Lecture Notes: Five Nights at Freddy's Series Overview

Introduction

• Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF) is a highly popular video game series within the indie horror genre.
• The series boasts nine main games, numerous books, and a large fan community.
• The storyline is complex and not fully understood, with many theories and interpretations existing.

Video Goal

• Presenter aims to piece together the timeline and story of FNAF, leveraging hindsight and research.
• Focus on minimal necessary information to understand the series and related fan content.

Story Overview

• The narrative centers on two main characters: William Afton and Henry Emily.
• They co-founded a children's entertainment business, leading to the creation of animatronic attractions.
• The first venue was Fredbear's Family Diner, which expanded into a larger franchise, Fazbear Entertainment.

Key Characters and Plot Points

William Afton

• Father of three: Elizabeth, Michael, and Evan.
• Innovated the animatronics, specifically the dangerous spring lock suits.

The Afton Children

• Evan was killed in an animatronic accident, leading to the series' initial tragedy.
• Elizabeth was killed by an animatronic designed by William.

The Puppet and Charlie

• Henry's daughter Charlie was killed by William, and her spirit possessed the Puppet animatronic.

Missing Children's Incident

• Five children went missing, bodies hidden inside animatronics, setting off major plot events.
• William used an animatronic suit to commit these murders.

Game Timeline

FNAF 1 (1993)

• Michael Afton works as a security guard at a reopened Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
• Animatronics are haunted by the spirits of murdered children.

FNAF 2

• Takes place before FNAF 1, detailing an investigation and further incidents.
• Introduces new animatronics with facial recognition, connected to the story of missing children.

FNAF 3

• Set in a horror attraction featuring remnants of the original pizzeria.
• William Afton becomes Springtrap, a haunted animatronic.

Sister Location

• Reveals more about the Afton family and introduces underground animatronic storage.
• Michael is involved in a plot involving animatronics known as the Funtime series.

FNAF 6

• Henry lures all haunted animatronics into one place to end their story.
• Major monologue from Henry closes many character arcs.

Conclusion and Theories

• Ultimate Custom Night is theorized to depict William Afton's personal hell, orchestrated by spirits, possibly Evan.
• Complexity and openness of the story have led to varying interpretations and fan engagement.

Reflection

• The series is highlighted for its engaging lore but criticized for its somewhat unclear storytelling.
• Latest games (FNAF 8 and 9) have been contentious among fans.

Final Thoughts

• FNAF's story, while convoluted, provides a rich tapestry for fan theories and discussions.
• The series remains influential in indie game culture.

Note

• The presenter plans to discuss FNAF VHS tapes in a separate video, emphasizing their unique contributions to fan culture.