It started with a rhythmic, mechanical hum and a flickering security monitor. Back in 2014, Scott Cawthon released a game that shouldn't have worked—a point-and-click survival horror title where you basically just sit in a chair and pray. But it did work. It worked so well that the lyrics "we're waiting every night" from The Living Tombstone’s fan song became an anthem for an entire generation of internet culture.
Honestly, it’s wild how a simple line from a fan-made track eventually carried more emotional weight than some AAA game scripts.
The phrase we're waiting every night isn’t just a lyric; it’s a summary of the Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF) experience. It captures that specific brand of existential dread where the animatronics aren't just monsters—they're trapped souls. When the movie finally dropped in 2023, it felt like a decade of anticipation finally boiled over. But now? Now the cycle is starting all over again as fans look toward 2025 and beyond.
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The Lore Behind the Lyric
If you’ve spent any time on YouTube in the last ten years, you’ve heard the song. The Living Tombstone’s "Five Nights at Freddy's" is technically fan content, yet it’s so deeply ingrained in the community that it’s practically canon. The line we're waiting every night refers to the animatronics—Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy—stuck in a loop of mechanical purgatory.
They aren't just robots. They’re kids.
According to the lore established across dozens of games and Fazbear Frights books, William Afton (played by Matthew Lillard in the film) murdered five children at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. He stuffed their bodies into the suits. The spirits possessed the machinery. This gave birth to the "Missing Children Incident," the foundational tragedy of the entire franchise. When the song says they’re "waiting every night to finally roam and invite," it’s talking about their desperate, confused search for their killer. They see every adult security guard as Afton. They aren't evil; they're vengeful and scared.
The sheer longevity of this story is kind of insane. Scott Cawthon was famously about to quit game development before the first FNAF became a hit. He’d received criticism that his previous games featured characters that looked like "creepy animatronics." Instead of getting discouraged, he leaned into the creepiness.
Why We're Waiting Every Night for FNAF 2 (The Movie)
The first film was a massive gamble for Blumhouse. It had a relatively modest budget of $20 million and ended up grossing nearly $300 million worldwide. That’s a ridiculous return on investment. Naturally, the sequel was fast-tracked.
Production is currently ramping up for a late 2025 release.
What’s interesting is how the sequel plans to handle the timeline. The first movie took some liberties with the game's lore, combining elements of the first and third games while introducing Vanessa much earlier than she appeared in the "Security Breach" era. Fans are now theorizing that the second movie will draw heavily from Five Nights at Freddy's 2, the prequel game.
This means we might see:
- The "Toy" animatronics (Toy Freddy, Toy Chica, Toy Bonnie, and Mangle).
- The Puppet (Marionette), who is a pivotal character in the soul-binding process.
- More of the "Bite of '87" back-story.
Jim Henson’s Creature Shop is returning to handle the practical effects. This is a huge deal. Part of what made the first movie feel "real" was the lack of heavy CGI on the main robots. Seeing a 400-pound mechanical bear actually standing in a room hits differently than a digital model.
The Evolution of FNAF Gaming
While the movies are the current "big thing," the games are where the soul lives. We’ve come a long way from the static screens of the first game. FNAF: Security Breach tried to go open-world, which was... divisive. It was buggy. It was bright. It lacked that claustrophobic "we're waiting every night" vibe that the original series perfected.
However, the "Help Wanted 2" VR experience and the "Ruin" DLC for Security Breach helped steer the ship back toward horror.
The community is currently obsessed with "Into the Pit," a 2D pixel-art style game that leans into the darker, more narrative-heavy side of the Fazbear Frights books. It shows that the franchise doesn't need 4K graphics to be terrifying. It just needs that core loop of vulnerability and mystery.
Decoding the Fan Culture
You can't talk about we're waiting every night without talking about MatPat and Game Theory. Even though he’s officially "retired" from the main hosting duties, his legacy is tied to this franchise. He spent years trying to figure out "the bite," the identity of the Crying Child, and the complex family tree of the Aftons.
This community isn't like other gaming fandoms. It’s more like a digital archaeological dig.
Every time a new teaser drops on https://www.google.com/search?q=ScottGames.com (or wherever Scott decides to hide things now), people brighten the images in Photoshop. They look for hidden numbers in the source code. They analyze the reflections in the animatronics' eyes. It’s a level of scrutiny that would make a private investigator blush.
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This obsession is exactly why the franchise survives. It’s not just a game; it’s a puzzle that feels like it’s never quite solved. Even when we think we have the timeline figured out, a new book or a hidden minigame throws a wrench in the gears.
The Psychological Hook: Why We Love Being Scared by Robots
There’s a concept called the "Uncanny Valley." It’s that point where something looks almost human, but just "off" enough to trigger a flight-or-fight response. Animatronics live in that valley.
When we’re "waiting every night" for the jump scare, our brains are flooded with cortisol and adrenaline. It’s a controlled fear. We know the animatronic can’t actually reach through the screen, but our primal lizard brains aren't so sure. FNAF masterfully uses sound design—the clanking of metal, the deep-voiced laughter, the heavy breathing in the vents—to keep players in a state of hyper-vigilance.
It’s also about the tragedy. The best horror usually has a core of sadness. Knowing that these monsters are actually victims makes the experience more complex than a standard slasher flick. You almost feel bad for them, even as they’re trying to stuff you into a suit filled with crossbeams and wires.
What’s Next for the Franchise?
As we look toward 2026, the roadmap is surprisingly packed. We have the second movie coming out, which will likely introduce the "Withered" animatronics. There are rumors of more spin-off games that explore the "Steel Wool" era of the lore. Plus, the book series continues to churn out weird, body-horror stories that expand the universe in ways the games can't.
One thing is certain: the phrase we're waiting every night will continue to resonate. Whether it's waiting for a new trailer, a new patch, or just waiting for 6:00 AM in a digital security office, the anticipation is the point.
The FNAF phenomenon has outlasted its critics. Many people dismissed it as "YouTube fodder" or a "kids' game" back in 2015. Ten years later, it’s a multi-billion dollar media empire. It’s a testament to the power of independent creators and the weird, wonderful world of internet lore.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Fans
If you're feeling lost in the mountain of lore or just want to get ready for the next movie, here’s how to catch up without losing your mind.
- Listen to the Music: If you haven't heard The Living Tombstone’s original track, start there. It sets the tone perfectly. Then, check out "Join Us For A Bite" by JT Music for a taste of the Sister Location era.
- Play (or Watch) the "Core Four": The first four games are the foundation. If you don't want to play them, watch a "no commentary" playthrough. It’s the best way to understand the atmosphere.
- Read "The Silver Eyes": The novel trilogy provides an alternate-universe look at the characters. It’s much more character-driven than the games and helps explain William Afton’s motivations.
- Follow the Right Sources: Stick to the FNAF subreddit or creators like Dawko for news. They are usually the first to find the "hidden" teasers.
- Re-watch the Movie with Subtitles: There are dozens of easter eggs in the first film—including a cameo by CoryxKenshin and references to "Sparky the Dog"—that you probably missed on the first watch.
The story isn't over. Not by a long shot. We're still here, still watching the cameras, still waiting for the next piece of the puzzle to fall into place.