Five Nights At Freddy’s has cemented its place in the horror gaming hall-of-fame. From its beginnings as a breakout hit to its explosion into a massive multimedia franchise, it’s safe to say that the Animatronics of Freddy’s have invaded the homes and minds of millions of gamers around the world.
Today, Dead by Daylight has brought Five Nights At Freddy’s into The Fog in a major way, with a new Chapter featuring Springtrap as a playable Killer. Not only can players deliver brutal jump scares with an incredible Power and 3 character-specific Perks, but they can do so in an immersive and detailed recreation of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria.
Welcome To Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Place
The atmosphere of Five Nights At Freddy’s is an integral part of its horror, and it was imperative that the Level Design team captured that in their recreation of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Place.
While players will certainly be keen to enter the notorious building, there’s still plenty to accomplish outside, with Generators to repair and Hooks to serve The Entity. In fact, having access to internal and exterior areas was an intentional design choice for gameplay balance purposes, allowing the team to create larger, more dynamic loops.
Upon entering Freddy Fazbear’s, players will immediately be swept into a nostalgia-tinted nightmare. Don’t let the festive balloons lull you into a false sense of security. Remember how quickly the laughter turned to screams, and know that history has a way of repeating itself.
“It’s such a fun idea to have juxtaposing ideas in horror,” explains Associate Art Director Chase Toole. “We have a children’s pizzeria juxtaposed with all the gruesome imagery and backstory associated with the FNAF license. It’s something that really taps into a familiar sort of fear.”
Into The Dining Hall
Delving deeper into Fazbear’s will bring you into the Dining Hall, where closer inspection will reveal blood spattered across the stage, barely covered by a shredded curtain.
“When you first look at the Map, it almost seems like a fun place for the whole family – until you start to notice the terrible things everywhere,” continues Toole. “We always love using environmental storytelling to really fuel the imagination.”
Amidst the birthday decor, you’ll notice that The Entity’s influence has already begun to seep into the Map. For those unfamiliar with Dead by Daylight’s lore, each Map is conjured by The Entity, drawn from the memories of Its victims. That’s why you’ll often see disturbing pustules and various deformations, manifested because of Its eldritch influence.
It’s a symbolic representation of two worlds colliding, and the team always looks for exciting way make The Entity’s presence felt in any crossover Map or Realm.
“We’re always looking to fold in lore from Five Nights At Freddy’s into our own,” continues Toole. “It really helps cement the fantasy that this is a new way to experience being stalked in a settling that players may be used to spending time in.”
“We’re always looking to fold in lore from Five Nights At Freddy’s into our own,” continues Toole. “It really helps cement the fantasy that this is a new way to experience being stalked in a settling that players may be used to spending time in.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Fazbear party without Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie – even if they are lurking in the shadows, keeping to themselves. Don’t be shy, and consider saying a quick hello. They’d certainly love the company.
“Recreating the animatronics was super fun, and required a lot of fun research,” says Toole. “The team spent time trying to find broken or malfunctioning animatronics as references, so we could create realistic animations. Having that tangible feeling really drives home the horror.”
Onward to the kitchen, which players of the first game may enjoy seeing recreated – given that the kitchen camera has remained for the entirety of the series. While the days of serving fresh pies are long gone, there’s still plenty of slicing happening beneath the dilapidated rooftop. Whatever you hear, it’s best to stay away from the stove.
“We took reference from the first game and attempted to reconstruct what a pizzeria would realistically be built like. That’s why we have things like air ducts, mechanical rooms, and of course, the kitchen you see in-game. They reference FNAF, but they also work toward the immersion and believability of the space itself.”
While you’re busy looking at every intricate detail, keep an eye out for some of the Easter Eggs hidden throughout the building. Rest assured there’s plenty of nods to the beloved series, and we hope fans enjoy discovering them all.
So concludes our tour of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Place, opening its doors to Killers and Survivors alike at an all-new location – The Fog. If you’re lucky, you might even meet Springtrap!
Dead by Daylight: Five Nights At Freddy’s is available today on Xbox.
