As a hard - working student, with no time for a job, I often find that when a big game gets released, I have no money to get it straight away. Instantly, I'm stricken with a dilemma. How do I avoid finding out details about the game until I've performed enough hard labor, odd jobs and assasinations to aquire it? 

The short answer, as I'm sure a lot of people will agree -  is "I can't." There are just too many things that can happen, so in the interest of helping my fellow gamer, I've compiled a list of my top 3 biggest obstacles to enjoying a game, spoiler-free.

1. Youtube. 

We all love cat videos, people hurting themself and people playing Minecraft, right? This would explain why Youtube gets over 2 billion views per day, with the average viewer spending 15 mins a day watching videos. I watch a ton more than this, and with the explosion of popular "Let's Play" videos, curiosity thoroughly headshots the cat, and I find that some guy with perfectly good intentions has posted a full playthrough. The temptation is so hard to bear, inevitably I watch it.  With one click, not only have I ruined the entire game's plot for myself - I now know exactly what I need to do to beat the game, eliminating much of the well crafted, challenging gameplay. This is the reason why I don't necessarily need to buy Portal 2 anymore.

5 out of 5 for Spoilification, as this is an easy trap to fall into.

2. TV Tropes. (It really will ruin your life.)

When I'm looking for something to help me with my writing, TV Tropes is a useful resource. The problem is that TV Tropes is a colossal time sink. One page is never enough, and while I start off work oriented, very quickly I'm browsing the Crowning Moments of Awesome: Video Games category and the game I've been avoiding all contact with is mentioned. I writhe and moan in pain at the realiastion that this Crowning Moment of Awesome will always be an Expected Moment of Awesome forever more.

3 out of 5 for Spoilerocity, as it's harder to do this without searching for the game yourself.

3. Bitmob!

Have a look at the first few pages of Bitmob right now. How many posts are prefaced with the warning: This Article May Include Spoilers of Whatever Game. (At the moment, Mass Effect 3 and Journey.) The very website that you are reading this article on is full of spoilers, hiding behind a pixelated "Read More" link , cackling and rubbing their greasy hands together in unholy glee.

4 out of 5 for Spoilerativity, as one of the excellently written, but spoiler - laden articles may charm and entice you into clicking the "Read More" link.

It's up to you, you can avoid the aforementioned websites and deprive yourself of three rich and rewarding websites, with excellent communities and brilliant content or perhaps you will realise like I have, that in the words of the Borg, "Resistance is Futile." 

(As a first foray into games journalism/ writing, other than a few shortlived gaming blogs, I hope that my article has entertained and possibly helped the Bitmob community, however unlikely that is. All feedback and comments are welcome.)

Written by Lucas Bert