Little Nightmares 3 follows two new protagonists—Low, a boy in a raven mask, and Alone, a girl in a green jumpsuit—as they traverse a cluster of distorted realms dubbed the Spiral.
Unlike Little Nightmares II (a confirmed prequel) and the original Little Nightmares (the series’ mainline starting point), Little Nightmares 3’s spot on the franchise timeline remains deliberately unspecified. Neither official statements nor in-game references anchor it before or after any other entry.
Series chronology overview
| Entry | Release Year | Timeline Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Little Nightmares (mobile) | 2023 | Side story | Features recurring yellow raincoat imagery. |
| Little Nightmares II | 2021 | Prequel | Events precede Six’s journey on the Maw. |
| Little Nightmares (original) | 2017 | Mainline | Six’s escape from the Maw. |
| Little Nightmares 3 | 2025 | Unspecified | New protagonists and locales; no fixed placement. |
Why placement remains mysterious
The Nowhere operates on dream-logic where cause and effect blur. Supermassive Games intentionally avoids stamping concrete dates on events, inviting player interpretation and theory crafting. Anchors like the Maw or Signal Tower are absent, reinforcing that Little Nightmares 3 stands apart as its own haunting chapter.
According to Bandai Namco’s 2024 interviews, Little Nightmares III introduces two new protagonists — Low and Alone — on a perilous journey through The Spiral. Unlike previous games, it features full co-op play (online only at launch) and takes a more personal look at teamwork and survival.
Developers confirmed these key points:
- The story is set in The Nowhere, just like previous titles.
- It does not follow Six or Mono but expands the universe with new characters.
- The timeline is “not directly tied” to the first two games.
This makes LN III more of a spiritual continuation than a chronological sequel.
How might Little Nightmares 3 connect to earlier games
Fans have proposed several possibilities based on tone, design, and environmental clues.
| Theory | Summary | Why it fits | Counterpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takes place after LN II | Shows what happens in another part of The Nowhere after Mono becomes the Thin Man | The world looks even more fragmented and decayed | No direct references or carryovers |
| Occurs parallel to LN I and II | Different nightmares happening at the same time in different areas | The Nowhere isn’t bound by time; events can coexist | Developers avoid calling it concurrent |
| Prequel to all | Reveals older origins of The Nowhere | Some imagery in trailers looks ancient | Nothing in official lore supports this |
By shifting focus to new characters and distinct realms, Little Nightmares 3 emphasizes atmosphere over continuity. Its deliberate ambiguity invites players to experience fresh nightmares unburdened by the series’ past.
Little Nightmares 3 arrived on October 10, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2.
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