And Cake already went through a rough period. It looked very hairy for a few but Cake has a stronger core. They learned some things, improved, and came out better for it. However, they gotta perpetually be aware of the risks that open communities can get. Just if something does happen, I wouldn't be that worried about them unless there was some major split among their members.
Another factor however, is the fact that the GOIO community is small. It is also more active and personal. Clans converse with each other, clash with each other, and maintain a more public presence than MMOs. This has a lot to do with the forums here. The activity level is higher because everything runs through them. People have gotten used to that. MMOs portray themselves as a social gaming experience when in fact once players join guilds, they are more prone to only hanging with guildies rather than the public players. There is no need for forums or talking with other guilds as the guild generally handles all of that themselves through their own site/etc. GOIO sees some of this, but overall it isn't as bad.
All of that can fuel implosions even more since MMO players always have a concept of "the grass is always greener," with other guilds in the back of their minds. People can be easily coaxed and poached from guilds. Then you have the guild hoppers who jump from guild to guild for whatever reason. Much of the time to steal items or loot.
For how social the games are, MMO players are some of the most selfish groups in gaming. I've ran Raiding guilds or been on major raid teams. When you hit endgame in MMOs there is either raids or PVP. People like to fantasize about social aspects and becoming friends with people all over the world, but that only holds up for so long. This is why RP servers are better if you want to find friendlier, less selfish, players. They tend to not be completely focused on endgame or PVP. Their desire to play is not dependent on what is offered by the game company or by how maxed out they can make their toons.
I currently run a semi hardcore Ops guild on an RP server. The skill level of the players is sometimes lower than PVE servers, but problem players are fewer. The only major split we had was about 2 years ago...started by a group of hardcore Ops players in the community. I merged them in a year or two prior when their guild disbanded. We had ran with many of them and we had liked them. Then when their guild collapsed, we kindly took them in. Bout a year later, their leader took a bunch and up and left. I knew the guy, I even had made him a Co-GM. Just suddenly I'm out of town and the post is made, he took his little core group, then coaxed a bunch of others with him. Didn't even have the nerve to say it himself, made one of his buddies do it for him.
I would have let him go if he had came to me. In fact I made him a deal back when he merged his people in. If they ever wanted to leave and restart their guild, we'd give them our blessing and even do whatever we could to help them get back on their feet. So yeah, he royally stabbed us in the back. I lost a lot of people I considered "friends." Even the people he coaxed to go with him weren't happy. they didn't think it was right. But he lied to them, told them stories. It was the same crap I had seen over a dozen times in WoW/etc over the years. Same story too. All of them ended the same way. In fact, that was my parting message to them. "Within 6 months, maybe a year, you guys will collapse."
Then about 2 months later (think it was about a month before people got angry), it happened. Later on I found out why. He showed his true colors. Told all of them that they were scum and unworthy of being on the core Ops team. Then he took those guys and switched servers. Left the ones who were tricked behind. He even cleaned out of guild bank of one of his allies and left their guild creditless before leaving. The ones left behind then formed a guild of their own up and actually have become quite good.
See with GOIO and all the clans having to interact with each other on here, there is a clear picture of what everyone offers. The "grass is greener" principle isn't as embedded. That guy that stabbed me in the back, would not have had it so easy convincing people had they not already had a concept of greed in their minds. Thinking they'd be better off under him elsewhere. That they'd progress faster or get more goodies sooner. In GOIO we don't have medals or awards, or items which make our ships hit harder. The difference between top clans and struggling clans is not based on gear or talent. If you can follow commands, work with others, and have a decent net connection, you can be a pro GOIO player.
In fact I rarely see people changing clans in GOIO as I would in MMOs. When they do I don't see the major, screw people over, mentality as I do in MMOs.