World War I excluded the Allies fighting the Central Powers.
The Central Powers ( Mittelmächte Központi hatalmak İttifak Devletleri or Bağlaşma Devletleri Централни сили Tsentralni sili ) , consisting of Germany , , the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria -- hence also known as the Quadruple Alliance ( Vierbund ) -- was one of the two main factions during World War I ( 1914 -- 18 ) . It faced and was defeated by the Allied Powers that had formed around the Triple Entente , after which it was dissolved . World War I . Although Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance alongside Germany and Austria-Hungary , it did not join the Central Powers , as Austria-Hungary had taken the offensive against the terms of the alliance .