So uhh
I don't exactly know where to begin. So I'll start by saying I have nothing but love and respect for FNAF and the series creator Scott Cawthon.
Nothing I say here is intended as an attack on the franchise or the people involved. If anything the opposite and I look forward to upcoming FNAF projects like the DBD Collab and the Secret of the Mimic game.
Our story takes place in the summer of 2016. FNAF World had recently been announced and Scott was very openly talking to his fanbase on the forums for FNAF 4. Most of it about FNAF World, the then upcoming RPG.
Now one interesting side tangent is that the first FNAF game and Undertale came out and met critical and financial success at the same time.
This is relevant because early on there were rumors discussed by fans of both that FNAF World was going to have a shout out to Undertale. This was discussed to DEATH on the FNAF 4 forums. So much so that Scott vehemently denied not only the rumors but any connection the two would have.
Me being literally autistic did not take this to mean "Hey stop talking about Undertale." But instead "Go off on a tangent about similarities between the two. This would be a good idea."
So I did and received a permanent ban from the FNAF 4 Steam Forums. Everytime I go there, I see a big red banner that reads "Since you won't drop it. I don't have a choice."
The sad thing is, I did drop it and would twice more briefly have the chance to speak with Scott Cawthon on the boards for FNAF World (Where I made a post of encouragement he responded positively) to in which I made clear my refusal to refund the game. And FNAF Sister Location (Where he had a light response to me sarcastically asking where the sister was located. Something along the lines of "You'll find out when you play the game." It was a long time ago
Both times we got on fine and he seemed to appreciate my support for his works, yet only after that did I ever think to ask about an unban for FNAF 4.
It's not that FNAF 4 is such a happening board or anything. It's even my least favorite fnaf game (Sorry Scott the audio cues still do not work worth a darn) but I've always seen that ban, as of my writing this the only steam forum ban I have on record to my knowledge, at least the only that wasn't eventually overturned... as a dark mark on my record, a stain from when I was a younger person in her early 20s who let her hype and excitement run ahead of her logic
Fast forward to today. 9 years later. I've asked a friend who is friends with the fnaf mod team about removing the ban only for them to say they would but FNAF 4 was not a board they had jurisdiction over. at least that's how I understood it. I wasn't actually involved in that conversation...
She suggested I talk to Scott about it and I tried to but sadly that isn't as easy to do as it was in 2016. Scott is big time now and most of his emails are clogged with branding deals, business conversations, and fan mail... I've sent multiple emails about the situation and received nothing back in reply.
So this is where I'm left. Does anybody have an ideas? Think I can talk to valve about it? Should I try to make a public post on a fnaf board explaining the situation?
It's been 9 years, countless more FNAF games, and three US presidents later but the ban and the embarrassment it represents still lingers.
And I would appreciate any advice anyone has concerning the situation. Thank you.
I'm going to tell you an answer you don't want to hear and is completely serious. You should stop caring about this and walk away. Nobody is going to care about a Steam forum ban from years ago. This will never show up during background checks, won't hurt you financially, and isn't a measurement of your character as a human. The only people who would care would be the typical internet freaks which if you're interacting or communicating with such people you've already messed up. The interactions you had with the creator sound parasocial in nature so it's not like he's going to remember you (specifically your Steam name). While I understand that this is a community and pursuing passions is commendable at the end of the day the Steam Forums are there to support the facilitation of selling video games not the enrichment of the human experience.
You need to take a moment and realize you care too much about a Five Nights at Freddy's forum.
This is kinda what I was leaning towards tbh, but I guess part of me just took the ban too seriously and worried that it was a measurement of my characters as a human?
You shouldn't worry about that. It was a misunderstanding, you've learned from it and have grown. Believe me, nobody will ever consider it to say anything about your character - first because they won't care about it, and second because they'll understand that you were younger and have since grown.
Instead of considering it as a negative mark, see it as a learning opportunity and a reminder for the future. It's only negative if you see it as such.