View source for Xarcade! (c)

== Xarcade!© Forum History ==

'''Xarcade!©''' is a forum founded by AlienGirl05 in early 2022. Through dedication and hard work, it quickly grew to become one of the top game forums by mid-2022. By 2023, it had reached the status of the #1 user-created game forum, continuing its reign into 2024 as the most active forum of its kind.

== Key Contributors and Staff ==

Throughout 2022 and early 2023, many influential members joined the forum, including '''bpan2021''', who became the forum's co-owner after joining in early March 2022. '''adrastea''', '''awesomeming327.''', and '''RoyalCactus''' played pivotal roles in managing corruption issues, while awesomeming327. developed the rule system that still governs the forum today.

Among the original staff members, '''AlienGirl05''', '''rct2021''', '''ElectricWolverine''', and '''NSAoPS''' remain active, though other early staff have since returned.

== History of Xarcade! ==

The first thread, titled ''"Xarcade WELCOME!!!"'', was created by '''AlienGirl05''' on January 11, 2022, at 12:29 AM EST. The following threads included ''"Xarcade GIVEAWAYS!!!"'', ''"Xarcade BANK!!!"'', and countless games, with the first game being ''Doctor Office''.

On January 15, 2022, '''Ikeguy''' was the first user to join, followed by '''ElectricWolverine''' twelve hours later. A few days later, on January 18, '''yume_mita''' joined, along with '''NSAoPS'''. The forum’s growth continued, with more games created and users joining, which led to its rapid rise in the rankings.

By March 2022, over 50 new members joined, and Xarcade! became the second-most popular user-created forum. By the end of April, '''bpan2021''' became the first member to surpass 1000 XB, breaking the previous record of '''LAFILLEDEPARIS''', who had around 650 XB.

== May 2022: Milestones and Changes ==

In May 2022, the forum saw significant changes. Major administrators '''MinecraftArchitect''' and '''RhinocerosHornbill''' resigned due to increasing conflicts and abuse of power, including '''MinecraftArchitect''''s controversial actions against the LGBTQ community and other staff members.

On May 7, '''bpan2021''' announced that ''Xarcade! Splashes of Color'' had surpassed all other threads in both posts and views. Shortly after, the forum claimed its spot as the #1 user-created forum. By May 14, '''bpan2021''' reached an incredible 4000 XB, and the forum hit 100 members by May 16, 2022. During this time, '''bpan2021''' was promoted from moderator to admin.

Some notable members who joined around this time include '''foxjhl''', '''RoyalCactus''', '''TinyBlackBug''', and '''ChrisalonaLiverspur'''.

On May 19, '''ElectricWolverine''' introduced taxing, and the popular game series ''The War'' made its return.

== Issues and Corruption ==

As the forum grew, so did its challenges. One major issue was the rule system, which many felt was unfair, especially as staff members began to use their power in questionable ways. Another issue was corruption, which was partly exacerbated by the flawed ruleset.

Before June 2022, '''bpan2021''' controversially issued multiple warnings to '''yume_mita''' for swearing, amassing a total of 12 warnings. He also banned '''RoyalCactus''' for the same reason, causing tensions to rise. 

As a result, several users, including '''RoyalCactus''', '''ChrisalonaLiverspur''', and '''adrastea''' (who had a different username at the time), began to speak out against the corruption, criticizing both the staff and '''bpan2021''' for their actions.

Throughout June, tensions escalated as accusations of favoritism and rule violations were thrown around. '''bpan2021''' was accused of issuing warnings selectively, even though he had broken the rules himself. As the arguments raged on, the discussion shifted toward the fairness and enforcement of the rules.

== The Deleted Posts Incident ==

On June 3, '''bpan2021''' was the first to notice that over 50 posts had been deleted from the ''Welcome'' thread. While many blamed '''bpan2021'''—due to his proximity to the incident—he denied any involvement, stating that he would never have deleted posts.

The accusations turned into a heated debate, with '''adrastea''' (who was later known by a different username) taking the lead in pushing the narrative that '''bpan2021''' was guilty. Despite his arguments, many users sided with '''adrastea''', while others defended '''bpan2021'''.

In an attempt to get clarity, one user reached out to the AoPS Sheriff, hoping to resolve the situation. To the relief of '''bpan2021''' and others, the AoPS Sheriff confirmed that they were responsible for the deleted posts, bringing an end to the debate.

== Conclusion ==

By mid-2022, Xarcade! had grown into a thriving community despite its internal struggles. The issues surrounding corruption and rule enforcement led to a reorganization of the staff, with a new focus on fairness and transparency. As of 2024, Xarcade! remains one of the most active and successful user-created game forums, continuing to evolve with the help of its passionate community.