Scott Cawthon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Scott Cawthon
|
|
|---|---|
Cawthon in 2025
|
|
| Born |
Scott Braden Cawthon
June 4, 1978 Houston, Texas, U.S.
|
| Other names | Animdude |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
|
Notable work
|
Five Nights at Freddy's |
| Children | 6 |
Scott Braden Cawthon, born on June 4, 1978, is an American video game developer, writer, and producer. He is best known as the creator of the incredibly popular Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) series. This series of horror video games quickly grew into a huge media franchise, including books and movies.
Cawthon started his career making family-friendly games. However, he found great success when he created the first Five Nights at Freddy's game in 2014. This game became a big hit and gathered many fans. Since then, Cawthon has guided the creation of many FNaF games and several spin-offs. He also wrote stories for the franchise, including novels and screenplays for the Five Nights at Freddy's film (2023) and its sequel (2025). He also produced these films.
In 2021, Cawthon announced he was stepping back from public game development. He wanted to spend more time with his family. He made sure that the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise would continue. He chose a successor to lead future game development. Scott still has creative control and exclusive rights over the entire FNaF universe.
Contents
Meet Scott Cawthon: Creator of FNaF
Early Life and Creative Beginnings
Scott Braden Cawthon was born on June 4, 1978, in Houston, Texas. He grew up with one sister and one brother. Scott attended the Art Institute of Houston in 1996. There, he learned how to create computer graphics. He also taught himself to make games using a tool called Clickteam Fusion.
Before FNaF, Cawthon made animated Christian films and adventure games. Some of his early projects included The Pilgrim's Progress: The Video Game (2011) and The Desolate Hope (2012). These games were often praised for their unique art style. However, they did not earn enough money to support his family. This led him to try making simpler computer and mobile games.
The Birth of Five Nights at Freddy's
In 2013, Scott Cawthon created a family-friendly game called Chipper & Sons Lumber Co.. This game featured cute, animal-like characters. However, players and reviewers found the characters unintentionally "creepy." They said the characters looked like "scary" animatronics. This feedback gave Scott a new idea. He decided to make a game that was intentionally scary. This was the start of Five Nights at Freddy's.
Developing the First FNaF Games
Scott Cawthon released the first Five Nights at Freddy's game in August 2014. It quickly became very popular. Many people watched others play it on YouTube. Later that same year, he released a prequel, Five Nights at Freddy's 2.
He continued to develop the main series games. Five Nights at Freddy's 3 came out in March 2015. Five Nights at Freddy's 4 followed in 2015. In 2016, he released FNaF World, which was a different style of game. Later that year, Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location was released. In 2017, he released Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator. The seventh main game, Ultimate Custom Night, was released for free in 2018.
Expanding the FNaF Universe
In 2019, Scott Cawthon teamed up with a studio called Steel Wool Studios. He wanted them to help create more Five Nights at Freddy's games. Scott focused on the stories, character designs, and gameplay ideas. Steel Wool Studios developed games like the virtual reality game Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted (2019). They also created the augmented reality game Five Nights at Freddy's: Special Delivery (2019).
A major new game, Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach, was released in 2021. It was a big game with advanced graphics and free-roam gameplay. Scott also supported fans who wanted to develop their own FNaF-inspired games. He helped with marketing and licensing for these projects.
Stepping Back: A New Chapter
On June 16, 2021, Scott Cawthon announced his retirement from public game development. He explained that he wanted to spend more time with his children. He made sure that the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise would continue. He chose a successor to lead future game development. Scott still has creative control and exclusive rights over the entire FNaF universe. In 2023, he released a new game called Freddy in Space 3: Chica in Space.
Beyond the Games: FNaF Books and Movies
Dive into FNaF Novels
Scott Cawthon also brought the FNaF stories to books. In December 2015, he released his first novel, Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes. This book was so popular that he signed a deal for a three-book series with Scholastic Corporation. The sequels, Five Nights at Freddy's: The Twisted Ones and Five Nights at Freddy's: The Fourth Closet, followed in 2017 and 2018.
He also released official guidebooks for the series. These included The Freddy Files (2017) and Survival Logbook (2017). These books offered character details, hidden secrets, and game tips. Later, he started a new eleven-book series called Fazbear Frights, with the first book, Into the Pit, released in 2019.
FNaF on the Big Screen
The Five Nights at Freddy's universe also expanded into movies. In April 2015, Warner Bros. Pictures bought the rights to make a film. However, the project faced many delays. Scott Cawthon wanted to be deeply involved to make sure the movie was true to the games.
In March 2017, Blumhouse Productions took over the film project. Scott worked closely with producer Jason Blum. After several script changes, Emma Tammi was announced as the director in October 2022. The Five Nights at Freddy's film was released on October 27, 2023. It was a huge success at the box office, earning over $296 million worldwide. A sequel, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, was released on December 5, 2025. Scott Cawthon also wrote the screenplay for both films.
Scott Cawthon's Creations
Scott Cawthon has created a wide range of games and films. Here are some of his most well-known works.
Key Five Nights at Freddy's Games
- Five Nights at Freddy's (2014)
- Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2014)
- Five Nights at Freddy's 3 (2015)
- Five Nights at Freddy's 4 (2015)
- FNaF World (2016)
- Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location (2016)
- Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator (2017)
- Ultimate Custom Night (2018)
- Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted (2019)
- Five Nights at Freddy's AR: Special Delivery (2019)
- Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach (2021)
- Freddy in Space 3: Chica in Space (2023)
- Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2 (2023)
FNaF Films and Animations
- Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) - Film
- Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025) - Film
- Freddy & Friends: On Tour! (2021) - Miniseries
Personal Life
Scott Cawthon lives in Salado, Texas, with his wife and six children.
See also
In Spanish: Scott Cawthon para niños
