How do you guys avoid spoilers for games you are interested in?

IGN just spoiled Mass Effect 2's beginning for me, even though I avoided the article that is about the spoilers, so I'm kind of pissed off right now (it was due to their ing email alerts). This seems to be happening a lot for me lately, where I'll get spoiled on major plot developments for games I'm keeping an eye on, when I go out of my way not to click articles that say they are spoilers. What can I do though to keep informed about a game but at the same time not be spoiled by anything? Even the discussion threads here can be less than stellar at times about spoilers.

Oh and no, I don't want to discuss anything about Mass Effect 2 here, even the beginning that was already spoiled for me.

I've found the best way is not to read damn near anything about a game beforehand, especially if it's one I already know I'm going to play. Early previews are usually a safe bet, but just about anything else, including reviews (just skip to the last paragraph summary and the score) and especially forum threads, could lead to spoilage.

I also have a tendency to avoid certain media outlets once they spoil me in a major and unwarranted way.

What Shinra said. If you must know something about a game, ask someone who has already had shit spoiled for them.

For example - does anyone know if/how they changed the control you have over squadmates in ME2?

Hmm, I don't know about early spoilers, but avoiding mid to late game spoilers is easy. Avoid video game message boards at all cost. Right now I'm avoiding the Bayonetta forums like the plague.

I didn't even want to know anything though, heh. It was an email alert listing all the new articles on the games I'm interested in. The article heading on the site is very careful to not say anything, but the alert gives away the spoiler in it's description of the article.

I guess I should just turn off the email alerts, though I liked knowing when new articles were up in case I wanted to read them. Also, does anyone know how to turn off the comments on IGN? The non spoiler article has spoiler comments at the bottom of the article, which helped spoil it even more.

Yep, no email alerts.

Dunno about comments; never go to IGN. But they're segregated from the article somewhat; shouldn't it be easy enough to skip them?

I just don't go near anything involving that game other than gameplay movies, and if they have characters talking in them I tend to mute it.

I don't go to any other gaming sites beyond CAG. And I stay away from threads on a game after it's release if I'm not playing it yet (which is usually the case with most games as I wait to get them on Goozex).

Otherwise, I don't mind minor spoilers about the beginning of games etc., so I will look at pre-release threads etc.

[quote name='The Crotch']Yep, no email alerts.

Dunno about comments; never go to IGN. But they're segregated from the article somewhat; shouldn't it be easy enough to skip them?[/QUOTE]

You can still see the 5 most recent ones at the bottom, and it's kind of hard to avoid them. It just so happened that one of the most recent ones had a spoiler in it.

You guys have some good points though. I should really only search for info on games that I'm on the fence about or whatnot anyway, as to increase my chances of not being spoiled.

avoid all articles relating to it!
for MGS4, i didnt read anything related to it. So when the game was out i played it and everything was brand new! *warning*MGS4 spoiler

I'm not really that spoiler sensitive. I think a lot of gamers get really worked up about the most insignificant of spoilers, but continue to read every last piece of info about a forthcoming game. I've noticed a lot of what gamers consider a spoiler, really doesn't spoil anything. I realize that wasn't the case with you, I've just noticed that in general.

Also, I don't really read previews, at all. I just don't care to get the latest tidbit of information about a game that's not even out yet, I'd rather concentrate on the games that are out, and you can actually play and have an interesting conversation about. There are so many games out now, I don't need to hype myself up over the new and shiny.

I instantly forget about half of what I read and by the time a game comes out I've usually forgot the other half. So I'll read early stuff but try not to read anything closer to a release date of a game I want to play.

[quote name='blueshinra']I've found the best way is not to read damn near anything about a game beforehand, especially if it's one I already know I'm going to play. Early previews are usually a safe bet, but just about anything else, including reviews (just skip to the last paragraph summary and the score) and especially forum threads, could lead to spoilage.

I also have a tendency to avoid certain media outlets once they spoil me in a major and unwarranted way.[/QUOTE]


thats the best way to go about it. id avoid gamestop too lol. someone posted a while back where they were showing videos of games endings in their store which would suck if youve never played the game but overall some info about a game isnt too bad its one thing to read about something but its another thing to play it.

Don't read or watch anything about the game at all. Buy it day one and hope to god it doesn't suck.

I don't go into threads here once a game has been released until I get it.

I don't visit any gaming sites but here and GamesRadar.

[quote name='FroMann']Don't read or watch anything about the game at all. Buy it day one and hope to god it doesn't suck.[/QUOTE]

I agree, especially the 'hope to god it doesn't suck' part, though I'm starting to care less and less if a game is 'ruined' for me since I'm only paying about $15 on average for them nowadays.

Of course, this is due to them being out for a LONG time before I even consider buying most games anymore, so by the time I pick one up the story has been spoiled 100000x over on YouTube.

Actually, had I just waited the obligatory week or two from release, I could've saved myself $90 when I bought the GTA IV Special Edition for the PS3, since I would've seen how much they revamped the controls and how much of a in' wimp the main character was/is.

Same deal with Little Big Planet(coulda saved $$$/credit by waiting), but I really wanted that game(and Mercenaries 2) since I loved games in those particular genres in times past.

But I just couldn't get myself to finish Mercs 2 due to all of the stupid glitches and LBP I couldn't finish just because I....well...I just gave up on it and moved onto another game.

One thing that's pissing me off more than seeing spoilers for games this gen before I play the game which started last gen a bit is re-issuing games with new content and possibly new characters too. I'm talking about all of the 'GOTY' editions of games released with the downloadable content that I would never pay full MSRP for in the first place about 6 months to a year AFTER I've already bought my original version.

THAT shit pisses me off more than seeing spoilers, since I feel like I just wasted X amount on that game and I didn't get the best value for my money.

Then again, outside of LBP, Mercs 2 and GTA IV I don't think I've bought very many games when they first launched and even those three(with the exception of GTAIV)I paid for with cheap credit from flipping.

[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']One thing that's pissing me off more than seeing spoilers for games this gen before I play the game which started last gen a bit is re-issuing games with new content and possibly new characters too. I'm talking about all of the 'GOTY' editions of games released with the downloadable content that I would never pay full MSRP for in the first place about 6 months to a year AFTER I've already bought my original version.

THAT shit pisses me off more than seeing spoilers, since I feel like I just wasted X amount on that game and I didn't get the best value for my money.[/QUOTE]
GOTY editions are nothing new on the PC side, partly because PC DLC isn't new either. Having played PC games (on and off) for a long time, I'm used to GOTY editions (and can wait on certain titles if need be), but I also understand the frustration of those who aren't.

Just do my best to skip over anything if I see it coming. I, like most CAG, have a huge backlog and still haven't gotten around to finishing games like MGS4 and it's a pain because people think that a game that's been out for a while can be openly discussed.

don't click:

I just go into full on media blackout. It works for most games. I didn't know anything about ODST before it dropped (HA!). Same deal with Dragon Age and Fallout 3. MW2 got me because of that stupid leaked level.

I was pissed about that. It might've been a cheap thrill that IW was going for but I never got the chance to experience it without prior knowledge so I can't really go by my feelings when I played it myself.

As it stands, I'm avoiding Dead Space 2 stuff more than anything else. Game Informer tried to get me with a huge article about it in their most recent issue. Jerks.

I avoided every article about MGS4, but that doesn't help when Kotaku posts an article with the headline

Don't go to IGN and don't subscribe to their email lists. Be careful about clicking on articles from the blogs.

well i am about a year and a half behind on egm and game informer. Since thats pretty much the only thing I read I not only usually get the games when they are $20 or less because they have been out for a year + but there is rarely an opportunity to spoil it = P

I try for most games first Icheck metacritic for an idea of reviews then rent the game.