What do you think about Five Nights at Freddy's

[1Lord1Faith]

I don’t want my kids, 6, 7 and 9, having anything to do with it. But they are around other kids who have their own devices with the game on it. My kids love it and I think it’s straight from h-e-double hockey sticks; well, it seems like it anyway. My neighbor’s 6 year old boy told me he has nightmares from playing it on his iPad.

I was surprised to find this on the web while trying to find a link for this post.
patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/12/02/the-indie-game-developer-behind-five-nights-at-freddys-explains-why-god-is-responsible-for-his-success/

I want to hear what other parents think of this game app. Do your kids play it? What effect, if any, does it have on them?

 

[styrgwillidar]

My kid is far older and an experienced gamer in a lot of different venues- mostly now plays on-line multiplayer due to the socializing aspect.

He did happen to show it to me- actually a video on youtube of someone doing a ‘play through’ and it did seem like it could be too intense for young kids.

You know your kids far better than I do, trust your instincts. I never had a problem prohibiting games I was uncomfortable with after researching them. Even if “everybody else is playing it…”

For those not familiar with the game, you’re a night security person in a kids pizza type place with animatronic characters that come to life at night trying to get into the security booth you are sitting in and monitoring from. You have doors you can close to keep them out, but only for limited amounts of time as it takes power (and you only have a limited amount) to keep them shut.

youtube.com/watch?v=iOztnsBPrAA

 

[Aquilina16]

I’m a 17 year old girl, so I’m not a parent, but I used to watch other people play it on YouTube. Let me tell you: it is SO not for the faint of heart. Or at least for fraidy cats like me. I’m mostly drawn to the lore of the games, which is very interesting. It used to keep me up at night, paranoid, and sometimes I had to sleep with my mommy cause I got too scared.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I’d say that’s a bit too young to be playing it, but I actually enjoy the lore of the series. They’re not my style of game, but I don’t see anything particularly terrible about the series.

 

[Kit15]

It’s chock full of jump scares and I know adults (quite a number who aren’t religious) who won’t play them for that reason. As a game I’m impressed with the amount of strategy involved and I wish I could bring myself to play them but I can’t get past the jump scares. I don’t find that sort of experience fun but I don’t begrudge people who do. There is worse stuff out there.

 

[styrgwillidar]

It’s chock full of jump scares and I know adults (quite a number who aren’t religious) who won’t play them for that reason. As a game I’m impressed with the amount of strategy involved and I wish I could bring myself to play them but I can’t get past the jump scares. I don’t find that sort of experience fun but I don’t begrudge people who do. There is worse stuff out there.

I think the issue for younger kids not used to gaming-- is that there is a lot of tension and suspense in the game from monitoring cameras etc. I don’t think the visuals or storyline are as problematic as the intensity for someone that young.

I remember playing the old ‘Asteroid’ arcarde game and some of those others where I’d have images of the game long after playing, or when trying to go to sleep at night. Nothing bad about the game per se, but certainly was having an affect on me that probably wasn’t good. Combine that level of intensity with the imagery of the animatronics and I can understand parents prohibiting younger children from playing.

 

[Hatikvah]

I want to hear what other parents think of this game app. Do your kids play it? What effect, if any, does it have on them?

I don’t have any children of my own due to my age (and, consequently, my single marital status). However, I may be of some use to you being kept up on popular culture through school. Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNaF from here on out) is meant to be a horror game, so I don’t think it’s appropriate for younger children to play. Especially if your child is having nightmares, you might want to wait until they’re a tween or so.

I’m not entirely sure of the game’s content, but it has been popular for about two years (whereupon I first learned of the game, but I have never played). It does involve murder, so, again, at a young age, your child may have some questionable thoughts, and you know your own children.

Ultimately, it is in the best interest of your children to prevent them from playing. As for your 9-year-old, perhaps they are ready to play, but you know your children best: that is your call, and you should certainly be prepared.

God bless you and your family, I hope that you are helped by this thread today.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I’d say that’s a bit too young to be playing it, but I actually enjoy the lore of the series. They’re not my style of game, but I don’t see anything particularly terrible about the series.

All I see are little kids playing it. It’s characters seem like they’re geared toward children, is it the “Joe Camel” of app gaming.

How many broken iPads will it take before this insanity is stopped Kids get jump scared and throw their device up in the air and run away screaming.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I don’t let them play it, but it’s very popular with the 5-10 year old crowd. I don’t know what parents are thinking letting their kids play it, so I’m asking. I would not expect parents to let their kids play games that are geared toward adults, but FNaF seems geared toward children.

 

[styrgwillidar]

All I see are little kids playing it. It’s characters seem like they’re geared toward children, is it the “Joe Camel” of app gaming.

How many broken iPads will it take before this insanity is stopped Kids get jump scared and throw their device up in the air and run away screaming.

My daughter enjoyed the ‘Nancy Drew’ game series as a tween (and still does now that she’s in college). A lot of puzzle solving embedded in the game; etc. But I do remember her and a friend jumping and running away from the computer once while playing the ‘Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake’ when dog(s) appeared suddenly…

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I don’t let them play it, but it’s very popular with the 5-10 year old crowd. I don’t know what parents are thinking letting their kids play it, so I’m asking. I would not expect parents to let their kids play games that are geared toward adults, but FNaF seems geared toward children.

Scott Cawthorn, the game’s maker, originally made games geared towards kids. He was told his animations were creepy and came up with the idea for FnaF. I don’t think Cawthorn really gears his games towards anyone, it’s just the aesthetic he chose. (Incidentally, the games appear to be based on a real-life series of murders in a Chucky-Cheese-like establishment).

Parents let their kids play these types of games for lots of reasons, but mainly because they don’t pay attention to what their kids are playing. There’s nothing terrible about the first game in the series, but each of the subsequent games has added on bits which wouldn’t be great for a young child (specifically, lots of 8-bit depictions of the deaths of multiple children).

A ten or eleven year old is probably fine playing it, there’s nothing particularly graphics, and most of the more disturbing subtext is only really knowable if you really delve into the game, rather than just play is casually. As a long time gamer and horror movie fan, my opinion may be a bit skewed, and ultimately you have to decide for yourself.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

Scott Cawthorn, the game’s maker, originally made games geared towards kids. He was told his animations were creepy and came up with the idea for FnaF. I don’t think Cawthorn really gears his games towards anyone, it’s just the aesthetic he chose. (Incidentally, the games appear to be based on a real-life series of murders in a Chucky-Cheese-like establishment).

.

He makes a bunch of ‘Christian’ games for kids that don’t sell, so then he makes games with giant teddy bears that kill children.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

Okay, so no responses yet from parents who have little kids (say, 5-10) that have played or interacted with the game, or even know of it. The silence is deafening.

 

[Lea101]

My sister played it (when she was 10). I honestly didn’t like it and I encouraged her to stop. She had a nightmare about it once but she kept insisting that she is alright with it. Ugh. I don’t really feel good about children playing creepy games.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

My kids played it for a bit, then got bored with it.

 

[KnitNut]

My kids played it for a bit, then got bored with it.

Ditto. (And I have kids that played in the OP’s stated window of <= 10yo.)

It’s not eeeeeeviiiiil. It’s a game that provides thrills via jump scares, as previously mentioned. The characters are creepy by design, to add to the “thrill” aspect. The “teddy bear who kills children” description is a little misleading (and overly dramatic). There are lots of stories for all ages that speculate on “what happens when the (insert animatronic amusement - Disney World, whatever) closes for the night.” It should be sort of obvious that this particular game is a riff on the very popular Chuck E Cheese franchises - I’d wager that not a few CEC patrons have daydreamed along this very story line!

The game is not violent. It’s a problem-solving, strategy game, actually. The creepiness of the characters adds to the thrill element, but doesn’t change the game play - there is no violence depicted, just jump scares. For many younger children, the game will be too complex (recalling which animatronics move on which nights, what methods distract/redirect each animatronic, etc) to be of interest for long. For others, any jump scare game is too overwhelming for them. And for some, it’s an interesting puzzle that is enjoyed for a bit (without adverse effect) and set aside in favor of a new challenge.

As for the “what are THOSE parents thinking” aspect of your question, I’m thinking, “It was fine.” My kids enjoyed it, we played as a family often (keeping track of the various paths in the algorithm, particularly), had some fun, and have now moved to other games. shrug Your kids, your call. But careful where you’re swinging that broad brush you’re trying to paint with…

 

[1Lord1Faith]

They’re trying to make a movie based on it.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

Ditto. (And I have kids that played in the OP’s stated window of <= 10yo.)

It’s not eeeeeeviiiiil. It’s a game that provides thrills via jump scares, as previously mentioned. The characters are creepy by design, to add to the “thrill” aspect. The “teddy bear who kills children” description is a little misleading (and overly dramatic). There are lots of stories for all ages that speculate on “what happens when the (insert animatronic amusement - Disney World, whatever) closes for the night.” It should be sort of obvious that this particular game is a riff on the very popular Chuck E Cheese franchises - I’d wager that not a few CEC patrons have daydreamed along this very story line!

The game is not violent. It’s a problem-solving, strategy game, actually. The creepiness of the characters adds to the thrill element, but doesn’t change the game play - there is no violence depicted, just jump scares. For many younger children, the game will be too complex (recalling which animatronics move on which nights, what methods distract/redirect each animatronic, etc) to be of interest for long. For others, any jump scare game is too overwhelming for them. And for some, it’s an interesting puzzle that is enjoyed for a bit (without adverse effect) and set aside in favor of a new challenge.

As for the "what are THOSE parents thinking" aspect of your question, I’m thinking, “It was fine.” My kids enjoyed it, we played as a family often (keeping track of the various paths in the algorithm, particularly), had some fun, and have now moved to other games. shrug Your kids, your call. But careful where you’re swinging that broad brush you’re trying to paint with…

I didn’t mean it like that. I really want to know what people like you(thank you for replying BTW) think about the game. I’ve heard a few 5-8 year olds say that it gives them nightmares. Then I see they are still playing it, their parents have not taken the game from them. Do the kids parents not know about the nightmares or do they think it’s no big deal? I’m really curious.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

Ditto. (And I have kids that played in the OP’s stated window of <= 10yo.)

It’s not eeeeeeviiiiil. It’s a game that provides thrills via jump scares, as previously mentioned. The characters are creepy by design, to add to the “thrill” aspect. The “teddy bear who kills children” description is a little misleading (and overly dramatic). There are lots of stories for all ages that speculate on “what happens when the (insert animatronic amusement - Disney World, whatever) closes for the night.” It should be sort of obvious that this particular game is a riff on the very popular Chuck E Cheese franchises - I’d wager that not a few CEC patrons have daydreamed along this very story line!

The game is not violent. It’s a problem-solving, strategy game, actually. The creepiness of the characters adds to the thrill element, but doesn’t change the game play - there is no violence depicted, just jump scares. For many younger children, the game will be too complex (recalling which animatronics move on which nights, what methods distract/redirect each animatronic, etc) to be of interest for long. For others, any jump scare game is too overwhelming for them. And for some, it’s an interesting puzzle that is enjoyed for a bit (without adverse effect) and set aside in favor of a new challenge.

As for the “what are THOSE parents thinking” aspect of your question, I’m thinking, “It was fine.” My kids enjoyed it, we played as a family often (keeping track of the various paths in the algorithm, particularly), had some fun, and have now moved to other games. shrug Your kids, your call. But careful where you’re swinging that broad brush you’re trying to paint with…

My son actually wanted me to play. I couldn’t get the hang of it. But it’s basically a problem solving game. Smaller children might get startled by the images, but the bear isn’t particularly scary,

 

[1Lord1Faith]

My sister played it (when she was 10). I honestly didn’t like it and I encouraged her to stop. She had a nightmare about it once but she kept insisting that she is alright with it. Ugh. I don’t really feel good about children playing creepy games.

That’s what I think. My spidey senses immediately told me (about a year ago) that this game was wrong for young children(5-8), yet it’s clearly appealing to little one’s and it’s very popular with them. I’m sure most kids, even mine, would not be harmed by it; but…I just can’t.