Fandom

Fandom is a gaming-oriented website launched in 1998 by Fandom, Inc. It aggregates news, previews, and editorials alongside interactive features such as trivia, chat, and message boards. The site is heavily commercialized, with prominent sweepstakes, a storefront selling merchandise, and a layout driven by frames and pop-up elements. Originally conceived as a one-stop destination for gamers, Fandom quickly became known more for its cluttered interface and aggressive advertising than for its editorial depth. While the news and preview sections are often updated, the overall experience is dominated by cross-promotions and tie-ins. For some, it was an early example of the ad-supported gaming portal model; for others, it represented everything wrong with the commercialization of online hobbyist communities in the late 1990s.