Millennial parents might have seen Five Nights At Freddy’s, confused as to why generation Alpha children were so excited, scared, and knowledgeable about the film (despite it carrying a PG-13 rating). Here’s why.
The Five Nights at Freddy’s video game was released in 2014, and while the oldest member of generation Alpha at the time was just four years old, they grew up watching YouTube gaming influencers play the game. YouTube remains a key platform for generation Alpha. Among parents who say their child watches videos this way, 53% say they do this daily. Related (and not surprisingly) Five Nights at Freddy’s also featured cameos from YouTube influencers, which (in my viewing) made preteens in the crowd jump and howl in the seats with excitement.
The film adaptation hasn’t received positive ratings from critics, probably because the movie ended with cliffhangers. It’s not stopping younger moviegoers from loving the film; it made $132.7 million worldwide in just the first four days of release. Five Nights at Freddy’s now holds the title of the biggest-ever for a film with a simultaneous streaming release, the second-best day and date opening weekend ever, the best opening weekend for a horror film in 2023, and the production company’s (Blumhouse Productions) best opening.
What’s interesting, it also holds the title of the second-highest opening for a video game film. The first: The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023. That movie was based on a Millennial favorite released in 1982; a time when the oldest member of that generation was just two years old but grew up watching older friends and family members play the game.
The similar behaviors between Millennials and generation Alpha are uncanny, but generation Alpha has an enormous influence on their Millennial parents. Never before has there been such a passionate, intense, and borderline obsessive relationship between two generations as the one between millennials and generation Alpha.
From consumer brands to politics, Generation Alpha isn’t easily influenced by the opinions of others. Also, the intent of the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game is to leave fans in the dark, reinforced by the antagonist William Afton (“I always come back”). Lore is gradually revealed through voice recordings, minigames, and secret clues featured throughout Five Nights at Freddy’s games.