POPGOES, otherwise labeled as POPGOES 2016 is an indie horror sci-fi fangame directed by Kane Carter, inspired by Scott Cawthon's Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. It is the first installment in the POPGOES saga prior to its reboot, taking into account only the first three games from the series to create a timeline that happens precisely one year after the events of Five Nights at Freddy's 3 to expand the narrative far into the future.
The concept for the fangame originated on Reddit when Kane Carter conceptualized a potential plot for Five Nights at Freddy's 4 set in the future, following the events of Five Nights at Freddy's. After receiving suggestions to develop this idea into a standalone fangame, Kane assembled a team through his private subreddit, /r/2124, to help bring his vision to life. The project began in April 2015 and underwent several rough drafts before officially launching on June 26, 2016.[1]
The plot of POPGOES centers around The Popgoes Pizzeria, an entertainment restaurant owned by Fritz Glade. Having visited Freddy Fazbear's Pizza during his childhood, Fritz bought a collection of memorabilia from the now-closed Fazbear Frights: The Horror Attraction. With a background in robotics, he set out to open a restaurant like Freddy's with his own characters, which housed sophisticated intelligence.
After the successful release of POPGOES, a sequel titled POPGOES 2: The Dead Forest was conceptualized to take place directly after the events of the original game. With an established development team ready to tackle a more organized and ambitious project, the sequel began development alongside a reboot the original game as POPGOES 1: The Backrabbit, combining both games under a collection known as POPGOES Reprinted. Unfortunately, both games faced cancellation due to the scope and ambition of the projects proving to be too challenging.
Years after the cancellation of POPGOES Reprinted and numerous failed attempts at retelling the story of the game, a reboot of the POPGOES franchise was announced on April Fool's Day in 2020. Despite its date, the announcement was very much real and intended to reboot the series in its entirety. Initially, what was titled as "POPGOES 2020 Edition," would be in development however would make it clear that the game would not meet its 2020 deadline. Subsequently, POPGOES 2020 Edition was rebranded to POPGOES Evergreen, which went on to be included inside The Fazbear Fanverse Initiative.[2]
Description[]
POPGOES IS OUT A year after the fire at Fazbear's Fright, a rich and creative inventor in England, only known as Fritz, has taken the role of continuing the animatronic pizzeria brand with his own restaurant called The Popgoes Pizzeria. Sporting extremely advanced robotic characters such as Popgoes the Weasel and Blake the Badger, the place soon became notable for being technologically ahead of its time. With 3D printers in almost every room, touch-screen phones for kids to play with, and animatronics that can cook your meal from scratch, surely something is going to malfunction? Well, no. Nothing ever malfunctions, nothing ever plays up. Everything follows orders, and everything is predictable. A true successor to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, with none of the death! But, the truth is, Fritz didn't build The Popgoes Pizzeria for customers. He built it for himself. And as a night guard for the place, you're a part of it. So, let's get started. Let's help Fritz out.
~ Kane Carter Feel free to ask any questions about the game in the comments. You are welcome to advertise the game or its teasers on your YouTube channel. You do not need to ask for permission to include any POPGOES characters for your own projects, as long as you do not use material from the game's assets, and that you credit the original game in some form. | ||||
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Gameplay[]
POPGOES offers a more futuristic and unique approach to the Five Nights at Freddy's formula. Departing from the repetitive office-based format, players find themselves inside one of several electronic stations that children might use while visiting The Popgoes Pizzeria. This station is linked to WeaselWare, a system dedicated to controlling the entire pizzeria, including its animatronics, rooms, and security systems. Before the events of the game, the animatronics at The Popgoes Pizzeria were assigned specific tasks within WeaselWare, and the player's objective is to prevent them from completing their task. As the player progresses throughout their shift, they find themselves monitoring multiple animatronics who will attempt to sabotage the player's efforts, while a major animatronic serves as the primary threat throughout the game.
A key mechanic to note is Panic, which prevents the player from constantly monitoring the animatronics. Whenever the player monitors an animatronic on the cameras, their Panic level increases, leading to hallucinations. If Panic reaches its maximum threshold, the player will die from a panic attack. It's important to mention that animatronics will generate less Panic when inactive. However, watching an animatronic move beyond its initial position will cause Panic levels to rise significantly. To reduce Panic, players can look out the Window to the right or alternatively check the Car Park camera on the monitor.
Popgoes placing a piece of the Blackrabbit on the table.
The First Night introduces the main antagonist of the game, Popgoes the Weasel. Rather than physically attacking the player, Popgoes' intentions are harmless and he was instructed to only print various limbs using the 3D printers located throughout The Popgoes Pizzeria and compile them together. He will roam the location and choose to enter one of six rooms equipped with a 3D printer. To fend off Popgoes, the player must shut down the room he enters. If they fail to do so, he will return to the player's Station and place the printed limb on the table located behind it. After successfully printing six limbs, Popgoes will attempt to enter Parts & Service to print the final part. Allowing him to complete this last printing and place it on the desk will result in a jumpscare from Blackrabbit, Popgoes' ultimate creation that he was instructed to bring to life.
The Squirrel Sisters in the ventilation.
The Second Night will introduce the Squirrel Sisters, who consists of Sara and Saffron the Squirrel, as secondary antagonists. Their objective is to sabotage the player by entering the ventilation system from the Parts & Service room. The player will first notice them in the Party Room's ventilation system. To delay the Squirrel Sisters from reaching the vent directly above the player's Station, the player must utilize heated lasers to delay them. It is to note that the lazers do not push Sara or Saffron back, making it crucial to keep them as far from the Station as possible. They will loop around the pizzeria in a U-shaped pattern, starting from the Party Room and eventually making their way to the player’s Station. If they succeed in reaching your Station, they will steal your phone, causing your Panic level to rise for the remainder of the night without warning.
The Third Night will mark the introduction of Blake the Badger, who can initially be seen to the left side of the player on the furthest computer closest to the Server Room. Occasionally, he will move into the Server Room in an attempt to sabotage your phone's connection to WeaselWare. While monitoring the camera during Blake's sabotage attempts, the monitor on the camera will change color. The player must quickly participate in Blake's Simon Says game by pressing the corresponding button to force him out of the Server Room and back to his computer.
Stone appearing as a hallucination.
The Fourth Night introduces the final antagonist, Stone the Crow. He initially appears as a hallucination as early as the First Night when the player's panic level becomes too high, blocking the camera feed based on the severity of the panic. If the player fails to turn to the window and instead fixates on Stone, an alternative interpretation known as Gem Stone will appear on the cameras, advising the player to lower their panic.
On the Fourth Night, Stone's role becomes more prominent as he actively sabotages the player. While staring out the window, players may experience a hallucination of Stone turning his head toward them, which causes panic levels to rise drastically as apposed to decrease. To manage their panic effectively, players must turn away from Stone and then look back at the window to continue lowering their panic levels.
Plot[]
- Want to see a more in-depth and organized look on POPGOES 2016's story? See POPGOES 2016 (Series)/Plot!
POPGOES takes place decades after the events of Five Nights at Freddy's 3. Following the destruction of Fazbear Frights: The Horror Attraction, Fazbear Entertainment seeks to salvage any remaining memorabilia to auction off in America. Around the same time, inventor Fritz Glade creates an illegal tracking device capable of pinpointing a person's exact location if DNA is provided. Fritz intends to use this technology to locate his missing brother, Simon Fitzgerald, who serves as William Afton inside the POPGOES universe.
Fritz locating Simon in the form of Springtrap following the fire.
Fritz makes the decision to move to America according to his device, which eventually lead him to Fazbear Entertainment's auction sale, where he discovers the only remnant of his brother, it being the head of Springtrap. Furthermore, Fritz uncovers a hidden underground bunker belonging to his brother, revealing that Simon was responsible for the Missing Children Incident at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and had used the victims' blood in a quest for immortality.
With the additional remnants he acquired in his search for his brother, along with his knowledge of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and his desire for his daughter to experience the same excitement he once felt at those locations, Fritz Glade uses these remnants and his inventing skills to establish The Popgoes Pizzeria. This new children's entertainment location features a brand new set of characters designed to be more advanced, interactive, and mobile versions of Freddy & Friends. Fritz successfully opens The Popgoes Pizzeria in his hometown in England, attracting children who flock to the location for its innovative animatronics, computer stations, interactive phones, and 3D printers. The animatronics not only entertain but also serve as employees at the pizzeria. Popgoes is the main performer and chef, while the Squirrel Sisters handle the music with their guitar performances, and Blake serves as the technician. Additionally, Stone the Crow acts as an exterior guide for customers approaching the restaurant. However, during the game’s events, he becomes disconnected from WeaselWare according to POPGOES: Heart of Stone.
During this period, Fritz Glade seeks to learn more about his brother. Utilizing his expertise in innovation, he decides to create an AI hard-coded to be inherently curious and capable of speculating on specific information provided to it. This AI, known as Strings, initially serves as a sort of scarecrow for Fritz, helping him cope with his nightmares of Freddy's & Friends, particularly The Puppet. These terrors trace back to his time as Jeremy Fitzgerald, when he worked at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza in 1987, where he was infamously bitten by Toy Bonnie before eventually abandoning his past life and moving to England. At The Popgoes Pizzeria, the animatronic cast additionally served as scarecrows for a range of characters, including the Toy Animatronics, The Mangle, and Balloon Boy; however, only Strings proves effective in this role. Years later, in an effort to recycle Strings, Fritz repurposes the AI and implements a “Curiosity” module, which encourages Strings to speculate on Fritz's past based on the information he provides. A side effect of this curiosity is that Strings risks experiencing panic attacks.
Fritz's sketch of Bonnie Glade's body.
Despite the challenges posed by Strings' design, he is rebranded as Sec-Strings and reprogrammed to serve as a security guard at The Popgoes Pizzeria, kicking off the events of POPGOES. However, just a day before Strings' first shift, Bonnie Glade, Fritz’s daughter, confronts her father while wearing a Toy Bonnie mask. This unexpected encounter triggers a PTSD outbreak in Fritz, resulting in a tragic accident where he unintentionally kills his daughter. Following this incident, in a drunken state, Fritz commands Popgoes the Weasel to "Save Bonnie." This command Popgoes to fixate on creating the Blackrabbit, the exact threat Strings must prevent from being created and, if left to be build, serves as a vessel for Bonnie Glade after her death, an intentional move made by her in an attempt to study life post-death.
According to the canon ending of POPGOES, which has been established to be the Grave Ending, Strings manages to make contact with a character named Simon, not to be confused with Simon Fitzgerald. Simon was created in response to Fritz Glade's grief upon learning of his brother’s death. Driven by a desperate desire to bring his brother back, Fritz mechanically recreated him, drawing inspiration from the rumors surrounding The Purple Man. The result is a dark purple skeleton figure with bright white eyes, exactly as the rumors described Simon. Like Strings, Simon possesses a special connection with Fritz due to the implementation of an "Evolution" module. This module is designed to enable Simon to rapidly learn about his environment and exhibit more human-like behavior, a deliberate choice by Fritz to enhance Simon’s realism. Unfortunately, once Simon was brought to life, Fritz quickly recognized the danger of Simon and attempted to destroy him. However, he found himself unable to kill something that was intended to be a reflection of his brother.
POPGOES: Evolution, Page 1
As a consequence, Simon is chained to the wall in Fritz's Office, which is a room undocumented on WeaselWare. In his confinement, Simon seeks to communicate with Strings by sending signals through the surveillance cameras, attempting to manipulate Strings into believing he is the solution to Fritz Glade's nightmares of the Toy Animatronics. Canonically, Strings accepts these calls in good faith, unaware of Simon's ulterior motives. Simon’s ultimate plan involves using Strings as a test dummy to eventually use his manipulation tactics against Fritz Glade. On Strings' last night, the Fifth Night, Simon is confident he could manipulate, promising Fritz that he can revive his daughter if he is freed from his chains. Following through on his promise, Simon manages to resurrect Bonnie using Blackrabbit, the vessel that had been created but countered by Strings.
Ultimately, Simon betrays Strings, dismantling his body and leaving him to decay while he seeks to acquire even more knowledge in his quest to take over the world.
Development[]
TBA
Reception[]
POPGOES was a revolutionary fangame at its time, offering a unique take on the Five Nights at Freddy's story. Instead of serving as a straightforward prequel, POPGOES presented a creative and well-crafted hypothetical sequel. It reintroduced familiar characters while also introducing new ones, all within the framework of a compelling narrative. The game successfully expanded the lore of the series, showcasing inventive storytelling that stood out in the fangame community.
The game itself was beloved for its engaging and intense experience, combining stress and creativity. Unlike previous installments in the series that focused on preventing animatronics from entering the office, POPGOES centered around countering Popgoes the Weasel's actions while navigating interference from secondary animatronics that aim to sabotage the player's efforts. The animatronics in POPGOES are portrayed as realistic entities. Rather than haunted beings or vengeful spirits, they are simply animatronics that misinterpret commands. While the concept of animatronics functioning as employees may seem unrealistic, their roles within the gameplay ultimately feel fitting and enhance the overall experience.
Additionally, the story of the game received heavy praise for being engaging and is often regarded as one of the best within the Five Nights at Freddy's fangame community. However, it faced criticism for its execution and delivery. There were initial plans to elaborate on the story through various comics, but these were ultimately canceled, leaving only basic ideas hanging in the air and further complicating the narrative. POPGOES is now infamous for its confusing storyline; while it laid the groundwork for the plot, it also fell short in providing clarity. Most of the aspects that were meant to be elaborated upon in the scrapped content are now difficult to piece together.
Overall, POPGOES has been well-received and is considered one of the best fangames of all time, enjoyed by viewers, players, and considered as by content creators such as Dawko. Originally conceptualized as a continuation of the Five Nights at Freddy's story prior to Sister Location, it presented an impressive and beloved interpretation of the narrative. Upon its release, the game was praised for its gameplay, story elements, environments, and overall high-quality presentation for its time. While players enjoyed the story, it was also quite confusing at the time. Most clarifications today come from scrapped content or from Kane Carter, who, since starting work on POPGOES Evergreen, has been open to addressing broader and more insightful questions about the storyline.
Similar to Five Nights at Candy's, the POPGOES saga, which began and ended on a rocky note with many unanswered questions, saw a turning point when Kane announced POPGOES Evergreen. This faithful remake of the original game revitalized interest and appreciation for the series. The success of POPGOES ultimately led to Kane Carter’s upcoming remaster being included in The Fazbear Fanverse Initiative—an initiative created by Scott Cawthon to fund fangame developers' next projects. Emil was included alongside five developers, including Kane Carter, Nikson, Jonochrome, and Phisnom, to create officially-licensed fangames that serve as official spin-offs to the Five Nights at Freddy's universe.
Official links[]
Trivia[]
TBA
Gallery[]
 Thumbnail.  Header.  Logo.  Icon.
"POPGOES - 3D Printer Teaser"  "POPGOES - Blackrabbit Wallpaper" POPGOES - Arcade Room Teaser  POPGOES Trailer "POPGOES TRAILER"  "POPGOES Arcade, a prequel to POPGOES, is available now!" "POPGOES - Release Date Teaser"  WHO'S BEEN POPPING MY WEASEL? - POPGOES - Part 1 "POPGOES - Markiplier Let's Play"  SAVE BONNIE - POPGOES Night 1 - Five Nights at Freddy's Fangame "POPGOES - Dawko Let's Play"  "The POPGOES Creator Pack is arriving on the 26th of September!"  POPGOES Developer Commentary "POPGOES Developer Commentary (WARNING: Contains Spoilers)" |
Want to see more? See: POPGOES/Gallery
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