Honestly, if you’re trying to figure out what are all the fnaf games, you’re walking into a bit of a chaotic mess. It’s not just a few horror games anymore. What started as a weird indie project about a night guard and some creepy robots has ballooned into a massive franchise with VR titles, racing spin-offs, and even "official" fan games.
Most people think there are maybe eight or nine games. They're wrong. When you actually sit down and count every official release, DLC-turned-full-game, and Fazbear Fanverse project, the number is way higher. Scott Cawthon didn't just build a game; he built a rabbit hole that seems to grow every single year.
The Core Series: Where the Nightmare Began
You’ve probably heard of the original "Scott Era" games. These are the ones that established the lore everyone argues about on Reddit.
The first Five Nights at Freddy’s dropped in 2014 and basically broke the internet. You sit in an office, watch cameras, and try not to die. Simple, right? Then came Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 in the same year—no doors, more robots, and way more stress. Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 moved the timeline forward 30 years to Fazbear’s Fright, introducing Springtrap, who is basically the series’ main villain.
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By the time Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 arrived in 2015, the gameplay shifted to a bedroom. No cameras here; just listening for breathing. It was supposed to be the "Final Chapter," but we all know how that turned out.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location (2016) changed the formula by making you move between rooms, and Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator (2017) disguised itself as a tycoon game before revealing it was actually the sixth main entry. Most fans consider this the "ending" of the original story arc, but the Mimic and other new threats had different plans.
The Steel Wool Era and Modern Hits
After Scott "retired" from being the primary developer, Steel Wool Studios took the reins. This is where things got high-budget and very, very big.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted (2019): A VR collection that remade the old games and added a bunch of new terrors. It’s arguably the scariest the series has ever been.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach (2021): This was a massive departure. Free-roam, a giant neon mall (the Pizzaplex), and a much more active protagonist. It was buggy at launch, let’s be real, but the Ruin DLC fixed a lot of the vibes.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 (2023): Another VR/flat-mode masterpiece focusing on "job training" that actually hides deep lore about the Bonnie Mask and the Mimic.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit (2024): A 2D pixel-art horror game based on the books. It’s surprisingly brutal and proved that FNAF doesn't need 3D jumpscares to be effective.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic (2025): The latest heavy hitter. It takes us back to the 70s to explore the origins of the Mimic in Edwin Murray's workshop.
The Spin-Offs and Weird Experiments
If you want to know what are all the fnaf games, you can't ignore the weird stuff. Scott loves a good April Fools joke or a charity project.
There’s FNaF World, which is a literal RPG with cute versions of the animatronics. It was hated at launch, but honestly? It’s kinda a cult classic now. Then you’ve got the shooters: Freddy in Space 2 and Freddy in Space 3: Chica in Space. They’re side-scrollers that have no business being as fun as they are.
Don't forget Security Breach: Fury’s Rage, a side-scrolling beat-'em-up that Scott released for free because Security Breach was delayed. And then there's the mobile AR game, FNaF AR: Special Delivery, which let animatronics show up in your actual living room before it was eventually shut down.
The Fazbear Fanverse Initiative
This is where the line between "fan game" and "official game" gets blurry. Scott decided to fund some of the best fan creators and make their games official parts of the franchise.
- One Night at Flumpty’s 3: A weird, cartoonish, but terrifyingly difficult game.
- POPGOES Arcade: A retro-style RPG that ties into the larger POPGOES lore.
- The Joy of Creation (2025/2026): A massive remake of one of the most famous fan games ever, featuring "Ignited" versions of the classic crew.
- Five Nights at Candy’s 4: The continuation of the famous rival series that is now officially under the Fazbear umbrella.
Why the Order Matters More Than the Number
When people ask what are all the fnaf games, they're usually trying to piece together the timeline. It's a mess. The games aren't released in order. FNaF 4 is technically the beginning (1983), then FNaF 2 (1987), then the original FNaF (the 90s).
It’s like trying to solve a puzzle where the box art is missing and half the pieces are under the couch. But that’s the draw. Each new game—like the upcoming Five Laps at Freddy's, which is literally a kart racer—adds a tiny bit of context or a whole lot of confusion.
Essential Tips for New Players
- Don't skip the DLC: Ruin for Security Breach is essential for understanding where the series is going.
- Play Help Wanted in VR if you can: It’s a completely different experience than the "flat" version.
- Watch the credits: Scott and Steel Wool love putting teasers in the final seconds of their games.
If you’re planning to play through the whole series, start with the first three. They give you the "vibe" of the series without the massive technical overhead of the newer titles. Once you’ve survived Springtrap, you’re ready for the more complex stuff like Pizzeria Simulator and the VR entries.
To stay current, keep an eye on the Fazbear Fanverse updates on Steam. While the main "story" moves forward with Steel Wool, those Fanverse titles are where the most experimental and "classic" feeling horror is happening right now. Check out the Five Laps at Freddy's demo if you want to see just how weird this franchise can actually get.