Spoil the Story, Spoil It Not : Spoilers’ Effect on Player Choice in Branching Storyline Games

Abstract: Spoilers are in everyday life often seen as something to be strictly avoided. Nonetheless, earlier studies researching short stories found that spoilers can enhance the enjoyment of a story, rather than destroying it. At the same time, there are studies that have reached opposite results, but the placement and style of the spoiler may affect how it is received. When it comes to games there are no, or only a few, studies on the subject. When unspoiled, players generally choose non-aggressive options, but they are also strongly influenced by what role the character they play has in the narrative. The spoiler can upset this. By knowing what may happen players act differently, as well as thinking about the story in other ways than unspoiled players do.