Minecraft wiki to migrate from Fandom
The Minecraft wiki community, consisting of dedicated editors who curate pages for the popular Minecraft game, is set to leave Fandom, the well-known wiki hosting service. The decision follows a vote among contributors and editors, with an overwhelming majority in favor of migrating the community's wiki to a different host.
The discontent among editors stems from what they perceive as a degradation in functionality and an increase in ads and popups on Fandom. Previously known as Wikia, Fandom underwent a rebranding after being acquired by private equity firm TPG Inc. in 2018.
The dissatisfaction among editors initially began with unease and Discord chat, but it has now escalated to a decision to migrate the Minecraft wiki. Although the community strongly opposes Fandom, it remains to be seen if it can entirely break free from its influence.
The discussion regarding the move originated on a page created by SonicWave, a Minecraft wiki editor. The overwhelming support for the migration demonstrates the editors' strong dissatisfaction with Fandom.
This decision comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the McDonald's wiki, where Fandom replaced a page with a paid-for advertorial without consent. The move received widespread criticism from the community, including the Minecraft wiki.
Two alternative hosts, wiki.gg (referred to as "wiki guide" due to its WikiWizard software) and Bulbapedia, have reached out to the Minecraft wiki. However, the final decision on leaving Fandom and choosing a new host is currently under discussion.
Despite the immense popularity of Minecraft and the potential to attract more contributors to Fandom, the practicality of the move is being questioned by some. The Minecraft wiki has a long-established origin and creating a new fork may lead to competition with the existing, well-established Minecraft wiki.
While the majority supports the move, there are still some who doubt its practicality. One editor writes, "Despite the overwhelming support, I'm not convinced that a new fork would realistically compete with the long-established origin point of the Minecraft wiki. I'm also unsure if we would see an increase in editors for the other Minecraft wikis."
Others raise concerns about the practical aspects of the move, with Bulbapedia and ABXY also expressing interest in hosting the Minecraft wiki. Another editor adds, "It's reassuring to know that Bulbapedia and ABXY have contacted us. I truly hope we can leave and go where we are genuinely wanted."
The decision on whether to leave Fandom and select a new host is currently being discussed. However, switching hosts is not a simple task, as Fandom's forking policy requires the current wiki to remain intact for a certain period. Additionally, Google's hiding of duplicate content in search results presents an additional challenge, as much of the content will need to be rewritten.
Whether you use Fandom as a wiki host or not, it is important to be aware of various aspects. To learn more about how wiki hosting services work and how to migrate, check out our comprehensive guide on the best wiki hosting services.
