As a reporter for The New York Times, I recently delved into the dark side of the Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF) community, a fandom that has grown exponentially since the release of the first game in 2014. While the FNAF franchise has produced a beloved series of games, books, and a movie, the community has not been without its share of controversies.
One of the most significant issues in the FNAF community is the theft of intellectual property. With such a large worldwide fandom, many people have taken the opportunity to make money off of FNAF materials without permission from the original creators. This includes both copyrighted and fan-made content, with artists constantly having to fight to get their designs removed from shops of random sellers. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to third parties, as there have been incidents where the masterminds behind the actual FNAF franchise have used fan art and renders without permission.
Controversy arose when the teaser images of the long-awaited FNAF VR game, "Help Wanted," were released in 2019. Fans noticed that a blue render of Funtime Foxy was copied from a fan render without permission from the original creator. While the situation was handled promptly, with an apology from the franchise's creator and the removal of the teaser, it is not the first time something like this has happened.
In addition to theft, the FNAF community has also been plagued by toxicity. The fan base has earned a negative reputation, with internal hostility being just as prevalent as external. Fans get excited about different parts of the story, but instead of accepting different opinions, many members start conflicts. This has led to fan wars, threats, and even doxing, with the creator of the franchise, Scott Cawthon, not being immune to this toxicity.
The FNAF community has also seen its fair share of controversial employees. Lady Fizzy, a popular FNAF fan artist turned official employee, was terminated from the company after harmful information from her past was revealed to the public. Her fascination with people who take on the appearance of young girls and the inclusion of inappropriate kinks in her fanfictions were disturbing to many fans, leading to a hashtag campaign to encourage Scott to fire her.
Pinky Pills, another fan-turned-official artist, has also faced scrutiny for tracing her work and using it in actual FNAF materials. Despite the backlash, she supposedly still works for the franchise.
The FNAF fan game culture is also a cause for concern. While there are undoubtedly gems in the FNAF fan game genre, there are also games that are not only poor in quality but just straight up wrong. Fan games like "Funtime at Homer's" and "Five Nights at the Haunted House" have been criticized for using real missing person's cases and the n-word, respectively.
Moreover, the rise of NSFW FNAF games is concerning, especially since a lot of FNAF fans are relatively young. These games modify the animatronics to look more humanlike and sensual, with exaggerated body parts and revealing outfits. They are easily accessible on the internet and have even made their way into virtual reality games like VR Chat, where they are used for inappropriate reasons.
Overall, while the FNAF community has produced a beloved series of games, books, and a movie, the community itself has not been without its share of controversies. From theft and toxicity to controversial employees and fan games, the dark side of the FNAF community is a concerning issue that needs to be addressed.