Scott Cawthon facts for kids

Scott Braden Cawthon, born on June 4, 1978, is an American video game creator, writer, and film producer. He is most famous for making Five Nights at Freddy's, a super popular series of survival horror video games. This game series grew into a huge media franchise with books and movies.

Cawthon started his career by making video games that were safe for families and based on Christian stories. These games didn't become very popular. He then switched to making horror games, and in 2014, he released the first Five Nights at Freddy's game. It was a huge hit and quickly gained a large group of dedicated fans. As of 2023, Cawthon has created seven main games and four spin-off games in the series. Beyond the games, he has also written many stories for the franchise, including novels and the script for the Five Nights at Freddy's movie, which came out in 2023. He also helped produce the movie.

Scott Cawthon's Career Journey

Starting Out in Game Development

Scott Cawthon is a very religious person. He began his journey in game development by creating Christian adventure games using his own money. His first professional game was called Iffermoon. He went to the Art Institute of Houston in 1996 to learn about computer graphics. However, he taught himself how to make games using a special tool called Clickteam Fusion. Scott was also part of a group of Christian artists called Hope Animation, where he made animated Christian films.

Some of his well-known religious games included Pilgrim's Progress (2011) and The Desolate Hope (2012). Pilgrim's Progress was a game similar to a JRPG, where players faced enemies like Beelzebub. The Desolate Hope was a mix of different game styles, including role-playing and platforming. It told a story about a robot coffee pot trying to save a baby in a dark, futuristic world. Critics liked the unique art style of these early games.

Scott's Christian games were generally liked, but they didn't make enough money to support his family. He decided to stop making religious games and instead created cheaper computer and free-to-play mobile games to earn a steady income. These games sometimes only brought in a small amount of money each month. He also took on other jobs like programming and retail work.

In 2013, Scott submitted a family-friendly game called Chipper & Sons Lumber Co. to a platform called Steam Greenlight. This game featured cartoon animals, and the main character was a beaver. However, players and reviewers made fun of the game. They thought the characters looked unintentionally "creepy" and scary, like animatronics. One person even said it was an example of the uncanny valley, which is when something looks almost human but is unsettling.

The criticism of Chipper & Sons and his financial struggles made Scott feel very sad. He felt like he had wasted his life by becoming a game developer and tried to find other jobs. He even questioned his faith. After a difficult time, he realized he needed to use his skills. Scott found inspiration from the negative feedback about Chipper & Sons. He decided to make something that was intentionally scary. This idea led to the creation of Five Nights at Freddy's.

The Five Nights at Freddy's Universe

Video Games

Scott Cawthon first showed Five Nights at Freddy's on Steam in the summer of 2014, releasing a trailer and a demo. The game quickly became popular and was officially released in August 2014. It was praised by critics and became famous through many "Let's Play" videos on YouTube. A second game, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, came out later that same year.

After Five Nights at Freddy's 2 was released, Scott removed all information from his website, replacing it with the word "offline." Soon after, his website started showing teasers for Five Nights at Freddy's 3, which was released in March 2015. Five Nights at Freddy's 4 followed in 2015, with a free Halloween update.

Scott then announced a new game called FNaF World. This game was different from the others; it was a role-playing video game instead of a horror game. It came out on January 21, 2016. FNaF World received mixed reviews because of some glitches. Scott removed it from Steam four days later, but an improved version was released for free on Game Jolt on February 8.

On May 21, 2016, Scott released a teaser for Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location. This game introduced new animatronics and circus-themed versions of familiar characters. It was released on October 7, 2016, and was generally well-received.

On July 3, 2017, Scott announced he was canceling a sixth main Five Nights at Freddy's game. He said he needed to focus on other parts of his life but wasn't leaving the series entirely. He even joked about making a spin-off game like FNaF World. However, this was a prank, as he released Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator on December 4, 2017.

On June 28, 2018, the seventh main game, Ultimate Custom Night, was released for free on Steam. It features over 50 characters from the series. Scott also mentioned that deals were made for console versions and new virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games.

In early 2019, Scott teamed up with Steel Wool Studios to create more Five Nights at Freddy's games. He would focus on the stories, character designs, and gameplay. On May 28, 2019, the VR game Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted was released for PC and PlayStation VR. A DLC update, Curse of Dreadbear, came out on October 23, 2019.

In September 2019, a teaser for the AR game, Five Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery, was posted. It was released for free on November 25, 2019, for iOS and Android devices.

On August 8, 2019, the fifth anniversary of the first game, Scott teased the tenth game in the series on his website. It showed a modern shopping mall with a laser tag arena, arcade, cinema, and a Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Teasers for characters like Glamrock Freddy, Vanny, and Montgomery Gator followed. The game's title was later revealed to be Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach.

On August 21, 2020, Scott announced a plan to help fund and publish Five Nights at Freddy's games made by fans. He wouldn't be involved in the creative side but would help with marketing and licensing. Some of the fan games included were One Night at Flumpty's and Five Nights at Candy's. These games were planned for mobile and consoles, and might even get merchandise.

On September 16, 2020, during a PlayStation 5 event, it was announced that Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach would come to PlayStation 5 with advanced graphics and free-roam gameplay. It was initially released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.

On June 16, 2021, Scott Cawthon announced his retirement from public game development. He said he wanted to spend more time with his children. He planned to choose someone to continue the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise, while he would still have a smaller role in its creation.

On October 18, 2023, Scott released his first game since retiring, called Freddy in Space 3: Chica in Space. It was released as a game connected to the Five Nights at Freddy's movie.

Novels and Books

In December 2015, Scott Cawthon started teasing his first novel, which was later named Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes. The book was released on December 17, 2015, as an ebook. Scott later made a deal with Scholastic Corporation for three books.

His second novel, Five Nights at Freddy's: The Twisted Ones, came out on June 27, 2017. It continued the story from The Silver Eyes. On August 29, 2017, Scott released the first official guidebook, The Freddy Files, which included character details, secrets, and game tips.

Another guidebook, Survival Logbook, was released on December 26, 2017. This book was designed for physical writing and contained activities that held secrets about the game's story. The third novel, Five Nights at Freddy's: The Fourth Closet, was released on June 26, 2018.

Starting in December 2019, a new series of eleven books called Fazbear Frights began to be released. These books tell different scary stories set in the Five Nights at Freddy's universe. There are also graphic novels, which are like comic books, based on these stories. Scott has also released guidebooks, coloring books, and even a cookbook related to the franchise.

Film Adaptations

In April 2015, Warner Bros. Pictures announced they had bought the rights to make a movie based on the Five Nights at Freddy's series. Scott Cawthon wanted to be very involved in making the movie.

However, the film faced many delays. In January 2017, Scott said the movie was "back at square one" due to problems in the film industry. In March 2017, he hinted that Blumhouse Productions was the new company making the film. Producer Jason Blum confirmed this in May 2017, saying he was working closely with Scott.

On February 13, 2018, Blumhouse Productions announced that Chris Columbus would direct the film. Scott later shared that the movie would be based on the first game. The film's script was scrapped and delayed again in November 2018.

In September 2021, it was revealed that Chris Columbus was no longer directing. In October 2022, Emma Tammi was announced as the new director and co-writer with Scott. The Five Nights at Freddy's movie was released on October 27, 2023. While critics didn't love it, the movie was a huge success at the box office, earning over $296 million.

In 2024, it was announced that a sequel was being made. Scott Cawthon also wrote the script for this new movie. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to be released on December 5, 2025.

Personal Life

Scott Cawthon lives in Salado, Texas, with his wife and six children. One of his sons, Braden Cawthon, is also an author.

Scott Cawthon's Creations

Scott Cawthon has created many video games, films, and books throughout his career.

Video Games

Scott is best known for the Five Nights at Freddy's series, where he often takes on multiple roles like director, writer, producer, and programmer. He even voiced characters like Phone Guy in the early games.

Films and Series

Scott Cawthon has been involved in creating and producing several films and animated series, especially those based on his popular Five Nights at Freddy's games.

Series

Books and Graphic Novels

Scott Cawthon has written or co-written many books, including novels, graphic novels, and guidebooks that expand the Five Nights at Freddy's story and world.

Graphic novels

Guide books

Other books

See also

In Spanish: Scott Cawthon para niños