Five Nights at Freddy’s: Scott Cawthon & Christian Video Games

They tried to make video games for Jesus… and accidentally invented demon-possessed animatronics instead. Turns out the road from Christian propaganda to FNaF horror mega-hit is shorter than expected.

Before creating Five Nights at Freddy’s, Scott Cawthon spent years making christian movies and video games designed to glorify god. Critics said his characters were too creepy… so he leaned into it and launched one of the biggest horror franchises in gaming history.

From there, things get weird.

This episode explores the strange world of Christian video games, the moral panic around gaming, and the not-at-all hypocritical outrage over pixels, boobs, violence, and Satan.

This week, we’re digging into:

•  The FNaF origin story: how a scary animatronic beaver led to Freddy Fazbear 
•  The Scott Cawthon controversy: politics, donations, and reputation detonation 
•  The “holy” hustle: the rise and collapse of Left Behind Games and Digital Praise (including SEC fraud allegations) 
•  Bizarre moral logic: why gaming violence is “silly” but a cartoon boob is a one-way ticket to hell 
•  “Seducing children”: decoding Satanic panic rhetoric from Christian game CEOs 
•  The Hollywood factor: what the Josh Hutcherson movie gets right about child murder 

Whether you're here for the FNaF lore or the spectacular failure of the Christian video game industry, this one’s for you.

Got thoughts? Found a bizarre christian video game? Email us — we love this stuff.

Join the Patreon to help us buy more holy water (or just better snacks): patreon.com/satanismysuperhero

Transcript

In this episode we look at Christian designed and produced video games and ask the question, are they lame?

01 [CHRISTIAN, 'Do you want to play a Christian video game?'

GAMER, 'I'd rather stick needles in my dick.'

CHRISTIAN, 'So that’s a no?']

If you have youngs in the house, you know all about Five Nights at Freddy’s.

[JUDE, ‘Or as us youngs refer to it, FnaF.’]

Aha.

02 [CAWTHON, 'So are you ready to play Five Nights at Freddy's?'

OLDGAMER, 'Hell yes! I can't wait. I've heard so much about this game. The kids these days rave about it.'

CAWTHON, 'With good reason. Prepare to have you mind blown. Okay this controls the cameras and you do this to open and close the doors.'

OLDGAMER, 'Cool. And then what?'

CAWTHON, 'What do you mean?'

OLDGAMER, 'What's the game?'

CAWTHON, 'You keep the demon possessed animatronics out of the office with the doors and cameras.'

OLDGAMER, 'And if they get in I get murdered?'

CAWTHON, 'Oh heavens no! No you get a jumpscare and then it's game over.'

OLDGAMER, 'A jump scare is game over?'

CAWTHON, 'It's very scary.'

OLDGAMER, 'And the graphics are awful too!'

CAWTHON, 'Of course they are. This game is the complete package!']

The premise of the game is that you are a lone security guard watching over the abandoned Freddy Fazbear's Pizzaria. You sit on the control room with multiple cameras, room lights and electric doors. All to watch over the demon possessed animatronic characters who have a habit of coming to life and jump scaring you.

03 [FREDDY, 'Boo!'

BILLYHILL, 'ARRRGGGGHHH!'

(BEAT)

BILLYHILL, ‘I have soiled myself.’]

I know we’re making fun of the stakes at Freddy’s, but the game is set in a world of child murder and demonic possession. So, it is actually pretty terrifying. 

REPLAY: GS [SPAWN 2, ‘Well we’ve got up at three A.M.’

SPAWN 3, ‘And nothing happened.’

SPAWN 2, ‘We stood in front of the mirror and said Bloody Mary three times.’

SPAWN 3, ‘And nothing happened.’

SPAWN 2, ‘I did wet myself a bit.’

SPAWN 3, ‘Yeah me too but nothing actually happened.’

SPAWN 2, ‘Agreed.’

SPAWN 3, ‘So what next?’

SPAWN 2, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s?’

SPAWN 3, ‘Are you insane?!’]

This game has had such an impact on children around the world, experts in the field have had to weigh in.

04 [EXPERT, 'Yes, a game that punishes the player for mistakes with jump scares will be very traumatic for young children.'

MAN, 'And some adults too right?'

EXPERT, 'Um, not that I've seen?'

MAN, 'Yeah! It happens to really cool guys and it's totally not because they're whiny little piss babies who were over mummed like there ex wife claims.'

EXPERT, 'Um sure?'

MAN, 'I'm glad you agree, in your expert opinion.'

(BEAT)

MAN, 'Unrelated, I'm gonna need you to record a voicemail for my ex wife.']

Child and family therapist Jennifer Taylor said,

05 [JEN, ‘I would not allow my children, at any age to play it.’]

[JUDE, ‘She sounds fun.’]

[TEEN, 'Are you playing Five Nights at Freddy's again? I thought you hate that game. You said the graphics and gameplay were cheap and lame. And you said the low stakes of a jump scare were a major disincentive to joy.'

CHILD, 'Yeah but Mum said she will never let me play this game, sooo....'

TEEN, 'Say no more. Totally understand.']

The success of this franchise has evolved into novels, as well as all the usual cosplay, toys, merch and a Hollywood feature film starring Josh Hutcherson.

06 [OWNER, '...and here is where you will sit and observe the animatronic characters.'

HUTCHERSON, 'Okay cool. And where is the best place for me to lure and kill 12 year olds? Is there a central hub loaded with tempting supplies?'

OWNER, 'What?'

HUTCHERSON, 'My last gig was all about child murder.'

OWNER, 'Oh. Well I assure you, we're a wholesome family owned business here.'

(BEAT)

OWNER, 'Most of the child murder happens in the main restaurant.']

This game has also spawned an entire industry of fan art. There’s so many fan songs you can find top 40 lists dedicated solely to FnaF.

07 [EARNEST SINGING, 'I survived five nights at Freddy's and the guy from Hunger Games played me in the movie. Not the Hemsworth. Oh yeah baby, not the Hemsworth.' ]

There are fan made animated YouTube videos featuring the characters from the game in an ever expanding universe of fan fiction.

08 [FANFIC, 'I'm shipping  Crying Child and William Afton.'

FAN, 'You can't do that they're father and son!'

FANFIC, 'Don't tell me how to be a fan!']

Five Nights at Freddy's itself is not particularly Christian. But creator Scott Cawthon had spent his whole career up until that point producing Christian video games and movies.

09 [BUTLER, 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a thoughts and prayers.'

ARNIE, 'I'll be back '

(BEAT)

ARNIE, 'One day. I promise guys, I'll definitely be back. One day.'

BANDIT, 'Crosses? We don't need no stinking crosses!'

DUVALL, 'I love the smell of holy water in the morning.'

HOFFMAN, 'I'm Christianing here! I'm Christianing here!'

DREYFUS, 'You're gonna need a bigger bible.'

DAVE, 'Open the pod bay doors please Jesus.'

CRUISE, 'I feel the need. The need for Christ.'

SWAYZE, 'Nobody puts Jesus in a corner.'

HESTON, 'Get your stinkin' paws off me, you damn dirty atheist!'

STEVE, 'Jesus jockey!']

Apparently an animatronic beaver in one of the Christian games Cawthon created was TOO scary for the critics. Cawthon went into a depression. 

10 [FRANKENFURTER, 'It's not easy having a good time! Even smiling makes my face ache!']

We already did movie quotes.

[JUDE, 'Sorry, me and the cast just got in the rhythm.']

Cawthon’s health insurance was cancelled because he had suicidal thoughts.

[JUDE, 'Only in America.']

11 [MANGIONI, 'Delay, deny, defend against this mutha fucka!'

SFX 3 GUNSHOTS]

Scott has said at this time in his life he felt like,

12 [CAWTHON, ‘Either God didn’t exist, or God hated me. I didn’t know which was worse.’]

[JUDE, 'Really? He didn't know which was worse? Here's this audio artist's impression of living in a world with an omnipotent creator god that hates you.'

SFX HELLSCAPE 

JUDE, 'And here's the sound of your day WITHOUT an omnipotent creator god that hates you.'

SFX CALM NATURE SOUNDS]

But Cawthon picked himself up and regained his faith in the man upstairs. He took onboard the criticism that his animatronic beaver was too scary and turned it to his advantage.

[JUDE, ‘The good lord helps those who help themselves. Which is a polite way of saying there is no god.’]

Of course with all of the success, questions have been raised. Christian Today.com asked,

13 [CT, ‘was the pull of the dollar driving Scott's creation of Five Nights at Freddy's or was it the desire to glorify God? Had he given up on God because God wasn't making him rich?’]

[JUDE, 'Which is a fair question Christian Today.com. We all know how adverse to making lots of money American Christians are.']

14 [SCIENTIST, 'Here at the Christian Research Centre we are finding out how much money it takes to force a camel through the eye of a needle.'

SFX BELLOWING CAMEL AND SQUISHING SOUND

SCIENTIST, 'Hmmm, pureed. That's less than ideal.'

(BEAT)

SCIENTIST, ‘Okay, let’s try industrial dehydrator.’]

But the moment when Cawthon’s beliefs really impacted his reputation came in 2019. It was revealed online through company records that Cawthon had been financially supporting Trump's Republican candidates. 

15 [ANNOUNCER, ‘Don’t you just hate those smarmy nepo baby New York real estate billionaires breaking the law and robbing YOU the taxpayer blind?'

(BEAT)

ANNOUNCER, ‘Vote Donald Trump. He’ll put a stop to smarmy nepo baby New York real estate billionaires breaking the law and robbing YOU the taxpayer blind!’

DISCLAIMER GUY, ‘Every statement in this commercial was an alternative fact. Message written and paid for by some facsist shitbag. Spoken by Someone you don’t want to fuck with. If you have any concerns or complaints regarding this campaign commercial, please do not hesitate to contact Yo Fat Mama is a Bitch on 1800 - Yo Fat Mama is a Bitch or visit www. Yo Fat Mama is a Bitch.com. F.U.’]

In 2021 Cawthon said supporting Trump is…

16 [CAWTHON, 'something that I won't apologize for.']

[JUDE, 'I wonder if he still has no regrets.']

17 [INCEL, 'I just wanted cheaper eggs! Is that too much to ask?'

(BEAT)

INCEL, 'Cheap eggs and no brown people.']

He also financially aided suspected Kremlin asset, Tulsi Gabbard.

[JUDE, 'What a fuckwit.’]

Who? Him or her?

[JUDE, ‘Does it matter?’]

I guess not. Anyway, despite being all about horrific child murder and demonic possession, Five Nights at Freddy's is NOT trying to be a Christian video game.

[JUDE, 'I see what you did there.']

Most of the criticism Cawthon and the game receive from both sides of the aisle is for his Christianity and that seems misplaced.

[JUDE, ‘BUT he did financially support Trump. So fuck him.’]

Fair enough. But While Five Nights at Freddy’s might not be explicitly Christian, there are a few Christian games companies out there.

FORMERLY Gamer Outrage

18 [CEO, 'We want some of that Satan money too! I mean, we want to glorify our lord with kickarse boss fights.']

The Rev. Ralph Bagley founded the Christian themed games studio N'Lightning Software. He told the New York Times,

19 [BAGLEY, ‘We're going to hold the word of God up and illuminate the place. We're taking the land back from Satan.’]

[SATAN, 'I don't own any land! I'm a communist.']

The company released a pretty successful Christian first person shooter in 2000.

[SFX BATTLE]

But their 2001 release was a total flop.

[SFX DEFLATING BALLOON]

N'Lightning Software have not held up the word of god up and illuminated anything since.

20 [BAGLEY, 'My arm got tired!']

Founder of the company, Digital Praise, Peter Fokos said,

21 [PETER, ‘Satan is our only competition. He's out to seduce the world. He's out to seduce our children.’]

[JUDE, 'Just to clarify, Christian businessman Peter Fokos claims he’s competing directly with Satan to seduce children?']

That is what he said.

[JUDE, 'Wow! He really…']

[ERIC, 'Said the quiet part out loud.']

Digital Praise released a number of Christian themed video games up until they were absorbed by another Christian themed company, Left Behind Games.

22 [CHRISTIAN, 'Jesus! Did you rapture everyone except for me? Not cool man!']

Left Behind Games went on to be suspended from trading by the US Securities and Exchange Commission under major fraud allegations.

[JUDE, 'I think there's a lesser known commandment about that.']

23 [MOSES, 'The 11th commandment is, thou shalt not set up a second company and buy all of your first company's unsaleable product thereby falsely inflating the first company's revenue by 1300%.']

So in 2011 Left Behind Games along with Digital Praise closed down.

[JUDE, 'I guess they couldn't seduce as many children as Satan.]

[SATAN, 'Of course they couldn't seduce as... Wait what?']

In his blog post titled, ‘Can a Christian Play Video Games’, game designer and Christian Jeff Wofford wrote.

24 [WOFFORD, ‘A game dishonors God when it leads you or others into temptation, sin, or unbelief. A game that features nudity or sexual content obviously offers temptation and promotes sin.’]

[JUDE, 'I just wish Jeff would name these games filled with nudity or sexual content. They sound fun.']

Wofford has mostly worked on war games throughout his career.

[JUDE, 'Hang on! Wait. This soft skinned little fuck is pearl clutching over the moral implications of boobs. But violence is okay?']

Well it's funny you mention that. Wofford answered that dilemma in the same post.

25 [WOFFORD, ‘Questions of violence are more subtle. Much—though not all—video game violence is cartoonish, even silly, rather than realistic or believable.’]

[JUDE, 'Wofford's doing that thing Christian grifters do. He's not used to speaking to people with triple digit IQs. So follow up questions totally fuck him.']

My follow up question is, what if we made sure, much—though not all—video game boobs are cartoonish, even silly, rather than realistic or believable? Would that then make simulated sex between consenting adults as acceptable to Wofford as violence in his upside down version of morality?

26 [WOFFORD, 'If you see a boob, you'll never be able to unsee it! Even a cartoon one.’

(BEAT)

WOFFORD, ‘But cutting off heads is just fine. It’s hilarious!']

And here's just one more worldview revealing quote from that same post.

27 [WOFFORD, ‘A Christian fills HIS life with games in order to avoid the difficulty of life; and once HE has begun, because the games compel HIM to.’]

[JUDE, 'In Wofford's defence, he doesn't know any women due to his innate fear of boobs.']

28 [WOFFORD, *sobbing* ‘I can’t unsee them! I just can’t unsee them.’]

Let's move on to look at some of the restrained, rational and moderate critiques of the video game industry from…

29 [JAZZY, ‘Unhinged Christians.’]

One time astronaut and creator of the Ultima series of fantasy games Richard Garriott received some hate mail stating,

30 [NUT, ‘You are the satanic perverter of America's youth.’]

Richard put that on a T-shirt.

[JUDE, 'I used to play in band called 'Satanic Perverter.']

What happened?

[JUDE, 'Another band came along and stole our look, our sound, our songs, our whole shtick.']

Who was the other band?

[JUDE, 'The Wiggles.']

[SFX BOOM TISH]

In 2010 The Bulletin in Philadelphia published a piece,

31 [HYSTERICAL NEWS BULLETIN, ‘sounding the alarm about the rise in the number of satanically-themed video games that target God and Christianity, invite players to make pacts with the devil, and elevate Satan to hero status.’]

[JUDE, 'Rest assured Philadelphia, one thing we'll never do in this podcast is elevate Satan to hero status!']

[SATAN, 'He's not wrong! I get about as much respect around here as Teeteaz!']

[TTS, 'Hey! They respect me.']

[SATAN, 'Really? Who do they put on the phone when Nana calls?’]

[TTS, ‘That’s because they know I’m good with her!’

(BEAT)

TTS, ‘Isn’t it?’]

[SFX PHONE CALL

TTS, ‘Hello Nana.’]

BibleReasons.com posted this statement about video games,

32 [BR, ‘We need more biblical men in Christianity. We need more men that will go out, preach the gospel, save lives, and die to self. We need more manly young men who will stop wasting their life and do the things that older Christians can’t do.’]

[JUDE, ‘What is it these older Christians need these manly young men to do for them?’]

REPLAY OG: 20 [OLD LADY, ‘Ooh you look like a manly young man.’

MANLY, ‘Excuse me?’

OLD LADY, ‘Ooh I could think of a thing or two a manly young man like you could do for me.’

MANLY, ‘What?’

OLD LADY, ‘You couldn’t reach up there and grab me a can of beans could you. I don’t know why they put them up so high.’

MANLY, ‘Oh of course.’

OLD LADY, ‘Ooh yeah reach for those beans you manly young man.’]

Show favourite, Pat Robertson said,

33 [ROBERTSON, ‘If you murder someone in cyber-space, in a sense you're performing the act whether you like it or not.’]

[SATAN, ‘They don’t just like it Pat. They love it!’]

REPLAY PACMAN: [COP, ‘Alright mate, hands behind your back, you’re under arrest.’

GAMER, ‘What? Why?’

COP, ‘I just witnessed you swallow at least 50 pills.’

GAMER, ‘I was just playing Pac Man!’]

Author of Frumpy Middle-Aged Mom: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Motherhood, Marla Jo Fisher posted on the Orange County Register,

REPLAY: 26 [MARLA, ‘I truly believe that video games were created by Satan to turn otherwise normal children into his drooling, glassy-eyed stooges.’] 

[SATAN, 'Oh Marla Jo, you're so cute with your ignorance. That's not the purpose of video games. To get an entire nation of drooling, glassy-eyed stooges, I created Mr. Roger's Neighbourhood. And it worked Marla Jo, it worked. Wipe the drool off your face and have a look in the mirror.']

I thought it might be nice on this show about Satan that we hear from actual Satanists for a change.

[SATAN, 'Oh yay! About time!']

Church of Satan…

[SATAN, 'Oh.']

... Reverend John H. Shaw has said of Grand Theft Auto,

REPLAY: 27 [JOHN, ‘You get better cars, more money, you’re more successful, you buy houses. That’s Satanic.’]

[JUDE, 'Buying a house! In this economy! The Church of Satan is soooooo detached from reality, it's impossible to take them seriously.']

Reverend Raul Antony from the Church of Satan said,

34 [RAUL, ‘Satanists tend to be very competitive and wish to excel at what gives them pleasure and satisfaction, so video games with a rich multiplayer component will attract Satanists.’]

[JUDE, ‘Remember that listener. The next time you’re gaming, you may be giving massively multiplayer online pleasure and satisfaction to an anonymous Satanist. Without even knowing it.’]

[MAE, ‘Gross.’]

35 [LEXI, 'You should join our Patreon. Because we've got loads of massively multiplayer online pleasure and satisfaction over there!'

DEMON, 'Go to www.patreon.com/satanismysuperhero.'

LEXI, 'Come for the massively multiplayer. Stay for the online pleasure and satisfaction.'

MAE, ‘Gross.’]

[JUDE, ‘What can we take away from this little look at video games?’]

I’m going to leave the last word to our Church of Satan Reverend John H. Shaw.

REPLAY: 29[JOHN, ‘I love the fact that, when you put on a pair of pants in GTA, they fit correctly.’]

I also love a pair of correctly fitting pants Reverend John! And that’s why Satan is my superhero.