Spoilers Before Release Day and How to Avoid Them

In the age of social media, getting something spoiled is as easy as opening Facebook or Twitter. All it takes is the first post in your feed to give away some juicy details ahead of something you’re really looking forward to. Even news outlets have been guilty of this, as I have to rush to watch new episodes of The Mandalorian on Fridays as key plot details are shown because thumbnails and discussion points precede them mere hours after the episode is released in the middle of the night.

Yes, before social media, the only way you could get spoiled is if you have a conniving friend that could care less if you hadn’t seen the latest movie or watched the latest episode of a show. Who could forget the classic Simpsons joke where Homer walks out of the theatre after Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and reveals that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father to a line of moviegoers waiting for the next showing?

Personally, I’m dying to dive into Night City in Cyberpunk 2077. So much so that I’ve restrained myself to short glimpses of gameplay to avoid any bit of the story/setting. I experienced The Witcher III: Wild Hunt for the first time in full this year and had the time of my life with the game. I’ve always adored futuristic settings and I have faith in CD Projekt Red to deliver a knockout punch of a product considering they put mountains of effort into it, even if I’m not happy with their work ethics.

So, when is it alright to talk about the finer details of a hot commodity? The answer to that question is a bit hazy. I’d counter by saying that conversation can be had around a property if someone who has experienced it takes note of what points they’re discussing and is respectful of the other party by interjecting themselves with “Wait, are you okay if I spoil this for you?” if they don’t believe the other person wants to experience it for themselves.

I’ve had some pretty huge stuff spoiled for me before. One instance that comes to mind was the week leading up to the release of Star Wars: Episode VII when a vital character’s death was shown in a meme, essentially destroying a large amount of the hype I had built up for myself. Back when the last season of My Hero Academia was running, I did spoil what I thought wasn’t a significant plot point in a Facebook post and it hurt knowing that individual that commented wouldn’t feel the same excitement I did during my watch.

Of course, curiosity killed the cat when it comes to spoilers. It’s hard to avoid them when you can’t tell what the next post on your news feed will be. Unfortunately, it’s the only foolproof plan in this case. If it means a lot to you, you can make the effort to indulge in your upcoming media at the earliest convenience, and if it means your eyes stray away from a bright screen for a little while and you don’t get what you’re looking forward to ruined, I’d say it’s worth it!