Spinoff

In the context of GameFAQs, a spinoff site denotes a set of boards or other content that GameFAQs users have created as a side project.

They can be created for a number of reasons:

• Frustration with what can be perceived as strict rules of the parent site (LUElinks, LUE2)
• Haven from trolls (MBH Shield)
• KoS Krew homelands (Gamefaqs Refuge, Gamefaqs Hell, Darkside Legion)
• Or a combination, like Board213, which was a haven from annoying people on Current Events and Next-Gen Gaming, frustration of GameFAQs moderators, and a place for the new generation of KoS users such as Kingy, Amir to hang out.

These sites often have Terms of Service that, while based on the rules of GameFAQs, are more lax in either their construction or application. These sites are often formed from a niche community within the larger framework of GameFAQs. Examples include forums initially for the LUE, Toaster Oven, and MBH communities. While many spinoff sites are popular at first, they begin to lose their charm over time, although some spinoff's stay just as popular, or even more so than their GameFAQs board counterparts.