How old is Gregory from Five Nights at Freddy‘s?
As an avid Five Nights at Freddy‘s gamer and content creator, one question I get asked constantly by fans is: just how old is Gregory, the new protagonist of FNAF: Security Breach? Unfortunately, his age remains ambiguous throughout this latest installment – but that doesn‘t mean we can‘t do some sleuthing of our own!
What the Developers Have Said
While his exact age isn‘t definitively stated, we do have a small hint from Steel Wool Studios themselves about the general age range they were aiming for with Gregory‘s character design and personality.
In an interview with CBR, Steel Wool‘s Chief Technical Officer Arty Anchor said that they envisioned Gregory as: “a pre-teen, that hasn’t hit adolescence just yet.”
So from the developers own words, it seems clear Gregory is meant to fall somewhere in that gray zone between childhood and teen years.
Analyzing Gregory‘s Physical Appearance
Gregory is consistently shown to be quite small in stature compared to the average adult characters in Security Breach. While we don‘t have his exact height, we can analyze his design to get a better sense of his age. Let‘s take a look at how he physically compares to the typical height ranges for pre-teens:
| Age | Average Height (Boys) | Gregory‘s Relative Height |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years old | 54 inches | Comes up to mid-torso on Freddy (~60 inches) |
| 11 years old | 57 inches | Comes up to lower chest on Freddy |
| 12 years old | 61 inches | Comes up to shoulders/upper chest on Freddy |
Compared to the 6-7 foot tall animatronics like Glamrock Freddy, Gregory seems to be around 4-5 feet tall based on where he comes up to on their bodies. This suggests he likely falls on the younger end of the pre-teen spectrum at age 10-11 rather than closer to 12 years old. His scrawny build and lack of any signs of teenage development support this theory as well.
His Behavior and Maturity Level
Another clue into pinning down Gregory‘s age is looking at how he behaves on his own throughout the chaotic events at the Pizzaplex. Gregory exhibits a great deal of intelligence, problem solving, responsibility, and bravery that sets him apart from a typical child under 10 years old.
Some examples that demonstrate his maturity level:
- Navigates the vents/climbing areas with skill
- Knows how to hack systems and reprogram Freddy
- Takes the initiative to stop Vanny and the rogue animatronics himself
- Solves complex puzzles throughout the atrium areas
- Displays problem-solving skills and quick thinking in tense situations
Based on this in-game evidence, I would estimate he seems to act around age 10-12 rather than a really young child. Gregory has a level of autonomy and critical thinking that matches up with the oldest range of pre-teens.
His Voice Actor Provides More Clues
Analyzing Gregory‘s vocal performance also gives us some extra context clues into his age. His voice actor, Debi Derryberry, is an adult woman – however she speaks in a distinctly childlike register when voicing young boy characters.
Listen to audio clips of Gregory speaking and you can clearly hear the higher-pitched tone of a young boy compared to her normal vocal range. Compare this to clips of her voicing older teenage boy characters in other video games and you‘ll notice Gregory possesses that classic “young child” voice.
Based on the youthfulness of his voice, that supports the theory that Gregory is meant to be closer to 10 than 12 years old in Security Breach.
Why Developers Might Keep His Age Purposefully Ambiguous
Of course, even with all these clues the developers never conclusively lock down Gregory‘s canonical age. And there may be a few speculative reasons why:
- Allow players to imprint/project onto Gregory – By keeping him an ambiguous pre-teen, players of various ages can see themselves in Gregory while navigating the Pizza Plex.
- Heighten the mystery around his identity – Is he a former childhood victim getting revenge? A robot recreation of an Afton child? His age may play into theories around his origins.
- Emphasize his resourcefulness – By making him small and youthful against killer animatronics, it highlights Gregory’s intelligence and determination.
Of course, these theories are my own speculative analysis around why Steel Wool might have intentionally left precise age details out of his official background. But knowing how much fans love to dig into mysteries and uncover hidden lore, this ambiguity definitely helps fuel discussion!
Summarizing the Evidence on How Old Gregory Is
So in summary, while his exact age isn‘t definitively stated, compiling all the available in-game evidence points to Gregory likely being between the ages of 10-11 years old.
Key supporting evidence:
- Developer quote labeling him a “pre-teen”
- Size comparisons pointing to 4-5ft fall in 10-11 age range
- Behavior and critical thinking of mature pre-teen
- Voice actor uses register of a young boy
With his small frame, childlike voice, and still diminutive height compared to full grown adults, it’s reasonable to presume Gregory is at the younger end of the pre-teen spectrum.
Of course, some fans also speculate Gregory could possibly be an android. And if he was secretly a robotic recreation the entire time, typical age ranges wouldn‘t necessarily apply! But that’s a theory to explore another day…
Let me know what your thoughts are on cracking the case of Gregory’s age in the comments below! What other Security Breach mysteries should we dig into next?
