The Wikimedia blog reflected on the effect Pokemon has had on encyclopaedic knowledge in a recent post. Over its 20 year history, the Pokemon franchise has supplied us with an ever-growing heap of trivia, factoids, and backstories just waiting to be documented by the public—a cause for concern among “Exclusionists” in the Wikipedia community.
I am generally on the side of the exclusionists in this matter. Plenty of well-kept wikis for fans (see Bulbapedia) exist and seem fit for this purpose. Admittedly, these sites vary wildly in quality and scope (not to mention the advertisement infestation). Wikipedia has perhaps found a compromise by employing its love for comprehensive lists. Will this be an effective long term solution?
