SCP Foundation
A secret organization containing paranormal anomalies to preserve normalcy.
The SCP Foundation is a fictional secret organization that serves as the central premise of the SCP Wiki, a collaborative fiction project launched in 2008. Within the shared world, the Foundation is responsible for capturing, containing, and studying paranormal, supernatural, and other mysterious phenomena—known as anomalies or SCPs—while keeping their existence hidden from society. The Foundation is generally portrayed as operating independently of any national government, answering only to its own mysterious leadership body known as the O5 Council or Overseers.
Quick Facts
- Screenshot Alt
- Screenshot showing the latest version of the main page on the SCP Foundation wiki
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- on
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- Screenshot
- Registration
- OptionalRegistration is only required to submit works and projects, or to leave comments and vote upon existing works. The site is free to view to people without an account.
- Content License
- CC BY-SA 3.0
- Owner
- <!-- or
- Editor
- SCP Foundation community
- Launch Date
- 2008-01-19 (original) · 2008-07-19 (current site)
- Current Status
- Active
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The SCP Foundation originated in the paranormal /x/ forum of 4chan in June 2007, where the first SCP file, SCP-173, was posted by an anonymous user later identified as Wesley 'Moto42' Williams. The entry was accompanied by an image of the sculpture 'Untitled 2004' by Japanese artist Izumi Katō, who allowed its use for noncommercial purposes. Though initially a stand-alone short story, many additional SCP files were created shortly after, copying SCP-173's style and set within the same fictional universe. In July 2008, the SCP Wiki was transferred to its current Wikidot website after the previous hosting service switched to a paid model, and the staff accidentally adopted the CC BY-SA 3.0 license for SCP media.
Reader's Guide
The SCP Foundation is significant as the central fictional organization of the SCP Wiki, a collaborative writing project that includes elements of horror, science fiction, and urban fantasy. The majority of works on the site are SCP files: mock confidential scientific reports documenting various SCPs and associated containment procedures, along with Foundation Tales—short stories featuring various characters and settings. The site's literary works have been praised for their ability to convey horror through a quasi-scientific and academic writing style, as well as for their high standards of quality. The SCP universe has inspired adaptations in various media, including literature, short films, and video games. The Foundation's legacy lies in its creation of a vast shared fictional universe with numerous rival organizations—known as Groups of Interest—such as the Chaos Insurgency, the Global Occult Coalition, and the Serpent's Hand, each with different approaches to the paranormal.
Did You Know?
- The first SCP ever written was SCP-173, a humanoid statue that attacks when not directly observed.
- The SCP Foundation originated on the /x/ forum of 4chan in June 2007.
- The Foundation uses D-class personnel—disposable human test subjects—for dangerous experiments.
- The SCP Wiki accidentally adopted the CC BY-SA 3.0 license when it moved to Wikidot in July 2008.
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