Awsome video man, thanks for making an evolution of my childhood!!
so much work is put into these videos. thank you for doing these flatlife!
Its almost been a decade and this game is still on fire 🔥 now there’s gonna be a movie 🎥
Thanks for bringing back your old intro, I generally just like it more🙂
The whole series is awesome it’s nice to see how far Scott has came!
Oh man, I remember my big sister downloading the demo of FNaF 1-3 (and maybe 4, idk) on my old iPad mini, and I played it while we were at the mall, good ol' memories..