When does a spoiler stop being a spoiler?

[orangeapples]

Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father

that doesn't require a spoiler tag since it has been imbued into popular culture (Simpsons did it). A Spoiler stops being a spoiler once it has reached a level of common knowledge. I believe it is either 5, 7, or 10 years. Sure not EVERYONE knows, but enough people know that it would not spoil anything.

Again, if it is common knowledge then no spoilers are needed. Like in the PennyArcade comic above, If one goes to watch Passion of the Christ (when it was coming out in theaters) You already knew that Jesus was going to die by the end. Same goes for Titanic; Everyone knew the boat was going to sink.

 

[Mark Flanagan]

18 months. After that I consider it common knowledge for those interested in whatever (book, movie or game) and they don't get me dancing around the point in a public/group conversation. The flip side of this however is that I'm not a dick, If I know someone is playing something or reading something I've finished I ask them what part they are on and only discuss events prior.

We had a funny time the week after A Dance with Dragons came out as we were playing the BSG boardgame and half of us had finished it and half had not. Lots of note passing and squeeing across the table.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I guess a spoiler stops being a spoiler when it doesn't show any story, character development, crucial events, relationships... That sorta thing. It's kind of a broad spectrum really.

 

[FoolKiller]

For anything that becomes common knowledge it is no longer a spoiler. Every thing else I try to not discuss. Especially books and games. If you ruin a movie it may be a couple of pleasant hours to watch and still get to enjoy it.

Books and games are serious time investments. I own well over a hundred games I haven't even started. Same with books. I don't want those ruined just because I haven't gotten around to them yet.

By the way, someone actively spoiled a movie less than a week after it came out recently after I asked him not to ruin it for me. He decided it would be fun to do so anyway. I kicked him in the balls. Not so much fun anymore

 

[ShindoL Shill]

If it's been out for more than 2 years, I consider it free to spoiler.

Spoiler: Biggest spoiler of all

It was his sled.

wait, what. NOOOOO!
you fucking prick, i was waiting for the opening credits of Citizen Kane to end and decided to come here!
i thought you were being kind enough to spoil the 'Luke i am your father' thing.
well theres my weekend Star Wars trilogy viewing wrecked!

lol jk ive seen all of the SW films (except Attack of the Clones) and idgaf about Citizen Kane.
OT: maybe after a few months, for games and books. a couple weeks for tv and film.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Never. Spoilers will always be spoilers. Whether it is common knowledge or not, it will remain a spoiler as long as there is someone who hasn't experienced that particular event. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

So, spoilers are a pretty big thing, something is recently out, you want to get it, ending is spoiled for you, it's less interesting now (This happened to me with LA Noire as well as inFAMOUS 2)
But, when does a spoiler stop being a spoiler?
To me, it's when the game has been out for a few years, so if you're playing it right now, you're a little late.

Yeah, I definitely agree. After a few years, you have no room to complain.

 

[evilneko]

I'm meh on spoilers.

I mean, I'd actually like to know something like AERIS DIES beforehand. Not that I ever played that game actually.. but anyway, I'm always up on the Fallout wiki reading about quests and such. I'm liveblogging my playthrough and want to make sure it fits with the story of my character.

I also tend to take the J. Michael Straczynski perspective: letting people know "Hey, X happens..." isn't really much of a spoiler. The fun part is how the characters get to that point. "Jeff Sinclair is Valen" is fairly meaningless on its own, more apt to prompt a "WTF?" than a "oh god you spoiled it." So, oh yeah--the hobo dies! What, you haven't seen Hobo With A Shotgun?

 

[Sir Boss]

for me, spoilers never stop being spoilers, mainly because I almost never see/play things anywhere near their release, so unless the spoiler became common knowledge, it was earth all along/it was his sled kind of deal. A spoiler is still a spoiler.