Summary
2024 marks theFive Nights at Freddy’sseries' 10th anniversary, and fans have long suspected that creator Scott Cawthon had multiple titles secretly under development to ring in the celebration. However, barely one month afterHelp Wanted 2’s release, a brand-new title has been announced, which looks to adapt the very first short story intheFazbear Frightsnovel series—Into the Pit. Despite being far removed from the events of developer Steel Wool Studios' modern narrative,Into the Pitbrings a lot to the table, much of which fans believed to be scrapped during the development ofSecurity Breach.
In adaptingFazbear’s Frights,the newly announcedFive Nights at Freddy’sgame crosses an item off fans' wish lists and sets the stage for a fan-favorite’s return.Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pitis the first of 37 short stories in theFazbear Frightsseries, which were originally believed to set the stage for the narrative ofFNAF: Security Breach.
When that title launched, it featured no hint of the major narrative shifts that occurred in the novelizations.
This led to general confusion throughout the series’ fandom, leading many to hunt for connections betweenFazbear’s Frightsand each subsequent release. Four years after theInto the Pitnovel’s release, Scott Cawthon is returning its narrative to the spotlight, leading many fans to wonder if the title will deliver the long-awaited truths behind the book’s parallel narrative.
Into the Pit Suggests Fazbear’s Frights Reestablished Canonicity
TheFive Nights at Freddy’s: Fazbear Frightsnovelswere explicitly labeled as “non-canon” during their original release. That said, they were said to reveal parallel truths to the series' true canon, through the use of characters, locations, and events that mirrored their gaming counterparts, while utilizing the same animatronic characters.
Into the Pitwas of particular significance, as it featured theSpring-Bonnie Costumeand a time travel mechanic that saw the series’ central tragedy play out in real-time. In adaptingInto the Pit, Scott Cawthon is returning these long-abandoned events to the spotlight and possibly hinting at their reestablished canonicity moving forward.
Into the Pitboasts heavy supernatural elements, following a boy named Oswald who visits an abandoned Pizzeria and jumps into its ball pit. Much to his surprise, he emerges in the same restaurant decades earlier, where he sees an unforgettable tragedy unfold. Upon returning to his time, Oswald is confronted by his father, who is then attacked by Spring Bonnie, who emerges from the ball pit and drags him inside.
Unfortunately, this is where the true nightmare begins for young Oswald, as the horrors he’s witnessed follow him home.Into the Pit’s game adaptation boasts a unique retro style, taking the series in a new direction visually, but fans shouldn’t let their guard down.Into the Pit’s narrative is darker, scarier, and far more disturbing than many of the titles the series has released this far, and, according to its announcement trailer,developer Mad Cat Studiosis going all-in on bringing those elements to life.
FNAF’s 10th Anniversary Celebration May See a Villain’s Triumphant Return
WhileFive Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pitfeatures a self-contained tale of supernatural horror, it forms the backbone of a malevolent plot from a long-thought-dead antagonist—Circus Baby. Baby, referred to as Eleanor in theFrightsseries, uses William Afton and entities throughout the 37 short stories to kill her victims and amass an immense amount of agony. She often accomplishes these tasks using a pendant that disguises her as something else. The souls of these victims are trapped within the ball pit fromInto the Pit, where they are forced to exist in torment.
While many believed thatFrights’true role was to usher in Circus Baby as the series' new villain, she did not canonically appear inSecurity Breach,Help Wanted,RUIN, orHelp Wanted 2. Rather, recent developments suggest a connection. InTales from the Pizzaplex, the latestFNAFnovel series, Eleanor’s pendant seemingly appeared, tying the character to the Pizzaplex era.
Additionally, 2023’s game releases established links betweenSister Location,FNAF 4, and the Pizzaplex, whileretconning William Afton’s appearance inSecurity Breach. With more potential game releases beforeFive Nights at Freddy’s10th Anniversary in August 2024, fans anticipate more references toFazbear’s Frights' ball pit being added to the canon, with many eagerly awaiting Circus Baby’s return soon after.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Five Nights at Freddy’s is a first-person survival horror and resource management game from Scott Cawthorn that raced to popularity thanks to its creepy animatronic enemies and its array of panic-inducing jumpscares. Bringing life to a cavalcade of well-known characters like Freddy Fazbear, Chica, Foxy, Bonnie, and more, Five Nights at Freddy’s has seen immense success, spinoffs, and fan games.
