The idea for Five Nights at Freddy's stemmed from negative reaction to Scott Cawthon's previous game, the family-friendly Chipper & Sons Lumber Co. The franchise maintains an active fanbase, known for its production of fan art and fangames, and merchandise for the games is available internationally. The franchise also includes spin-off games and other media, such as a novel trilogy and an anthology series, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe. The series' lore is gradually revealed through voice recordings, minigames, and Easter eggs featured throughout the games. In most games, the player assumes the role of a night-time employee, who must utilize tools such as security cameras, lights, doors, and vents to defend themselves against hostile animatronic characters that inhabit the locations. The main series consists of nine video games taking place in locations connected to a fictional family pizza restaurant franchise named 'Freddy Fazbear's Pizza', after its mascot, the animatronic bear Freddy Fazbear.
The first video game of the same name was released on August 8, 2014, and the resultant series has since gained worldwide popularity.
Five Nights at Freddy's (abbreviated as FNaF) is an American media franchise created by Scott Cawthon.
