Little Nightmares 3’s Carnevale Should Avoid the Obvious Enemy at All Costs

Little Nightmares 3 came out swinging during its special showcase, revealing not only a release date, but a brand-new trailer and gameplay. The wait for Little Nightmares 3 has been a long one, as the game was originally supposed to come out last year. After a long delay, the third chapter in the adorably disturbing horror franchise is right around the corner, and it’s promising some heart-pounding settings.

One of these levels is Carnevale. As the name implies, Carnevale is a demented carnival filled with terrifying beings to run into. This marks the first time that the Little Nightmares franchise has ventured into a circus-like setting, and it’s just the right unnerving atmosphere needed to honor the series in a brand-new way. However, one potential enemy type seems obvious: clowns. While clowns make sense for a carnival setting, Little Nightmares 3 may be better off subverting expectations by focusing on other horrors instead.

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Little Nightmares 3 May Have Missed the Clown Boat

A Long-Running Horror Trope That Needs a Break

There’s no doubt that clowns can be terrifying. Stephen King’s IT and prolific serial killer John Wayne Gacy have completely flipped how much of society views clowns. However, these red-nosed characters have arguably been overused over the years. Whether it’s a goofier adaptation, like Killer Klowns from Outer Space, or a more disturbing and gore-filled tale, like the Terrifier franchise, clowns have permeated pop culture for decades.

During the Little Nightmares 3 showcase, a 10-minute preview of the Carnevale level was revealed, and while no clowns were present in the demo, it definitely seemed probable that one could show up. It’s incredibly easy to imagine a giant clown as the level’s final boss, but that also runs the risk of being a disappointing reveal, since it’s so expected.

Little Nightmares 3 will be available for the Nintendo Switch 1&2, PC, PS5, and the Xbox Series X/S.

Carnevale is Already Horrifying Enough

From the very beginning of the demo of Little Nightmare 3‘s Carnevale level, the oppressive nature of its atmosphere was immediately clear. Since Little Nightmares 3 is being developed by Supermassive Games this time instead of series creator Tarsier Studios, there were questions about whether the developer could nail the franchise’s specific tone or not. Thankfully, it seems as though Carnevale has given a clear answer.

Carnevale looks beyond bleak in the best way. 2025 already has plenty of horror offerings, but the Little Nightmares franchise’s special brand of cute horror makes it a standout option to look forward to this fall. Featuring a clown in the Carnevale level definitely wouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but the dark energy of the area is already so effective, a clown simply may not be necessary.

In addition to Little Nightmares 3, the showcase also finally revealed the long-rumored Enhanced Edition of the original Little Nightmares.

From the very beginning of the demo of Little Nightmare 3‘s Carnevale level, the oppressive nature of its atmosphere was immediately clear.

Little Nightmares 3 is Adding Another Strong Horror Title to Fall 2025’s Lineup

Little Nightmares 3 is set to release on October 11.

Since fall leads up to Halloween, late September and early October tend to be the stage for fresh horror titles to debut. Little Nightmares 3 having a fall release date felt like a no-brainer, but it is far from the only horror option on the roster. Late September brings Silent Hill f to gamers, while Directive 8020 offers a one-two punch from Supermassive Games this October. After such a long wait after its delay, finally having confirmation of a release date is a thrilling update, and it will be interesting to see how the game stacks up against its fellow horror titles.