Little Nightmares 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Bandai Namco’s Little Nightmares, was released February 11, but fans are already speculating what could be next for Six and her companion, Mono. After a shocking twist in the finale, fans are hopeful it isn’t the end. MAJOR SPOILERS for Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2 below, so proceed with caution.
A third installment has not been announced, and it may not be happening at all. Tarsier Studios is done with the Little Nightmares franchise and ready to explore new IPs, but luckily for fans, all is not lost quite yet. Bandai Namco served as the publisher for Little Nightmares and owns the rights to the IP, meaning it could take on a new game itself without Tarsier’s involvement. It’s not too far-fetched to believe this might happen, as Bandai Namco has already expressed interest in continuing the franchise, thanks in part to the widespread success of Little Nightmares 2. Even if a full game isn’t in the future, a DLC, spin-off, or mobile game like Very Little Nightmares very well could be. It seems unlikely that Little Nightmares is done for good.
If Little Nightmares 3 is in the works, what could it be about? There are multiple avenues that Bandai Namco could take if it decides to continue with the franchise, and many unanswered questions fans want answers to. The developer may choose to leave some of those mysteries up to fans’ imaginations, but the possibilities are truly endless. After all, the stories of the Little Nightmares games are told without any dialogue or explicit explanations that lay out the rules of the universe. It’s up to the player to interpret the world, the characters, and the story, which has inevitably led to dozens of fan theories. That said, a few things are known for certain that could make an impact on a potential third installment.
Little Nightmares 2 is a prequel to the events of Little Nightmares, giving more background to the character of Six and showing how she came to acquire the insatiable hunger she faces in the original game. Her iconic yellow coat is found in Little Nightmares 2 as well, further confirming that it takes place earlier in the timeline.
This isn’t the first time Tarsier has decided to go backwards in its storytelling, either. Very Little Nightmares, a mobile game set in the same universe, also takes place before Little Nightmares and shows Six’s escape from a terrifying, mysterious mansion called The Nest. Fans of the games will know that Six is not a normal child; she consistently displays disregard for the wellbeing of others in favor of saving herself. Her behavior is in stark contrast to Mono, who risks his life multiple times to save her, and the protagonist in Very Little Nightmares. Six is a survivor, through and through, but how did she learn these behaviors?
Six has endured many living nightmares, many of which players have experienced for themselves, but it is unknown how her journey truly began or if she was always capable of the heartless and often violent deeds she performs. Did Six ever have parents or siblings? How did she wind up a prisoner at The Nest in the first place? Little Nightmares 3 could choose to go deeper into Six’s origins and answer these questions. Mono’s backstory would also make an interesting topic for a prequel game, as six’s companion is incredibly powerful, but nothing is known about where he came from or how he originally got his powers.
In addition to character backstories, there are world-building questions that could be answered by another prequel. The existence of the Signal Tower, for example, had to have a beginning. Little Nightmares 2 revealed that the tower is not ruled by the Thin Man, nor is he responsible for its creation. The Thin Man is Mono, imprisoned and used by the tower itself. This begs the question, who is in charge? The Signal Tower seems to exist in another dimension, and it’s possible that there is a larger antagonist pulling the strings behind it. Exploring who or what that entity is and what their motives are could make for a promising prequel.
Little Nightmares 3 could also be a true sequel to the original Little Nightmares, showing what happens to Six after she kills The Lady and absorbs the life forces of the Maw’s many guests. By the end of the original game, nine-year-old Six has taken on a very dark and powerful persona. It seems impossible to imagine a happy ending for her, but her ultimate fate is still unknown.
One of the most popular fan theories is that Six either is The Lady or will grow up to replace her. Fans have at least one compelling piece of evidence to support this theory: in the Little Nightmares comics, The Lady recalls a memory of being transported to the Maw in a small boat. The girl in the boat, however, is wearing a yellow raincoat identical to the one Six wears throughout the series. The nature of Mono’s fate makes this theory even more viable, suggesting that Six could be stuck in a time loop just like her former companion. As The Lady, she would be doomed to grow up only to be eaten by her younger self, and so on. If true, Little Nightmares 3 could feature an older Six going through that transformation and explain the time loop.
A true sequel could also choose to explore the nature of the Signal Tower further. At the end of Little Nightmares 2, it was revealed that the Signal Tower has been using Mono’s powers to control, hypnotize, and warp the appearances of those in the world. If the developer chose to focus on the tower in a sequel, a primary antagonist could be revealed and maybe, just maybe, players would see Mono freed from his eternal imprisonment as the Thin Man.
However, if Bandai Namco decides to make a third game, it may decide to leave some of these questions unanswered. The mystery behind the Little Nightmares universe is part of what makes it so enticing. Providing answers doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though—Little Nightmares 2 answered some questions very successfully while still retaining that element of mystery. Whatever the outcome of the franchise, many fans will be eagerly awaiting news of what’s next for Six and Mono.
Little Nightmares 2 is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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