Five Nights At Freddy’s Creator Had Nightmares Of His Scariest Character

Once a fledgling developer focused on family-friendly Christian games, Scott Cawthon found his career unexpectedly launched into cult stardom with the success of Five Nights at Freddy’s. The series has spawned nine games and more than 10 books to date, and there’s even a new FNAF film under development. It’s safe to assume that the sprawling franchise has become a prominent aspect of Cawthon’s life, and with haunted animatronics sure to be on his mind every day, it’s perhaps no surprise that he’s had at least one nightmare about them.

Cawthon’s nightmare encounter with his own creation may be a reflection of the unique way he’s reacted to his career being defined by an unexpected viral phenomenon. The FNAF series is the kind of runaway success that can’t truly be predicted, making its impact on the games industry (and Cawthon’s life) an ongoing surprise that’s lasted nearly a decade.

FrootyTootyBootyBear, a long-time user of the Five Nights At Freddy’s Wiki community, speculates that Cawthon’s nightmare could have inspired FNAF 4. They may have a point, as the game, in a departure from the rest of the series, takes place in the bedroom of a house infested with nightmarish versions of the original animatronics. The connection is further supported by the fact that holding the door closed is an actual gameplay mechanic.

Five Nights At Freddy’s Creator Dreamed Of Bonnie

According to a Five Nights At Freddy’s Wiki post, which cites a comment of Cawthon’s in a now-deleted forum thread, the FNAF creator once had a chilling nightmare about Bonnie, the blue animatronic rabbit. In the dream, Cawthon is reported to have spotted Bonnie standing in the hall outside of his bedroom, having to hold the door shut to stop them from entering. Interestingly enough, Cawthon’s nightmare was elaborate enough to include game mechanics, the true horror dawning on him when he tried to turn the doorknob to find it already locked. In Five Nights At Freddy’s, powered doors only stop working when an animatronic monster has entered the room, game logic which Cawthon supposedly used to surmise that Bonnie had already made it inside his bedroom.

Perhaps it’s this terror that’s kept Cawthon’s work reasonably fresh, and keeping FNAF characters in the spotlight. Cawthon seems happy to keep developing the franchise, creating sequels that tend to remain popular, even if never as groundbreaking as the first game was. This kind of respect for his own material might explain why Bonnie can still scare him. Scott Cawthon’s nightmare being news may indicate how pervasive the FNAF franchise has become, but hopefully, it’s an indication that the next Five Nights At Freddy’s game will turn out well.

Source: FrootyTootyBootyBear

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