
The SCP Foundation, which stands for Special Containment Procedures, is a fictional online collaborative writing project that originated on the paranormal /x/ forum of 4chan in June 2007. The project consists of thousands of SCP files, which are mock confidential scientific reports detailing various SCP objects and their associated containment procedures. The SCP universe has inspired numerous fan-made adaptations in varying forms of media, including literature, music, short films, and video games. One such video game is Paint the Town Red, which features SCP-like elements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | The SCP Foundation originated in the "paranormal" /x/ forum of 4chan in June 2007 |
| First SCP File | SCP-173 |
| Created by | Anonymous user later identified as Wesley "Moto42" Williams |
| Image | Sculpture "Untitled 2004" by Japanese artist Izumi Kato |
| Genre | Science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, and creepypasta |
| Website | Wikidot |
| Content | Mock confidential scientific reports that document various SCPs and associated containment procedures |
| SCP Objects | Assigned a unique identification number and a "containment class" based on the difficulty of containing it |
| SCP-173 | A humanoid statue composed of rebar, concrete, and spray paint; immobile when directly observed but attacks people when the line of sight is broken |
| Other Examples | SCP-294 (a coffee vending machine that can dispense anything in liquid form), SCP-426 (a toaster that can only be referred to in the first person), SCP-999 (a slime mold-like creature that smells like a comforting scent to those it touches) |
| Games | Paint the Town Red |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

The SCP Foundation originated on 4chan
The SCP Foundation, a paranormal creative writing community, originated on 4chan's /x/ forum in June 2007. The first SCP file, SCP-173, was posted by Wesley "Moto42" Williams (S.S. Walrus) and was accompanied by an image of the sculpture "Untitled 2004" by Japanese artist Izumi Kato. While Kato was displeased with the unlicensed use of his artwork, he allowed its use for non-commercial purposes.
SCP-173 was initially a stand-alone short story, but it quickly gained popularity within 4chan's paranormal community, inspiring numerous similar stories set within the same fictional universe. In January 2008, a few 4chan users set up the first iteration of the SCP wiki on EditThis, marking the beginning of the SCP Foundation as a dedicated writing community.
The EditThis wiki was linked to on 4chan multiple times throughout August 2008, but by September of that year, the community had largely moved to Wikidot, with the SCP Wiki transferring to its current website. The Wikidot SCP Foundation website has been active since July 2008, with the community growing and branching into additional languages from the early 2010s.
The SCP Wiki routinely holds creative writing contests to encourage submissions and has expanded its online presence beyond the wiki, maintaining a presence on various social media platforms, including Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, and Bluesky. The SCP Foundation has also inspired video games such as Control and Lethal Company, which draw upon the existing mythos and monsters from the SCP universe.
Despite its roots in 4chan, a website known for its right-wing bias, the SCP Wiki staff has demonstrated center-left leanings, as evidenced by their participation in Pride Month and associated controversy. This participation led to criticism and accusations of "toxic baggage" due to the wiki's origins.
Paint Buckets: Square Footage to Gallons Simplified
You may want to see also
Explore related products

SCP-173 is the first SCP ever written
SCP-173, a humanoid statue composed of rebar, concrete, and spray paint, is the first SCP ever written. It was created on June 22nd, 2007, by 4chan user Moto42, also known as S.S. Walrus. Walrus created the character as a random post to spook people on a message board, trying to subvert the usual "jump-scare/creepy photo" trend associated with bad creepypastas.
The post laid out the basic description of SCP-173: a statue that can move at a very high speed and snap the neck of any life form when it is not being observed. It is immobile when directly observed but attacks people and breaks their necks when the line of sight with it is broken. It is extremely fast, to the point where it can move multiple meters when the observer blinks.
The character's origin is unknown, but it is made of concrete and rebar with traces of Krylon brand spray paint. SCP-173 is extremely hostile and animate. It cannot move while being viewed directly and must not be broken. Personnel at a minimum of three are assigned to enter the container and are instructed to alert one another before blinking. It is reported to kill its victims by snapping the neck of any human it encounters.
The use of the 173 slot, rather than the 001 slot, was a horror tactic. As SCP-173 was originally intended to be a standalone piece of writing, the fact that the neck-breaking statue is the 173rd categorized anomaly means that there are at least 172 other equally terrifying monsters contained by this organization. The original 173 was just a creepypasta posted on 4chan, similar to how the backrooms started but about 12 years earlier. The author naming it SCP-173 proved to be a good creative decision as it set the scope of the universe in which the creepypasta took place.
Many additional SCP files were created shortly after SCP-173, copying its style and setting within the same fictional universe. In July 2008, the SCP Wiki was transferred to its current Wikidot website, and new Wikidot wikis made use of the CC BY-SA 3.0 license at the time. By 2009, a large number of articles had been written, but the quality of those posts was often poor. A mass edit conducted from September to December of that year saw every article reviewed, and a large number were "decommissioned".
Creating Shadows for Objects in Paint Shop Pro
You may want to see also
Explore related products

SCPs have inspired video games
SCP stands for "Secure, Contain, Protect", and the concept has inspired several video games. The SCP Foundation is a collaborative creative project that has been providing horror, sci-fi, and speculative fiction fans with thrilling and chilling content since 2008. The project began as a wiki of creative writing ideas, but it has since expanded far beyond that, inspiring video games, novels, and films.
One of the most notable SCP-inspired games is SCP: Containment Breach, an indie horror game developed by Finnish developer Joonas "Regalis" Rikkonen. In this game, the player controls a human test subject trapped in a facility designed to study and contain supernatural and paranormal phenomena designated as SCPs. The player must escape the facility when it suffers a failure in its protocol, causing the Foundation to lose control of the containment of its anomalous assets, many of which are dangerous. The game received positive reviews for its atmosphere and innovative mechanics, such as the blink mechanic, which forces the player to blink at specific intervals to avoid being attacked by SCP-173, a sculpture that comes to life when it is not in a living being's direct line of sight.
Another popular SCP-inspired game is SCP: Secret Laboratory, a multiplayer first-person shooter that builds on the premise of SCP: Containment Breach. Other notable mentions include SCP: Labrat, which offers a VR-supported format, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the terrifying world of SCPs; SCP: 5K, which tackles the shady organization from the outside and offers immersive tactical combat and weapon customization; and The Store is Closed, which centres around one specific SCP entry and forces players to come face-to-face with the paranormal.
The success of these games demonstrates the potential for SCP-inspired video games, and with a wealth of fan-made content freely available, there is a lot more that can be explored and developed in the future.
Louis Kronberg Paintings: Current Market Value Insights
You may want to see also
Explore related products

SCP-294 is a vending machine that can dispense anything in liquid form
SCP stands for Secure, Contain, Protect, and SCP-294 is a coffee vending machine with some unusual properties.
SCP-294 is located in a facility cafeteria and appears to be a standard coffee vending machine. However, it has an entry touchpad with a QWERTY keyboard, and once a user deposits fifty cents, they can request any liquid by typing its name. The machine then dispenses a standard 12-ounce paper cup filled with the requested liquid. This includes liquids that do not usually exist in a liquid state, such as nitrogen, iron, and glass. Interestingly, the cups provided by the machine are not damaged by caustic substances, which would normally eat through a regular paper cup.
During testing, researchers requested a wide range of liquids, including water, coffee, beer, soda, sulfuric acid, wiper fluid, motor oil, liquid carbon, and even molten gold. The machine successfully provided all requested liquids that could exist in a liquid state. For instance, when diamond" was requested, the machine displayed "OUT OF RANGE,", but when the request was changed to "cup of carbon,," it dispensed liquid carbon without issue.
The machine also seems capable of interpreting more abstract requests. For example, when "something Cassy will like" was entered, the machine dispensed an empty cup with an image of a chocolate banana milkshake, which was later judged by another subject to be delicious. In another instance, a researcher requested "the perfect drink," and after consuming the dispensed lavender-coloured liquid, they went into shock and later committed suicide, leaving a note expressing disappointment.
Due to the machine's unusual properties, it has been moved to a secure location in the facility's break room, and guards have been stationed nearby. Further testing is ongoing to understand the full extent of SCP-294's capabilities.
Topcoat Essentials for Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Metallic Paint
You may want to see also
Explore related products

SCP-999 is a slime mould that smells like comfort
SCP stands for Secure, Contain, Protect, a fictional organisation that captures, contains, and studies paranormal, supernatural, and mysterious phenomena.
SCP-999 is a slime mould-like creature, a large, amorphous, gelatinous mass of translucent orange slime, weighing around 54 kg. It is malleable and can change shape at will, though when at rest, it becomes a rounded, oblate dome roughly 2 meters wide and 1 meter in height. Its surface is a thin, transparent membrane, similar to an animal cell, and is highly elastic.
The surface of SCP-999 emits a pleasing odour, which differs depending on who it is interacting with. It has been described as smelling like chocolate, fresh laundry, bacon, roses, and Play-Doh™. The odour has a comforting effect, inducing mild euphoria in those who come into contact with it. The slime mould's temperament is playful and dog-like, and it has a particular interest in those who are unhappy or hurting. It has even been known to risk its life to save others, once leaping in front of a person to take a bullet for them.
The creature's diet consists of candy and sweets, and it has the same intelligence as a house cat. It can form a mouth to show emotion, and it can also form arms to wave, dance, shrug, and tickle. This tickling causes people to fall to the ground with happiness, with music playing and colours appearing brighter.
The possibility of manufacturing antidepressants from SCP-999's slime is being discussed due to its positive effects on people suffering from depression and PTSD.
Wait Time for Painting Fresh Concrete
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
SCP stands for Special Containment Procedures.
In the game, you are an SCP that is contained in Research Site-██, a facility designed to study both humanoid and non-humanoid SCPs.
An example of an SCP is SCP-173, a humanoid statue composed of rebar, concrete, and spray paint. It is immobile when directly observed, but it attacks people and breaks their necks when the line of sight with it is broken.
Some other examples of SCPs include SCP-294, a coffee vending machine that can dispense anything that can exist in liquid form, and SCP-426, a toaster that can only be referred to in the first person.
The SCP Foundation originated in the "paranormal" /x/ forum of 4chan in June 2007, where the very first SCP file, SCP-173, was posted by an anonymous user.











































