History Creator / ScottCawthon

* CreatorBreakdown: Cawthon took the criticisms for ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo'' very hard, the complaints about how his characters looked creepy almost driving him to retire. He managed to later take the criticism, however, and turn it into a CareerResurrection by dialing the creep-factor of his [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys next game]] up to eleven.
** [[VideoGame/TheJoyOfCreationReborn The Joy of Creation: Story Mode]] invokes and justifies this trope by making Scott Cawthon himself the main victim of the game, complete with a breakdown from the one attempting to kill him in the game.

Scott Braden Cawthon (born June 4, 1978) is an independent game developer. His early career included Christian games and simple platformers, as well as the platformer/RPG/adventure game hybrid ''VideoGame/TheDesolateHope'', which was the SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Desolate Room'' ([[http://gamejolt.com/games/the-desolate-room/96922 download here]]), the RPG ''Iffermoon'' ([[https://archive.org/details/Iffermoon download here]]) and the {{construction and management game|s}} ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo''. However, most of his games were harshly criticized, as the characters' stiff movements were likened to unnerving animatronic creatures. Discouraged, Scott decided to make one more game before ending his game career. Running with the criticism, he created a game about a security guard working the night shift at a restaurant whose mascot animatronics have murderous minds of their own. This was ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1''.

The game was far from the end of his career, however, as online exposure and LetsPlay videos skyrocketed FNAF to fame. People enjoyed its combination of suspense and outright horror, and the characters proved to be very popular [[note]] albeit sometimes [[ViewerGenderConfusion contro]][[TheChewToy versial]] [[/note]]. The vague storyline also intrigued people and spawned a number of theories. In response, [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 three]] [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3 terrifying]] [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4 sequels]] were made...''in the course of one year''... with [[{{VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSisterLocation}} a fourth sequel out in 2016]], and then [[VideoGame/FreddyFazbearsPizzeriaSimulator another sequel in 2017]]. A spinoff game called ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddysWorld'' was released in 2016 as a lighthearted RPG starring the characters from the games.

* CreatorBacklash: His view on ''FNaF World'' is pretty sour. A few months after giving the game a major update with post-game content, he eventually came to regret the game's [[MindScrew bizarre plotline]], mistakes he claimed he made early in the production, and the number of debates that it had sparked overall. He wrote the Android/[=iOS=] port description in to SelfDeprecation (to the point where he called it "the game that almost single handedly destroyed the [=FNaF=] franchise") and then cancelled the ports altogether, and its official website had gone completely black.

!!Scott's works with Wiki/TVTropes pages:

* AuthorTract: A lot of his games were done with the intent of spreading Christian values; this was even the main objective of Hope Animations, the studio he worked for. He eventually gave up to focus on his more succesful franchise, ''Five Nights at Freddy's''.
* CreatorBreakdown: Cawthon took the criticisms for ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo'' very hard, the complaints about how his characters looked creepy almost driving him to retire. He managed to later take the criticism, however, and turn it into a CareerResurrection by dialing the creep-factor of his [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys next game]] UpToEleven.

Scott Braden Cawthon (born June 4 1978) is an independent game developer. His early career included Christian games and simple platformers, as well as the platformer/RPG/adventure game hybrid ''VideoGame/TheDesolateHope'', which was the SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Desolate Room'' ([[http://gamejolt.com/games/the-desolate-room/96922 download here]]), the RPG ''Iffermoon'' ([[https://archive.org/details/Iffermoon download here]]) and the {{construction and management game|s}} ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo''. However, most of his games were harshly criticized, as the characters' stiff movements were likened to unnerving animatronic creatures. Discouraged, Scott decided to make one more game before ending his game career. Running with the criticism, he created a game about a security guard working the night shift at a restaurant whose mascot animatronics have murderous minds of their own. This was ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1''.

** ''FiveNightsAtFreddy's'' (TheMovie)

** ''Film/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' (TheMovie)

Scott Cawthon is an independent game developer. His early career included Christian games and simple platformers, as well as the platformer/RPG/adventure game hybrid ''VideoGame/TheDesolateHope'', which was the SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Desolate Room'' ([[http://gamejolt.com/games/the-desolate-room/96922 download here]]), the RPG ''Iffermoon'' ([[https://archive.org/details/Iffermoon download here]]) and the {{construction and management game|s}} ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo''. However, most of his games were harshly criticized, as the characters' stiff movements were likened to unnerving animatronic creatures. Discouraged, Scott decided to make one more game before ending his game career. Running with the criticism, he created a game about a security guard working the night shift at a restaurant whose mascot animatronics have murderous minds of their own. This was ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1''.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family (and [[SarcasmMode totally not because someone had outed his thousands of dollars in donations to Trump and other far-right politicians]]), though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family, though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

Scott Cawthon is an independent game developer. His early career included Christian games and simple platformers, as well as the platformer/RPG/adventure game hybrid ''VideoGame/TheDesolateHope'', which was the SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Desolate Room'' ([[http://gamejolt.com/games/the-desolate-room/96922 download here]]), the RPG ''Iffermoon'' ([[https://archive.org/details/Iffermoon download here]]) and the [[ConstructionAndManagementGames construction and management game]] ''VideoGame/ChipperAndSonsLumberCo''. However, most of his games were harshly criticized, as the characters' stiff movements were likened to unnerving animatronic creatures. Discouraged, Scott decided to make one more game before ending his game career. Running with the criticism, he created a game about a security guard working the night shift at a restaurant whose mascot animatronics have murderous minds of their own. This was ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1''.

* VerbalTic: As shown in his interview with Dawko:
** ''You know...''

* DoingItForTheArt: While Scott openly admits that game making is a career he does for a living, ''VideoGame/FreddyFazbearsPizzeriaSimulator'' and ''VideoGame/UltimateCustomNight'' were done for the sole purpose of expanding the franchise. Scott feared to be seen as milking it for money so he decide to make it free.

* VerbalTic : As shown in his interview with Dawko :

* FriendlyRivalry: He and [[WebVideo/GameTheory Matpat]] had a bit of a thing going on, with Scott even telling him he was wrong and screwing with him on a few occasions such as confirming an old theory... on April Fool's Day. They're on friendly terms however, with Scott even congratulating Mat and his wife on their new baby. Scott even made a completely new game for Matt, Markiplier, and Dawko to play for a charity livestream, saying he would donate $500,000 if they found all the money in the game. They didn’t, but Scott still donated the $500,000.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family[[note]]It should be also noted that this might have been exacerbated by Twitter's reaction to the revelation that he donated to some very divisive conservative candidates in the 2020 General Election, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement and that should be the end of it]].[[/note]], though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family[[note]]It should be also noted that this might have been exacerbated by Twitter's reaction to the revelation that he donated to some very divisive conservative candidates in the 2020 General Election, [[UsefulNotes/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement and that should be the end of it]].[[/note]], though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family[[note]]It should be also noted that this might have been exacerbated by Twitter's reaction to the revelation that he donated to some very divisive conservative candidates in the 2020 General Election, [[UsefulNotes/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment and that should be the end of it]].[[/note]], though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

On June 16, 2021, Scott announced his retirement from the ''Five Nights'' franchise, citing age and family[[note]]It should be also noted that this might have been exacerbated by Twitter's reaction to the revelation that he donated to some very divisive conservative candidates in the 2020 General Election.[[/note]], though noting that the franchise will continue in someone else's hands.

** He is suffering a second one after the man's political donations came to light, upsetting his fanbase greatly, going so far as to [[DisproportionateRetribution find his address and send threats to him and his wife]]. In a post on Reddit, he refuses to apologize for his choices, but if the fandom wants to throw him out, then he'll happily retire.

** ''VideoGame/SecurityBreachFurysRage''

* TeasingCreator: He manages to top this in 2017 with ''VideoGame/FreddyFazbearsPizzeriaSimulator''. After ''Five Nights At Freddy's 6'' had to be delayed numerous times, he released this as a fun sidegame for free, both to give the fans something to tide them over in the meantime, and so that he wouldn't go a whole year without releasing something. None of the game's teasers suggested that it was anything but what it was advertised as. As it turns out? This ''is'' the sixth game in the series, and the retro gameplay falls apart after a few minutes to reveal the game's true nature. The best part? He released this game ''for free'', meaning ''[[MagnificentBastard he made zero money off the game just for the sake of fooling everyone]]''!

[[caption-width-right:350:A complete lunatic ([[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysVRHelpWanted lawsuit pending]]).]]