I’m usually not the hugest fan of spoilers. Sure, if it’s about a book, movie or game that I have no interest in, then I don’t really care whether the main character was dead all along. But when it comes to those series that I am a fan of, I typically keep away from spoilers in favor of discovering the juicy tidbits on my own terms — by actually experiencing them in the moment.
And here comes the quandary. When you’re as big of a fan of WoW as I and most of you reading this are, it’s hard not to come across mountains of spoilers. And when they’re so easily accessible, it’s also hard to turn your head away. A peek of a screenshot here, a leaked little factoid there, a piece of guild chat that unwillingly meets my eyes in-game.
Pretty soon, and I’m hooked. What I have seen cannot be unseen! And it leaves me thirsting for more! It’s a real problem, fueled by my added self-reassurance that I need to know these things in order to write and podcast chat about them.
I suppose this whole rant was brought on by our readers’ reactions to the recent posts that include masses of leaked info from the Cataclysm Friends and Family Alpha. For some fans, seeing huge amounts of spoilers serves as a way to fuel the anticipation factor.
But it seems that of you also try to stay away from the hoopla. Some fans even are turned off by leaked information because, for them, it only dulls the rising anticipation of the impending game release. Some readers try to stay away from this information altogether, while others read the information that pertains to their class so they can plan for how to stay in the game, while avoiding all other spoilers.
It seems that those players have one thing that I do not, at least when it comes to WoW: Resolve. I’ve accepted my lack of it, and decided to embrace it. If it lessons my surprise while in-game, so be it — instead, I’ll score my cheap, little thrills now.
Who else has wrestled with the decision of whether or not to read WoW leaks and spoilers?
Even with my resolve, Pixie, it’s still tough to NOT find information. The leaked stuff I could do without but Blizz, imo, has done an outSTANDING job of releasing just the right amount and kinds of information that can keep one not only up to date but also excited….
I can go both ways with WoW spoilers. Some things I wouldn’t mind waiting to see (like dungeons and zones) but I really want all the info I can get about class mechanics and gear changes. That way I can prepare myself for the upcoming changes and not be surprised when my favourite class plays differently.
I guess I don’t mind the occational screenshot either, though I am sort of thinking that right now, I want to be a little surprised the day the expansion hits and I walk out onto an Azeroth that has changed forever.
Oh boy, for me it’s hard because, like you, the more I try the harder it appears (to stay away). And it doesn’t take much once I give up :l so eventually I get burned out from WoW but stay on board because of the new expansion. *sigh* It happens every two years :l
Well, I hate to say it but, you guy’s are Guilty of spoiler’s yourselves.
That Deathwing photo? Yeah, I was planning on Waiting to see what he looked like in cata, but 1 click to this website and BAM, cannot unsee. (fool’s never see themselves, as they say)
Me, I’m good with the amount of info they release by Blizz, not the people who data mine. Why?
1. It’s Incomplete. NOTHING they post 75% of the time makes it in the final cut because it’s all Conjecture and unfinished.
2. IF Blizz Wanted you to see this, they’d Show it (and don’t say they don’t, they just released class previews and dungeon’s up the wing wong)
3. It Does kill the excitement.
When the last patch for Fall of the Lich King came out, I wasn’t someone to see him dead first. It took me 2 months and a guild change to do it, but I finally got my First Progression Based True End Game Kill. Was I happy that I held off on seeing the fight/cinematic until I actually did it, instead of watching it all on you tube?
HELL YES! It was Awesome! A Great Feel and Victory All Too The End!
You see, as the wisest man once said, that most wow player’s need to realize, and would benefit if they did, “Patients, is a virtue”.
Try Waiting for once in your life, and you may find the end justifies the means. (i know i did)
As much as I want to know what is coming, I enjoy the newness of finding it for myself.. and I try to close my eyes/ears so too not spoil that, but it is hard as a WoW junkie.
To keep it fresh and worth the wait I will keep alot of the leaked stuff away from my curiosity and pass it to my anticipation :)