# Little Nightmares (series)
**Little Nightmares** is a puzzle-platformer horror video game series in which small child protagonists sneak, hide, and solve environmental puzzles to escape a distorted world of oversized, hostile adults. It began with *Little Nightmares* (2017), developed by Tarsier Studios of Malmö, Sweden, and published by [Bandai Namco Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/bandai-namco-entertainment), and has since grown to three main games, downloadable content, a virtual reality title, and spin-off media.[1](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-gamescom) • [2](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-on-october-10-2025)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First game | *Little Nightmares*, developed by Tarsier Studios, announced at Gamescom 2016, released digitally in spring 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC[1](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-gamescom) |
| Premise | Six, a girl in a yellow raincoat, escapes The Maw, a vast vessel inhabited by corrupted souls looking for their next meal[1](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-gamescom) |
| Sequel | *Little Nightmares II* released February 11, 2021 on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and Stadia, and August 25, 2021 on PS5 and Xbox Series X[3](https://ninjutsugaming.com/en/reviews/little-nightmares-ii/) |
| Third game | *Little Nightmares III*, developed by Supermassive Games, released in 2025 with online co-op for Low and Alone[4](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now) |
| Sales | The franchise has sold 20 million units since the 2017 release[5](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-on-october-10-2025) |
| Developer change | Tarsier was acquired by Embracer Group in 2019 and announced in February 2021 that it would not continue the series; development passed to Supermassive Games[6](https://titimag.com/mag/titi%20magazine%20november%202022%20issue.pdf) • [4](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now) |
| Storytelling | The games tell their stories without dialogue, through visuals, sound design, and gameplay[7](https://playtested.net/article/2023-12-14-a-hauntingly-beautiful-puzzle-platformer-review-little-nightmares/) |
## Games
**Little Nightmares (2017).** The first game casts the player as Six, a small, hungry child trapped in The Maw, an iron vessel home to terrifying, distorted beings, whose only objective is to escape.[8](https://onshow.iadt.ie/sites/default/files/2025-05/Final%20Thesis%20Report%20-%20HFS.pdf) There is no combat: the player relies entirely on stealth and clever use of the environment to evade the inhabitants while finding tools and keys to advance.[8](https://onshow.iadt.ie/sites/default/files/2025-05/Final%20Thesis%20Report%20-%20HFS.pdf) The objective runs from the bottom of the Maw to the top, avoiding enemies until the final boss, called the Lady, and escaping.[9](https://millersville.tind.io/record/109508/files/Ingaglio%20Katherine%20thesis.pdf) A *Secrets of the Maw* expansion pass added three new chapters telling a parallel story in which the player controls the Runaway Kid, another prisoner exploring hidden parts of the Maw.[10](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/little-nightmares) A Complete Edition for PlayStation 4 and [Xbox One](https://www.edgepedia.org/xbox-one) followed on October 27, 2017.[10](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/little-nightmares)
**Little Nightmares II (2021).** Reviewers found it more consistently terrifying than the first game, with homages to horror classics such as *Silent Hill*, *The Exorcist*, and *Slenderman*, and noted that it adds limited combat, including hammer-wielding segments against smaller monsters, while the first game had none.[11](https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/reviews/little-nightmares-2-review/) • [12](https://www.jetsonplaysgames.com/post/little-nightmares-review) Critics also praised its puzzle design and art direction, with the Washington Post's Elise Favis highlighting sound design and [Tim Burton](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-burton)-like art direction that build dread even when the player is safe.[11](https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/reviews/little-nightmares-2-review/)
**Little Nightmares III (2025).** The third game was developed by [Supermassive Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/supermassive-games), the British studio behind *Until Dawn*, after the series left Tarsier.[4](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now) • [13](https://as.com/meristation/analisis/analisis-de-little-nightmares-3-un-buen-juego-de-la-saga-que-por-fin-anade-cooperativo-aunque-es-muy-continuista-f202510-n/) Set in the Spiral, a world filled with delusions located within the Nowhere, it stars Low, a boy with a blue cape and a mask, and Alone, his best friend in a green jumpsuit, who work together to find an escape.[4](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now) For the first time in the franchise, players choose between two playable characters and can play in online co-op, or invite a friend through the Friend's Pass, which requires only one copy of the game; co-op is online only, with no local option.[4](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now) • [14](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-q-and-a) A Deluxe Edition includes the *Secrets of The Spiral* expansion pass with two additional chapters.[14](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-q-and-a)
## Gameplay and style
The series combines 3D platforming, puzzle-solving, and stealth in a 2.5D presentation, pitting underpowered child avatars against overpowered enemies to elicit tension, hypervigilance, and strategic thinking.[7](https://playtested.net/article/2023-12-14-a-hauntingly-beautiful-puzzle-platformer-review-little-nightmares/) • [15](https://barnboken.net/index.php/clr/article/download/475/1557/) The child avatar works as a shorthand for the power inequality between protagonist and antagonist, and signals that the correct way to progress is to complete puzzles without alerting enemies.[15](https://barnboken.net/index.php/clr/article/download/475/1557/)
Stories unfold without dialogue. The narrative relies on atmosphere and tension, letting players interpret the darker undertones through gameplay and visual narrative.[7](https://playtested.net/article/2023-12-14-a-hauntingly-beautiful-puzzle-platformer-review-little-nightmares/) Reviewers of the first game compared its imagery to a grotesque version of [Studio Ghibli](https://www.edgepedia.org/studio-ghibli)'s *Spirited Away* and noted that its childlike perspective counterbalances the horror.[16](https://www.gamesradar.com/little-nightmares-review/) • [17](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/little-nightmares-review/1900-6416672/) Common criticisms across the series include trial-and-error stealth sequences, occasionally imprecise controls, and short runtimes.[18](https://www.pcgamer.com/little-nightmares-review/) • [19](https://www.slantmagazine.com/games/little-nightmares/)
## Development and ownership
Tarsier Studios, an independent development studio in Malmö, Sweden, made the first two games.[20](https://littlenightmares.fandom.com/wiki/Tarsier_Studios) The studio was acquired by [Embracer Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/embracer-group) in 2019, and on February 20, 2021 it announced that it would not continue making Little Nightmares games, completing *Little Nightmares II* as a project financed by Bandai Namco.[6](https://titimag.com/mag/titi%20magazine%20november%202022%20issue.pdf) • [21](https://embracer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Embracer-Tarsier-presentation.pdf) Some days after the release of *Little Nightmares II*, Tarsier no longer worked under Bandai Namco, and the series was handed to Supermassive Games for *Little Nightmares III*.[20](https://littlenightmares.fandom.com/wiki/Tarsier_Studios) Tarsier has since developed *[Reanimal](https://www.edgepedia.org/reanimal)*, a darker horror game in a similar style released February 13, 2026, which reviewers describe as cut from the same cloth as the series it created.[22](https://as.com/meristation/analisis/analisis-de-reanimal-la-evolucion-de-little-nightmares-a-algo-mucho-mas-turbio-y-aterrador-f202602-n/) • [23](https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/forget-resident-evil-requiem-reanimal-might-be-the-spookiest-new-game-you-play-this-month)
## Reception and sales
The first game was a million-selling cult hit by Tarsier's own account.[24](https://tarsier.se/games/) At its June 2025 showcase, Bandai Namco announced that the franchise had sold 20 million units since the 2017 release.[5](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-on-october-10-2025) *Little Nightmares II* was received as a stronger game than its predecessor by several critics, with Gaming Nexus calling it simply a better game and Metacritic-listed reviews praising its pacing and visuals.[25](https://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/7266/Little-Nightmares-II/) • [26](https://www.metacritic.com/game/little-nightmares-ii/critic-reviews/) *Little Nightmares III* drew a more divided reception: reviewers welcomed the co-op addition but found the game overly familiar, with puzzles that lack complexity and a shorter, less frightening experience than the first two entries.[27](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/little-nightmares-3-review-recurring-dreams/1900-6418421/) • [28](https://www.techradar.com/gaming/little-nightmares-3-review)
## Other releases and media
**Enhanced Edition.** *Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition*, a 4K, 60 FPS remaster of the 2017 game with ray tracing, volumetric lighting, more checkpoints, and reduced loading times, launched on October 10, 2025 for [PlayStation 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-5), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC; players who already owned the 2017 game digitally on [PlayStation](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation), Xbox, and PC received it free.[14](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-q-and-a)
**VR and spin-offs.** *Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes* was announced at the June 2025 showcase, in development at Iconik Studio.[5](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-on-october-10-2025)
## References
1. [Confront Your Childhood Fears in Little Nightmares, Bandai Namco Entertainment America (August 17, 2016)](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-gamescom)
2. [Little Nightmares III Available Now, Bandai Namco Entertainment America (October 10, 2025)](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-now)
3. [Análisis de Little Nightmares II, Ninjutsu Gaming](https://ninjutsugaming.com/en/reviews/little-nightmares-ii/)
4. [Find Your Way Out of the Nowhere in Little Nightmares III, Bandai Namco Entertainment America (June 24, 2025)](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-available-on-october-10-2025)
5. [Little Nightmares III - Q&A, Bandai Namco Entertainment America](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-q-and-a)
6. [Titi Magazine, November 2022 issue](https://titimag.com/mag/titi%20magazine%20november%202022%20issue.pdf)
7. [A hauntingly beautiful puzzle-platformer, PlayTested.Net (2023)](https://playtested.net/article/2023-12-14-a-hauntingly-beautiful-puzzle-platformer-review-little-nightmares/)
8. [Final Thesis Report, IADT (2024)](https://onshow.iadt.ie/sites/default/files/2025-05/Final%20Thesis%20Report%20-%20HFS.pdf)
9. [Ingaglio, Katherine, Millersville University thesis](https://millersville.tind.io/record/109508/files/Ingaglio%20Katherine%20thesis.pdf)
10. [Little Nightmares Official Site, Bandai Namco Entertainment America](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/little-nightmares)
11. [Favis, Elise (2021). 'Little Nightmares II' review, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/reviews/little-nightmares-2-review/)
12. [Little Nightmares Review, Jetson Plays Games](https://www.jetsonplaysgames.com/post/little-nightmares-review)
13. [Análisis de Little Nightmares 3, MeriStation (October 2025)](https://as.com/meristation/analisis/analisis-de-little-nightmares-3-un-buen-juego-de-la-saga-que-por-fin-anade-cooperativo-aunque-es-muy-continuista-f202510-n/)
14. [Little Nightmares III - Q&A, Bandai Namco Entertainment America](https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/little-nightmares-3-q-and-a)
15. [Barnboken: childhood and stealth in Little Nightmares and INSIDE](https://barnboken.net/index.php/clr/article/download/475/1557/)
16. [Little Nightmares review, GamesRadar+ (2017)](https://www.gamesradar.com/little-nightmares-review/)
17. [Little Nightmares Review, GameSpot (2017)](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/little-nightmares-review/1900-6416672/)
18. [Little Nightmares review, PC Gamer (2017)](https://www.pcgamer.com/little-nightmares-review/)
19. [Review: Little Nightmares, Slant Magazine (2017)](https://www.slantmagazine.com/games/little-nightmares/)
20. [Tarsier Studios, Little Nightmares Wiki (Fandom)](https://littlenightmares.fandom.com/wiki/Tarsier_Studios)
21. [EY Corporate Finance: Embracer–Tarsier presentation (2019)](https://embracer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Embracer-Tarsier-presentation.pdf)
22. [Análisis de Reanimal, MeriStation (2026)](https://as.com/meristation/analisis/analisis-de-reanimal-la-evolucion-de-little-nightmares-a-algo-mucho-mas-turbio-y-aterrador-f202602-n/)
23. [Reanimal preview, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/forget-resident-evil-requiem-reanimal-might-be-the-spookiest-new-game-you-play-this-month)
24. [Games, Tarsier Studios](https://tarsier.se/games/)
25. [Little Nightmares II Review, Gaming Nexus (2021)](https://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/7266/Little-Nightmares-II/)
26. [Little Nightmares II critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/little-nightmares-ii/critic-reviews/)
27. [Little Nightmares 3 Review, GameSpot (2025)](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/little-nightmares-3-review-recurring-dreams/1900-6418421/)
28. [Little Nightmares 3 review, TechRadar (November 2025)](https://www.techradar.com/gaming/little-nightmares-3-review)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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