Five Nights at Freddy’s started jump-scaring us in 2014 with five official games and various ancillary material including a RPG spin-off, a novel, and an upcoming film. As time marches on, the franchise’s popularity has grown exponentially. Fans continue to clamor for more from the simultaneously frustrating and fascinating vague mythology, and creator Scott Cawthon keeps on giving. Either despite or because of the games’ dark plotlines involving murderous animatronics, a child predator, and several dead children, it has grown into a heavily merchandised product, with my favorite being a line of plush toys depicting everyone’s favorite deadly-but-cute mechanical animals.
As of writing this, there have been two different series released for the extensive 8” line. Series 1 featured Bonnie, Funtime Foxy, Chica, Freddy, and Foxy. Series 2 featured Withered Freddy, Withered Foxy, Springtrap, Marionette (aka “The Puppet), Chica’s Cupcake, and Toy Chica. A fairly huge collection as is, but what if I told you there have been various exclusives released from both series’ so far? Some so hard to find that even collectors may have been unaware?
Series 1
Toy Freddy (Gamestop Exclusive)
Toy Freddy made his first appearance in the first sequel, FNAF 2. Lookwise, Toy Freddy resembles the regular Freddy, but with a more “toy” like appearance. As such, there’s not much too different on this set, but he’s still a fun addition.
Shadow Freddy (Hot Topic Exclusive)
Appearing as something of a randomly encountered Easter Egg (?) in the second game of the series, he quickly became infamous amongst fans and fan theories featuring the series. Basically a color switch of the regular Freddy, you can’t deny he just looks cool here.
Golden Freddy ((Wal-Mart Exclusive)
Possibly Fredbear from the first restaurant alluded to in the FNAF 2, Golden Freddy became a hard find for collectors, and the notoriety of the character’s fanbase has led to some hefty price hikes on eBay. Even as just a color switch of the Freddy plush, he’s just about as much cute as you can stand for something about to kill you.
Series 2
Nightmare Cupcake (Gamestop Exclusive)
Without a doubt, my favorite! It’s the (Nightmare) Cupcake Nightmare Chica tosses at you from FNAF 4. With one of the most unique and random designs of the series, this look guy definitely starts conversations for those who enter my office.
Toy Bonnie (Hot Topic Exclusive)
Another one of the “Toy” animatronics first seen in the second game, Bonnie differentiates by looking nothing like the regular Bonnie. The plush version maintains the appropriate look rather than just getting a color switch from the regular Bonnie, and, for that, I am glad.
Phantom Foxy (Target Exclusive)
One of the hardest to find, but also not exactly my favorite. Rather than providing this version of Foxy with the appropriate somewhat destroyed look he debuted with during FNAF 3, they just provided another color switch from the regular Foxy. Have to admit, thought, he still looks cool like this.
Withered Bonnie (Toys R’ Us Exclusive)
I got this one because I’m a completist, but I feel this one missed the mark quite a bit. I would have loved to have seen the plush toy with the removed face, personally, but that probably would have required a whole different design rather than the variant touch up they did here.
Mangle (Wal-Mart Exclusive)
Would have loved to have gotten a Mangle with the two heads, although I understand this probably would have increased production costs dramatically. As a fan favorite, I tracked him/her down… and rather easily.
And that’s all of the exclusives so far! There’s been little announcement of them prior to release, so if you spot anymore, please let us know.
Any particular animatronic or character from the series you want to be included in the next set? Kind of hoping for Purple Guy myself. Let us know below in the comments.
Matt Norris