When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler?

One recent user comment made me think. In my wish list for GTA VI, I mention how Red Dead Redemption 2 suddenly surprised me with a new area later in the game. Unprompted.

User Lustersoldier22 complains in the comments that I spoiled a surprise:

I still think the «spoiler» isn’t very problematic and stand behind my answer. Nevertheless, I get where this user’s coming from. I get this information spoiled part of the game for him. It was a spoiler for him, not for me.

But I started wondering. Did I do something wrong? What even is a spoiler? At what point is it permissible to talk openly about important plot twists or storylines from relevant topics in pop culture?

It’s common knowledge that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. Same with Bruce Willis’ character in The Sixth Sense already being d… or is that giving too much away? Can I, 17 years after the last Harry Potter book came out, mention in an article that a certain character dies at the end? Or am I allowed to write about the game’s controversial twist unprompted four years after the release of The Last of Us Part II?

I’m not quite sure. So I asked various members of our editorial team who regularly write about films, shows or games in the magazine. Needless to say, opinions on the subject differ.

Philipp Rüegg: «Spoilers have no expiration date»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
I define a spoiler as information that reveals something exciting or surprising. A story twist, a new direction in a game or even a new playable character. In my game reviews, I try to avoid these things as much as possible – that, or I give a heads-up when I go into them.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
Spoilers have no expiration date to me. There will always be people who haven’t seen something. With cultural icons like Darth Vader, for example, I think you can talk freely. Still, there are also young people seeing the movie for the first time…

Have you been spoiled in the past?
I’ve been spoiled several times, but I usually forgot the spoilers again. That extra information never spoiled my enjoyment of a game, series or movie. For me, it’s always about experiencing the whole thing. I probably experienced my biggest spoiler for Netflix series Dark.

Simon Balissat: «Spoilers expire at some point»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
When I write articles, anything that surprises me or that I don’t already know from trailers is a clear spoiler. Publishers usually send detailed review guidelines with their games. They tell you what you can and can’t include. I always stick to that.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
You can’t generalise. Reality TV such as Germany’s Next Top Model is discussed the next day at work. This takes much longer for movies currently in theatres. Very rarely do works enter the collective memory of popular culture. Spoilers like these expire at some point. Darth Vader is Luke’s father, Tyler Durden is a schizophrenic alter ego and Rosebud is a sled.

The question isn’t when, but what you can talk about without warning. If something is so popular that everyone around you has seen or played it, spoilers are unavoidable. Whether it’s in memes and shitposts or factual discourse is irrelevant.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
No, not at all. I’m very careful. I deliberately avoid watching reviews for games. If I had watched reviews of Elden Ring, I’d have been spoiled on this, the most breathtaking moment in video game history.

Luca Fontana: «I’m extremely allergic to spoilers»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
I deal with this question almost daily in my movie and show reviews. Generally, I follow the principle of revealing as much as necessary, but as little as possible. Enough to analyse a piece of media comprehensibly or to substantiate an opinion. When in doubt, here’s what I follow: anything revealed in teasers and trailers is no longer a spoiler to me – everything else tends to be.

Here’s a question that comes up constantly in my reviews: is a headline like «Avatar 2 – the most beautiful spectacle of the year» already a spoiler? Some call this a spoiler in expectations. However, I think an opinion that doesn’t reveal any story-relevant twists or developments can’t possibly be a spoiler. An opinion isn’t a fact. And it certainly isn’t universal.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
Outside of work, I’m extremely allergic to spoilers. Regardless of a movie’s age, I never mention story-relevant twists and developments. When I discuss movies and shows in a group, I always ask if anyone hasn’t seen the movie or show yet. This way I know how careful I have to be with spoilers.

Of course, there are extreme examples such as Star Wars, where Darth Vader being Luke’s father is deeply ingrained in pop-cultural lore. But I think these examples can be counted on one hand.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
Oh yeah. The absolute worst spoiler for me was Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Kevin Hofer: «Life’s too short to get angry about spoilers»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
To me, spoilers refer to text, images or videos that can spoil the fun in something. In my reviews, I try never to reveal more than is already known in advance. I strictly adhere to the review guidelines we receive for each game. And I only use official images from publishers.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
When something becomes part of popular culture or the equivalent in a given subculture, it’s no longer a spoiler. Take Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Old Boy or Harry Potter. You can talk freely about twists and deaths in these works.

On top of that, the more popular a work is, the more likely it is that information about it will lose the character of a spoiler. For example, Star Wars is many times better known and more popular than small indie game Doki Doki Literature Club. I’d never talk about its twist just like that.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
No, I do my best to avoid visiting places that could spoil me. And if it happens: so what? Life’s too short to get angry about spoilers.

Debora Pape: «At least five years have to pass before we can talk about spoilers»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
A spoiler is something that leaves me baffled and in disbelief. I’m more sensitive to spoilers in games than in movies. To me, for example, it makes a big difference whether a character dies in a movie or whether my character in a game, with whom I’ve spent countless hours, dies.

I generally try to avoid big story spoilers in my articles – or I describe them only vaguely. When streaming on Twitch, I warn my audience if I get specific. But you can never completely prevent someone from feeling spoiled. In one of my news articles about Baldur’s Gate 3, for example, someone felt they were spoiled. I, on the other hand, can’t find anything wrong with it.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
I think at least five years have to pass before we can talk about big spoilers. But it always depends on the audience. Even today, I wouldn’t be okay going into a school class and shouting: «Darth Vader is Luke’s father.» Even though many younger people have heard the phrase «I am your father» before, they may not know specifically what this spoiler refers to.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
Yes, many times. I’ve tried to suppress most of them. At the height of Game of Thrones hype, I was spoiled several times by Google News articles that gave too much away in the title. Annoying. You should avoid social media as much as possible – I learned this lesson from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Cassie Mammone: «When it comes to spoilers, I’m my own worst enemy»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
To me, a spoiler refers to when I learn a plot element or event from a work of fiction that ruins a great moment.

In my articles, I avoid spoilers as much as possible. In my opinion, stories in games in particular can be described well without specific spoilers. I don’t have to reveal why Ellie goes on a revenge mission to murder a certain person in The Last of Us Part II. It’s enough if I explain her motivation in abstract terms and vaguely hint at what might’ve happened.

I also try to avoid gameplay spoilers unless they affect the core elements of a game. For example, when it turns out a game actually belongs to a completely different genre than initially thought.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
There’s no universal formula. I always try to clarify this every time in my private life. When someone talks about every detail from the latest House of the Dragon episode unprompted the next day, I find that questionable. I equally roll my eyes when someone gets seriously upset about spoilers for dead characters in Harry Potter.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
Yes, when it comes to spoilers, I’m my own worst enemy. When I’m addicted to a show, I google my favourite characters… and stuff comes up. I was most annoyed with myself when looking up Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Valentin Oberholzer: «Anyone still crying about Red Dead Redemption 2 spoilers in 2024 has only themselves to blame»

What’s a spoiler to you, and how do you deal with them in your articles?
To me, a spoiler is information that gives away a plot twist or an important, big scene. Take the decision you have to make at the end of GTA V. In my articles, I pay attention to how old a game is and how much it’s already been discussed. There are many indie games on Steam without a large player base. I wouldn’t spoil those in an article, giving the audience the opportunity to try out the game for themselves. Spoiler warning required.

When is a spoiler no longer a spoiler – or, are there spoilers that you can just talk about?
I think the time factor is most important. Every few months, a new game/movie/season hits the discourse. Anyone still crying about Red Dead Redemption 2 spoilers in 2024 has only themselves to blame. Anyone who wants to has already had enough chances to play it.

Have you been spoiled in the past?
Personally, I barely have a problem with spoilers. Here, the fact that I have a very poor memory comes in handy. I’ve usually already forgotten spoilers when I’m playing a game or watching a show.

My opinion: spoilers are stupid – but you still have to live with them

Getting opinions from my fellow editors helped me sort my thoughts on the subject and make peace with the supposed Red Dead Redemption 2 spoiler.

I’m sensitive to spoilers. Even certain opinions and takes stress me out. For example, I once accidentally noticed that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom had received bad reviews. I was devastated. I hate «reverse spoilers» too. When someone says «Character XY is going to die» then adds «just kidding», I get upset too. So he’s definitely not dying? Damn it, I don’t even want to think about whether XY lives or dies while playing or watching, I just want to enjoy the journey.

Despite my high level of sensitivity, I believe that the person who doesn’t want to be spoiled is primarily responsible. Especially when it comes to older games, series or movies. In these situations, people who haven’t finished yet are in the minority – most others don’t have to take them into consideration in public spaces. If you see that I’m writing about Red Dead Redemption 2 in an article and you haven’t played the game yet, then stop reading. Nobody on the internet owes you not writing about a six-year-old game. Things are a little different offline. In conversations with friends, I take individual needs into consideration – even with older games, series and movies.

In the case of current games, I don’t see the obligation as lying solely with the person who doesn’t want to be spoiled. Here, the onus is primarily on the small minority. They found out sensitive information before the majority of people, and they could destroy the experience of others. Current spoilers are a no-go and absolutely unnecessary.

My biggest spoiler fails were self-inflicted too. For example, I read the ending of Attack on Titan in a Crunchyroll comment. Damn it. Likewise, I knew what happened to Walter in Breaking Bad because I read an article about the show before I finished it. But I experienced my worst and most annoying spoiler with Fallout 4.

Speaking of spoilers – have you heard of Spoilerfabrik? In Digitec’s German-language Spoilercast, we analyse shows, films and games with no regard to spoilers. We go in-depth and don’t just scratch the surface, analysing, dissecting and discussing the works down to the smallest detail. Spoilerfabrik is for anyone who not only watches or plays shows, films and games, but lives them too.

So far, we’ve looked at Fallout and The Acolyte. Further episodes will follow soon.