Five Nights at Freddy’s series creator Scott Cawthon has pulled his recently released RPG spinoff FNaF World from Steam, citing dissatisfaction with the game’s critical reception.
Cawthon is now issuing refunds for all players who purchased a copy of FNaF World, regardless of whether or not they are eligible for Steam’s standard refund policy.
Released earlier this month, FNaF World is a console-styled RPG that uses characters and settings from the virally popular Five Nights at Freddy’s series of PC survival horror games. FNaF World is a drastic departure for the franchise, exchanging the jump scare-laden gameplay of its predecessors for kid-friendly, turn-based combat.
“Even though the game had a ‘Very Positive’ rating with 87%, I was not satisfied with the reviews and ratings it was getting,” Cawthon explains in a Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 community forum thread on Steam. “For that reason, I’ve decided to remove the game from Steam.”
Cawthon adds: “I’ve also asked Valve to make it so that the game can be refunded regardless of the amount of the time it has been owned, meaning that anyone can get a refund at any time. It may take them a while to set that up, but it will be in place soon.”
According to Cawthon, development on FNaF World will continue, and a revamped edition will launch as a free download via indie games portal GameJolt.
“I’m still going to work on FNaF World and polish it up,” Cawthon assures. “I’m busy creating a fully 3D overworld for the game. When I’m ready to update the game, I will replace the demo currently on GameJolt with the full game. From this point forward, the game will always be free.”
Cawthon urges all purchasers of FNaF World to refund their purchases “even if you enjoyed the game,” and advises fans to download the new edition on GameJolt once it’s available. It’s not yet known whether FNaF World will return to Steam in any form.
