Game Theory: The Fnaf Ultimate Timeline (Combined)

Summary

This video presents MatPat/Game Theory’s speculative “current working” FNAF timeline, not a definitive account. It connects the games and books through William Afton’s rise, murders, experiments, and eventual digital return, while acknowledging that some dates and character identities remain uncertain.

William Afton’s beginnings and the restaurant rivalry

The theory begins in the 1930s, when a roadside attraction called Fredbear’s Singing Show inspires a young William Afton to create a performing bear. William develops wearable mascot suits for Fredbear and his own character, Bonnie. A rival restaurant, Chica’s Party World, features robotic performers associated with Henry Emily, including characters later linked to the Mediocre Melodies.

The theory proposes that the businesses eventually merge into Fredbear’s Family Diner, followed by the opening of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 1983. William and Henry collaborate on increasingly advanced robotics, including springlock suits.

Family tragedy and Afton’s murders

In 1983, William’s younger son—the Crying Child—is fatally injured when Michael and his friends prank him by placing him near Fredbear’s mouth. The family’s grief deepens William’s resentment toward Henry.

William murders Henry’s daughter, Charlie, then later lures and kills five children at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, hiding their bodies in the animatronic suits. The theory identifies the victims as Susie, Fritz, Jeremy, Gabriel, and Cassidy.

Henry removes William from the company and attempts to reopen the business with new “Toy” animatronics. William returns to the restaurant, murders more children, and observes that the old animatronics appear to move as if possessed.

William creates the Funtime animatronics to capture and contain children. His daughter Elizabeth is killed by Circus Baby. The video argues that Elizabeth’s death most likely occurs after 1983, though its exact placement is disputed.

Remnant, Springtrap, and Michael’s pursuit

In 1993, William dismantles the original animatronics to harvest Remnant, which the theory describes as spirit-infused metal capable of sustaining life. The ghosts confront him, and he climbs into a springlock suit. It malfunctions and traps him inside.

William remains hidden in the suit for decades. After discovering his father’s underground workshop, Michael is scooped and becomes a walking corpse sustained by Remnant. He resolves to find William and undo the damage his father caused.

Michael works as a night guard at old Freddy’s locations, investigating and burning them in an effort to destroy the haunted animatronics. At Fazbear’s Fright in 2023, he reunites with William, now Springtrap. The attraction burns, and the spirits appear to find release, but William survives.

Henry later gathers the remaining characters in a new pizzeria as a trap. Michael stays behind as Henry sets the building on fire, intending to end the Afton legacy.

In the theory’s account of Ultimate Custom Night, Cassidy keeps William trapped in a cycle of torment. William eventually escapes by placing part of his consciousness into a circuit board.

The Pizzaplex era and the proposed rebuilt family

The video’s most speculative late-timeline theory is that Mrs. Afton becomes the head of Fazbear Entertainment and tries to reunite the family:

• She revives the Fazbear brand and launches an animatronic delivery service to gather Remnant.
• She supports indie games and a VR game that make the franchise’s history seem fictional or exaggerated. The theory suggests these projects are meant to restore the company’s reputation and help transfer William’s digital consciousness into a new form.
• She rebuilds the Crying Child as Gregory, a robot designed to pass as human, and attempts to restore William using both Remnant and his digital consciousness.
• She manipulates Vanessa into serving as a stand-in for Elizabeth and places her in a security role at the Mega Pizzaplex. The theory also suggests Michael’s spirit may be present in Glamrock Freddy.
• The Pizzaplex appears haunted by the past: the video links its puppet imagery and strange behavior to Charlie, and interprets the Blob as an accumulation of anguish and hatred.
• Gregory eventually turns against the operation, sabotages the animatronics, frees Vanessa, and disrupts Mrs. Afton’s plan. The video connects Gregory to patient 46 and the Tales from the Pizzaplex story “GGY,” proposing that he was once aligned with Afton before something caused him to switch sides.

Major caveats

• The identity of Fazbear Entertainment’s leader, the exact order of events, and several connections between the games and books remain unresolved.
• The claims about Mrs. Afton, Gregory’s origins, Charlie’s influence on the Pizzaplex, and Michael’s presence in Glamrock Freddy are interpretations, not settled facts.
• No gameplay strategies or step-by-step tips are discussed.

Gamers and sources featured

• Game Theory / MatPat — narrator and creator of the timeline theory.
• P-mangaming / P-man — uploader of the combined video.
• John, from the channel FNAF — credited in the discussion of Charlie’s possible influence on the Pizzaplex.
• ID Fantasy — credited for a theory about the Post-it room and possible spirit communication.
• Credited Game Theory videos:
  • FNAF: The ULTIMATE Timeline
  • FNAF: The Rise of Afton (Ultimate Timeline)
  • FNAF: BURN Them All (Ultimate Timeline)
  • FNAF: A Family REBUILT (Ultimate Timeline Finale)
• FNAF reference works mentioned: The Freddy Files: Ultimate Edition, Character Encyclopedia, The Ultimate Guide, The Fourth Closet, Survival Logbook, and Tales from the Pizzaplex, including “GGY” and “Help Wanted.”