Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) Lore Overview

The FNAF series is known for its complex and mysterious lore. Here's an organized overview covering key elements and events from games 1-6 plus Ultimate Custom Night.

Key Terms

• William Afton: Main antagonist, also known as the Purple Guy.
• Afton Family: Includes William, his daughter Elizabeth, his son (believed to be the Crying Child), and Michael Afton.
• Animatronics: Haunted mascots at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
• Remnant: Substance associated with souls and possession.

Game Summaries

FNAF 1 (2014)

• Setting: 1993
• Protagonist: Mike Schmidt, night guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza
• Key Points:
  • Animatronics (Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy) roam and try to stuff you into a suit.
  • Murders of children revealed through phone calls and newspaper clippings.
  • The location is haunted by spirits of the murdered children.

FNAF 2 (2014)

• Setting: 1987 (Prequel to FNAF 1)
• Protagonist: Night guard at a new Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
• Key Points:
  • Introduces Toy animatronics (Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, Mangle, Balloon Boy, Puppet).
  • The Puppet is possessed by the first murdered child.
  • William Afton is responsible for the Missing Children Incident.
  • Children’s souls possess the animatronics.

FNAF 3 (2015)

• Setting: 30 years post-FNAF 1, around 2023
• Key Points:
  • Location: Fazbear’s Fright: The Horror Attraction.
  • Main antagonist: Springtrap (William Afton’s decayed body within a suit).
  • Minigames show the Puppet assisting spirits except one.
  • Ends with a fire to destroy the remnants of the past.

FNAF 4 (2015)

• Setting: 1983
• Protagonist: The Crying Child (likely Afton’s son).
• Key Points:
  • Child is tormented by animatronic nightmares.
  • Older brother, possibly Michael Afton, bullies him.
  • Child dies from an accident with Fredbear.
  • Potentially the origin of the hauntings.

FNAF: Sister Location (2016)

• Setting: Post-FNAF 4, pre-FNAF 3
• Protagonist: Michael Afton at Circus Baby’s Entertainment and Rentals.
• Key Points:
  • Circus Baby is possessed by Elizabeth Afton.
  • Other animatronics include Ballora, Funtime Freddy, and Funtime Foxy.
  • Animatronics merge into Ennard, using Michael’s body to escape.
  • Michael is revived after being killed, vows to stop William Afton.

FNAF 6: Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator (2017)

• Setting: Post-FNAF 3
• Protagonist: Michael running a new pizzeria as a trap.
• Key Points:
  • Salvaging animatronics: Scrap Baby (Elizabeth), Molten Freddy, Scraptrap (William), Lefty (housing the Puppet).
  • Henry Emily orchestrates a trap to destroy animatronics and free souls.
  • The pizzeria is set ablaze, Henry and Michael perish.

FNAF: Ultimate Custom Night (2018)

• Setting: William Afton’s personal hell.
• Key Points:
  • Gameplay represents Afton’s purgatory, tormented by animatronics.
  • Puppet and Golden Freddy hold Afton’s soul trapped.

Conclusion: Timeline Summary

• 1983: Crying Child dies (FNAF 4)
• 1985: Missing Children Incident (FNAF 2)
• 1987: Bite of ’87, Toy Animatronics (FNAF 2)
• 1993: FNAF 1, spirits haunt Freddy’s
• Late 90s: Sister Location, Michael’s death/revival
• 2023: FNAF 3, Springtrap and horror attraction fire
• Post-2023: FNAF 6, final fire; attempt to end it all
• Purgatory: Ultimate Custom Night, Afton’s endless torment