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Matthew Lillard returns to Five Nights at Freddy's Springtrap before FNAF 2 as a playable character in Dead by Daylight
Springtrap, AKA William Afton, AKA Matthew Lillard, AKA the big bad of Blumhouse's film sequel, will be playable on an all new Five Nights at Freddy's map
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Boy, William Afton sure is having a big year. Not only is the villain of the Five Nights at Freddy's video games headed back to the big screen with Five Nights at Freddys 2, but now, it seems he'll be making another blockbuster appearance in another major horror gaming franchise. Behaviour Interactive has announced that Afton's terrifying mascot persona, Springtrap, will be the next franchise DLC killer in Dead by Daylight.
The announcement came as part of the Dead by Daylight 9th anniversary panel that Behaviour was putting on at PAX East 2025. Fans familiar with the franchise know that it's made hugely popular horror villains into playable (or beatable) characters within the game - monsters like Ghost Face, Chucky, and Castlevania's Dracula are just a few of the many faces represented. Now, Springtrap gets to bring his own brand of horror (and that of FNAF's) into the sprawling world.
But that's not all - Dead by Daylight has also announced that Springtrap comes with all-new dialogue recorded specifically for the game, and incredibly, the voice behind it is none other than Matthew Lillard. Lillard, already a horror legend for projects like Scream and 13 Ghosts, portrayed Afton in the first Five Nights at Freddy's movie Blumhouse put out in 2023, and has been confirmed to return for the sequel this year.
All of this already overwhelming news for fans of either horror franchise comes topped with the facts that players will get to play as Springtrap in the Yellow Rabbit suit used for the movie, and that an all new Dead by Daylight map will be available, based on Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. According to a statement from Behaviour, the map will be "filled with easter eggs and surprises for fans to discover."
Man, with all this popularity, William Afton should look into a career as an influencer. Sure, he's a serial killer, but there's undoubtedly worse people in that field.
You don't need to beat the game to prepare for the next one—here are all the major new and upcoming games coming our way.
About PAX East 2025
PAX East is a celebration of gaming and gaming culture featuring thought-provoking panels, a massive expo hall filled with the best publishers and studios, new game demos, musical performances, tournaments, and a community experience unlike any other. No matter your preferred genre or platform, if you love games, welcome home.
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