Is Little Nightmares 3 Already in Development?

Back in 2017, the indie gaming world was introduced to a frightening new series from Tarsier Studios called Little Nightmares. It introduced players to a world where children face their fears at nearly every corner and must sneak their way through the nightmarish adventure or risk becoming a snack for an oversized monster. 

Little Nightmares Overview

The story is relatively simple, however. It follows a little girl named Six who has found herself trapped in a terrifying monster “restaurant” called The Maw. As she navigates her way through the environmental puzzles, she must run away or sneak by different oversized monsters who keep The Maw in business: “The Janitor,” “Twin Chefs,” and “The Lady.” Meanwhile, Six goes through a behavioral transformation and makes increasingly questionable choices throughout the story. 

The game was met with critical acclaim and received a sequel (which is technically a prequel) in 2020 with the release of Little Nightmares II. It expanded on the lore of the unnamed creepy world and introduced fans to new monsters, locations, and a new protagonist, Mono. Not only that, but the sequel gave a closer glimpse into Six’s psychology through subtle actions and, shall we say, more questionable decisions. Other media was also released, including a mobile game installment called Very Little Nightmares as well as a comic series.

However, one of the best parts of the Little Nightmares series doesn’t just lie in its art style, creepy atmosphere, bold and dark color palette or tone, but in its ambiguous story and ending. What keeps the series alive and popular even now are the many fan theories regarding what goes on in the games and what it all could possibly mean. The ambiguity certainly leaves room for Little Nightmares 3, but is it ever going to happen?

Tarsier Studios Gets Acquired and Leaves Little Nightmares Behind

Much to fans’ dismay, Tarsier Studios is no longer around, as it was acquired by the parent company Embracer Group. The original developers of Little Nightmares have also mentioned that they are finished with the series. Naturally, this means there’s no hope of a Little Nightmares 3, right? Not necessarily. 

In February of last year, lots of news and rumors buzzed around the internet regarding a Little Nightmares 3 development status, and it proved to be quite encouraging and slightly confusing. Speaking with IGN, Tarsier CEO Andreas Johnsson cleared up rumors of a Little Nightmares 3 release, thanking fans for their support and excitement for the series, but also saying that “it is bittersweet to announce that we are leaving the world of Little Nightmares behind us.” He also stated that they are ready to move on to “new IPs and explore new worlds.” 

Bandai Namco Could Develop Little Nightmares 3 without Tarsier Studios

Encouragement comes from the little details found in Bandai Namco’s statement to IGN. The publisher mentioned the series could go on without Tarsier Studios’ involvement. They also stated that “nothing is planned, but we received so much love from fans all around the world with the release of Little Nightmares 2, we feel energised to deliver more content in the future.” As of the writing of this article, there still has been no official announcement; however, there have been more interesting Little Nightmares happenings swirling around in the gaming world.

This past December Bandai Namco had a job opening for a Worldwide Brand Manager for the franchise. It was suspected that the job opening was needed because of Little Nightmares 2’s success in sales, but that’s not all. Worldwide Brand Managers also help with game development. This means only one thing: Little Nightmares 3 is possibly already in the works. 

It’s now the beginning of 2022, and while Bandai Namco has remained quiet about the continuation of the Little Nightmares franchise, the rest of the year may offer its own surprises. Who knows, we might have Little Nightmares 3 before the end of the year.

What will Little Nightmares 3 be about?

With the Little Nightmares 3 release date possibly on the horizon, fans have been speculating on what the story could be about. It could be a continuation of Six’s story from the first Little Nightmares because the game ended on a rather interesting cliffhanger note. It would be a delight to see where Six goes next and what other horrors await her, especially with her transformation at the end. 

Another possibility could be the continuation of Mono’s story. He served as the main protagonist for Little Nightmares 2. Perhaps Mono’s origin story could be the next step? It would be quite different from what’s already been thrown in the loop. 

A third possibility for a Little Nightmares 3 story is Six’s origin. We don’t know what happened to Six before “The Hunter” captured her, and it would be great to have more details on why she became so attached to that music box. 

Either way, if Bandai Namco proceeds with another game in the series, it will be a joy to revisit the creepy yet charming Little Nightmares universe once again.