William Afton - The Animatronic
| The Animatronic | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | William Afton |
| Gender | Man |
| Origin | American of English descent |
| Realm | Withered Isle |
| Power | Fazbear's Fright |
| Power Attack Type | Special Attack |
| Weapon | Pizza Knife |
Movement Speed   |
110 % | 4.4 m/s |
| Alternate Movement speed | 115 % | 4.6 m/s (No Axe) |
Terror Radius  |
24 metres |
Height   |
Average |
| DLC | CHAPTER 36: Five Nights at Freddy's |
| Voice Actor | PJ Heywood (Original Voice Actor) |
| Cost | 500 Auric Cells  
|
| CharID | K40 |
| Theme Filename | Five Nights At Freddys_Theme_Music.ogg |
William Afton or "The Animatronic", also known as "Springtrap", is one of 40 Killers
currently featured in Dead by Daylight
.
He will be introduced as the Killer of CHAPTER 36: Five Nights at Freddy's, a Chapter DLC scheduled to release on 17 June 2025.
He originates from the video game franchise Five Nights at Freddy's, specifically Five Nights at Freddy's 3.
Overview
The Animatronic always comes back.
His personal Perks, Help Wanted
, Phantom Fear
, and Haywire
, help him compromise Generators, make Survivors scream, and regress Exit Gate Switches.
Lore
Deep within the abandoned Freddy Fazbears`s Pizza, William Afton ran from the ghosts of his victims. He frantically put on his beloved Spring Bonnie costume, the disguise he wore while committing his heinous crimes, to hide from the pursuing spirits.
But fate had different plans for Afton. Something activated the springlocks within the Spring Bonnie costume. Metal clamped against metal, piercing the murderer and trapping him in his costume. As he screamed, the checkerboard floor rose up to meet him, and everything went black.
Thus was Springtrap born: from the death of a murderer.
He awoke to a familiar sound, his body a pillar of agony. The ghosts that had tormented him were gone. The walls surrounding him were decomposing, the floor beneath him failing away in mouldy patches. How much time had transpired since the springlocks tore through his body and fixed him within his costume? The urge to kill lingered within him still, the thirst long left unquenched.
The sound filled his ears again, Children`s laughter. Were children playing in the kitchen? Springtrap rose to his feet, adjusting to his new body, and marched towards the sounds.
He picked up speed as he moved. Walking turned to running. He rushed into the kitchen and found,
Nothing.
No children, no games, no laughter. Just a swirling mass of black fog enveloping the far wall.
Springtrap examined the fog. Curiosity tightened his grip on him as he stared into the darkness, his distended eyes could see shapes emerge within the fog.
Who were they? It didn`t matter. They were his victims now. Somehow, he knew the hunt could go on forever.
All he had to do was step into the fog.
Load-out
Unique Perks
The Animatronic comes with 3 Perks
that are unique to him:
 |
Haywire | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 "For some reason, machinery has a habit of failing when you are near."
Whenever a Survivor stops opening an Exit Gate
|
|---|---|---|
 |
Help Wanted | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 "Try as they might, you know how to stay one step ahead of your guests."
After performing the Damage Generator action, Help Wanted activates:
|
 |
Phantom Fear | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 "You have always had a reputation for startling unsuspecting guests."
Whenever a Survivor within your Terror Radius
"Excellent. Your screams please me." — Springtrap |
Prestige
Prestiging The Animatronic will automatically add Tier I of his Unique Perks to the inventories of all other Killers and unlock the ability for their higher-tiered versions to spawn in their Bloodweb
.
Prestige The Animatronic twice more to automatically add Tier II and Tier III respectively into the other Killers' inventories.
Weapon: Pizza Knife
The Pizza Knife is the Primary Weapon of The Animatronic.
Death was not the end. He was born anew, driven to continue his killing spree.
Power: Fazbear's Fright
SPECIAL ABILITY: FAZBEAR'S FRIGHT
The Animatronic is armed with a Fire Axe, that he can throw, and causes 7 Security Doors to spawn in the environment.
SPECIAL ABILITY: FIRE AXE
Press and hold the Power button to initiate Ready Aim.
Press the Attack button to throw the Fire Axe or release the Power button to cancel the Power.
Once the Fire Axe hits its target, it embeds itself and applies various effects, depending on its target, and until it is dislodged again:
- Inflicts the Broken
and Oblivious
Status Effects while embedded in a Survivor. - Creates an Area of Effect of ?? metres around it while embedded in the environment.
WORK IN PROGRESS AND TO BE CONTINUED
Power Trivia
Movement Speeds:
- Performing an Axe Throw: 2.6 m/s
- Charging an Axe Throw: 3.68 m/s
- Walking: 4.4 m/s
- Walking without the Fire Axe equipped: 4.6 m/s
- If The Animatronic's Fire Axe is stuck on the environment or on a survivor, he will walk at this movement speed.
Fire Axe:
- Charge Throw: 0.9 seconds
- Cancel Charge: 1 second
- Recall Duration: 1.5 seconds
- Post-Throw Cool-down Duration: 2.25 seconds
- Grab Survivor Interaction: 4.2 seconds
- Missed Fire Axe Recharge: 7 seconds
- Successful Fire Axe Recharge: 10 seconds
- The Fire Axe's recharge starts as soon as the Throw action is initiated.
- AoE duration: 15 seconds
- Projectile Launch: 0.25 seconds
- Projectile Speed: 30 m/s
- Projectile Maximum Range: 16 metres
- Environmental Collision Sphere Radius: 0.05 metres
- Survivor Detection Sphere Radius: 0.55 metres
- Near-Miss Detection Sphere Radius: 1.05 metres
Security Doors:
- Killer Exit Door: 1.2 seconds
- Killer Enter Door: 2 seconds
- Killer Teleport: 3 seconds
- Undetectable lingering effect duration: 20 seconds
Survivor Interactions:
- Survivor Enter Door: 1 second
- Survivor Exit Door: 2 seconds
- Survivor Teleport: 5 seconds
- Self-Remove Axe Interaction: 8 seconds
- Max security camera yaw: 180°
- Battery decharge rate per camera in use: 7 c/s
- Battery consumption on Survivor Door Traversal: 15 charges
- Battery maximum charge: 100 charges
- Battery reboot duration: 45 seconds
- Killer reveal to all survivors duration: 10 seconds
Add-ons for Fazbear's Fright
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
 |
Greasy Paper Plate | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 It sticks to everything it touches. No amount of soap can wash it off. While removing the Fire Axe embedded in them, the Survivor suffers from the following effect:
|
 |
Help Wanted Ad | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 We all need a little help sometimes...
While winding up an axe throw, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Restaurant Menu | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 The lamination is peeling and crusty. How appetising. While retrieving the Fire Axe whenever it is embedded in the environment, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Rotten Pizza | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Food poisoning is no laughing matter.
You benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Office Phone | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 He tried to leave messages as a warning. He did not last long, either. While within 12 metres of the Survivor embedded with the Fire Axe, other Survivors suffer from the primary effect:
   , they also suffer from the secondary effect:
|
 |
Party Hat | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 The party never ends, no matter how much they beg.
While the Fire Axe is embedded in the environment, the following effects apply:
|
 |
Ripped Curtain | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Taken from Pirates Cove, caught on the animatronic that lived there.
Survivors hit with the Fire Axe suffer from the following effects:
|
 |
Security Guard's Badge | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 The badge comes with certain privileges for whoever carries it.
Upon exiting a Security Door after teleporting to it, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Streamers | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Employees would throw them over the rafters for a quick decoration.
While travelling through the Security Doors, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Bonnie's Guitar Strings | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 |
 |
Chica's Bib | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 A good way to keep Mr Cupcake from making a mess.
While inside the Area of Effect of the Fire Axe, Survivors suffer from the following effect:
|
 |
Foxy's Hook | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 A pirate's hook that seems more menacing than playful.
While inside the Area of Effect of the Fire Axe, Players benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Freddy's Hat | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Gabriel trusted the wrong grown-up. Now he is the star of the show. Modifies the trajectory of the Fire Axe:
|
 |
Purple Guy Drawing | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 He only takes 10 seconds to draw!
While a Survivor has the Fire Axe embedded in them, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Access Panel | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Gaining control over the security doors is key to getting the job done.
Unlocks a special ability for the Fire Axe:
|
 |
Celebrate! Poster | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 The celebration lasts all night long, or until no one is left.
After embedding the Fire Axe in a Survivor, both you and that Survivor benefit from the following effects:
|
 |
Endo CPU | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Greater computing power, for greater efficacy.
While inside the Area of Effect of the embedded Fire Axe, you benefit from the following effect:
|
 |
Loot Bag | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Open the bag, and see what goodies are inside.
While a Survivor has the Fire Axe embedded in them, they suffer from the following effects:
|
 |
Faz-Coin | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 Collecting these tokens comes with a price.
Upon throwing the Fire Axe, the following effects are applied:
|
 |
Iridescent Remnant | This description is based on the changes announced for or featured in the upcoming Patch 9.0.0 |
Achievements
There are 2 Achievements related to The Animatronic:
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File:Ach adeptAnimatronic.jpg | Adept Animatronic | Playing as The Animatronic, achieve a Merciless Victory using only his 3 Unique Perks: Help Wanted, Phantom Fear, and Haywire |
Cosmetic Options
Players can choose from a variety of Cosmetic options to customise The Animatronic:
Default
| Icon | Name | Body | Rarity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rotting Skull | 
|
Common | He donned the headpiece, desperate to hide from the spirits of his past. |
|
Activated Springlocks | 
|
Common | The internal mechanisms tore through flesh and bone as they snapped into place. |
|
|
Pizza Knife | 
|
Common | Death was not the end. He was born anew, driven to continue his killing spree. |
Prestige
| Icon | Name | Body | Rarity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bloodthirsty Skull |
|
Rare | He donned the headpiece, tormented by the horrors of his past. |
|
Visceral Springlocks |
|
Rare | The internal mechanisms ripped him apart as they snapped into place. |
|
Splattered Pizza Knife |
|
Rare | Death could not stop him. He was born anew, driven to shed further blood. |
Perk Charms
| Prestige Level 7 Reward | Prestige Level 8 Reward | Prestige Level 9 Reward |
|---|---|---|
| File:K40 PCharm001.png | File:K40 PCharm002.png | File:K40 PCharm003.png |
| A keepsake gained upon mastery of a particular skill. | ||
DLC
The Animatronic is part of 1 DLC:
Trivia
- The Animatronic's power name, Fazbear's Fright, is a direct reference to the location of the same name that Five Nights at Freddy's 3 takes place in.
- Not to be confused with Fazbear Frights, the short story book series.
- His two unique lobby animations, running across the screen to the right and peeking out from the right side of the screen, are references to actions he can perform while in your office or directly outside your office in Five Nights at Freddy's 3.
- His lore references multiple different parts of Five Nights at Freddy's 3:
- The first 3 lines reference his death and rebirth as seen at the end of Night 5; being chased by the ghosts of his victims until being forced into a springlock animatronic suit, that then malfunctions and kills him.
- The 5th line references the audio lure, a gameplay mechanic that involves luring Springtrap around Fazbear's Fright using an audio sample of a child's laughter.
- This lure was presumably used by the Entity to lure William to The Fog, as his lore takes place before he was brought to Fazbear's Fright.
- The Animatronic's idle animation in both the Lobby and in a Trial is identical to his official render in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 after completing the game, where you can view not only Springtrap, but the other Phantom Animatronics.
- While in the Lobby, The Animatronic may convulse and grab his head screaming before returning to his normal idle stance. The way he grabs his head is similar to the hidden screenshots that may appear when starting up a game when playing Five Nights at Freddy's 3.
- The Animatronic is the second Killer with a Power that allows him to immediately grab Survivors that is separate from a basic grab.
- The Animatronic's official store render in Dead by Daylight is very similar to his official render for his appearance in Five Nights at Freddy's AR: Special Delivery.
- Prior to Dead By Daylight, William Afton was not depicted with a Fire Axe in any official media, or a Pizza Knife, but a standard kitchen knife in the graphic novels and the movie.
- The choice for a Fire Axe in Dead By Daylight might be informed design, since the character is associated with burning buildings. The overall visuals of the Fire Axe reflect this.
- The Fire Axe could also be a direct reference to fan content, with William Afton wielding a Fire Axe In The Living Tombstone's Five Nights at Freddy's 3 music video in which he uses it to dismember the main 4 animatronics in the series. This animation is a more plausible rendition of the Five Nights at Freddy's 3 minigame where William Afton dismembers them by hand. This could make sense considering the events of the minigame and animation take place right before William Afton gets springlocked which leads to Afton finding the fog after waking up, possibly bringing the axe with him.
- The animation that happens after The Animatronic hits a basic attack is a reference to the same action he performs in the Five Nights at Freddy's movie, which in turn is a reference to the action The Ghost Face performs in the Scream movie series.
- This is because Matthew Lillard portrays both William Afton in Five Nights at Freddy's and Stu Macher in Scream.
- The mori features an endo skeleton that has saw blades on its face, body and arms, as it's a reference to the movie where a modified Freddy mask was used to kill people strapped into an animatronic maintenance chair.
- The same endo skeleton can be seen in the parts and service room at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
Cosmetic Trivia
- The Yellow Rabbit is taken directly from William Afton's appearance in the live action Five Nights at Freddy's movie, with Matthew Lillard reprising his role through both voice and likeness in Dead by Daylight.
- Glitchtrap originates from Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted, serving as the main antagonist.
- Glitchtrap is very heavily implied to not be William Afton, however, and is instead the Mimic1 program mimicking him posthumously. This topic is very heavily debated, due to being an unconfirmed theory, with sources conflicting each other.
- Toxic Springtrap and Clown Springtrap are both from Five Nights at Freddy's AR: Special Delivery, a now defunct mobile game.
- Toxic Springtrap' was given a slight redesign for his appearance in Dead by Daylight.
Voice Actor
- The Animatronic is voiced by PJ Heywood, who previously voiced the character in other media related to Five Nights at Freddy's.
- Similarly, Matthew Lillard reprises his role to voice The Yellow Rabbit, a Legendary Outfit for The Animatronic.
Voice Lines
- Most of The Animatronic's voice lines are references to his quotes in the games Five Nights at Freddy's AR: Special Delivery and Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator. However, some of his lines are taken from other characters from Ultimate Custom Night and Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator.
- His iconic catchphrase "I always come back" is a reference to the Five Nights At Freddy's 3 teaser trailer, which contains the lines "He will come back; he always does", as well as being a line spoken by him in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator, Ultimate Custom Night, and the Five Nights at Freddy's movie.
- "The darkest pit of hell is open for business" is a reference to a line delivered by Henry Emily in one of the endings of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator. ("Although for one of you, the darkest pit of hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting, old friend.")
- "You will not be spared, you will not be saved" and "I am here to claim what is left of you" are taken from his quotes in Five Nights at Freddy's AR: Special Delivery, which are in turn directly taken from Nightmare in Ultimate Custom Night.
- "Play with fire and you'll get burned" is taken and altered from Rockstar Foxy in Ultimate Custom Night. ("Y'arr, ya play with fire and sometimes ye get burned!")
- This line also serves as a reference to his fate at the end of both Five Nights at Freddy's 3 and Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator, where in both instances he gets lit on fire.
- "Lets pull you apart" is taken and slightly altered from Nightmare Fredbear in Ultimate Custom Night. ("Let's see how many times you can be pulled apart.")
- "It's me" is a recurring phrase in the series that is often associated with Golden Freddy, but has also been used by Glitchtrap, an alternate version of Springtrap, in Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted.
- "Don't move." is a line spoken by William Afton in the Silver Eyes novel and its graphic novel after he removes the Spring Bonnie suit to reveal his springlock scars to Carlton.
Gallery
In-game assets
The Animatronic
The Animatronic (Portrait render)
The Animatronic (Background image)
Official art
References
