Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) is an independent survival-horror game series created by Scott Cawthon, first released in 2014. The core premise places players in tense, surveillance-based encounters with haunted animatronic characters in locations such as pizzerias and sister establishments. The franchise quickly expanded into multiple main entries, spin-offs, novels, merchandise, and an upcoming film adaptation, becoming a major cultural phenomenon in indie horror.