Data mining has been around for years. For those unaware, it’s the practice of digging through the code of PC demos, betas, or unfinished builds of games to extract information developers haven’t made public. Some see it as exciting, an early peek behind the curtain. But for others, myself included, it’s nothing more than a spoiler machine that robs developers of the ability to surprise the players who enjoy being held in suspense of what’s to come.
On the surface, datamining might look harmless. After all, it’s just “information that’s already there.” Right? Or are at least, that’s the argument. However, that information was never meant to be public yet. Developers put months, sometimes years, into planning how and when to reveal characters, levels, or story beats. Those reveals are carefully timed to build hype, reward fans, and keep momentum rolling. When data miners rip those moments out early, it doesn’t just spoil the fun. It undermines entire marketing campaigns.
And it’s not just about marketing. For developers, these leaks are personal. They’ve put their blood, sweat, and tears into creating something, only to have it stripped bare by people hungry for clicks and social media attention. That’s not fandom. That’s selfishness.
I’ve always had frustrations whenever I see or hear that a game has been datamined, because I can’t help but put myself in the shoes of the developer, or more specifically, the publisher who has to deal with the fallout. They’re the ones trying to manage how the full game gets revealed, only to watch leaks derail those plans. And when that happens, it often leads to a hard choice: stop providing demos altogether or limit them to a specific platform where the risk of leaks is lower.
As we’ve seen time and again, that usually means consoles get the demos while PC players are left out. For me, that stings a little more. While I do enjoy playing on console, I tend to spend more time on PC these days. So, to be left out of that experience, not because of developer intent but because others can’t resist spoiling things, really isn’t fun.
The latest example and the reason I’m up in arms is Marvel Cosmic Invasion. The demo just went live and data miners, as expected, jumped in and leaked the final two-character slots, among other things. These were characters that were meant to be a reveal later down the line. Whether you think those picks are “safe” or “predictable” isn’t the point. The point is that they weren’t ready to be announced. The developers had a plan, a moment they wanted to share with the world, and datamining ruined it.
I won’t be listing who those characters are here, because that only adds to the problem. But I’m sure a quick Google search will provide the information if you really want to see it. Just know that by chasing spoilers, you’re also robbing yourself of the excitement that comes with an official reveal.
And this isn’t an isolated case. We’ve seen it happen time and again with 2KXO, Marvel Rivals, Monster Hunter Wilds, Battlefield 6, and the massive Digimon Story: Time Stranger creature list leak, are among the countless other titles that have had character rosters, monsters, and maps, all spoiled before official announcements. Each time, fans rush to defend the practice under the excuse of “well, the info was in the code.” But just because you can dig it up doesn’t mean you should. I mean, I could randomly punch someone in the face, but just because I can doesn’t mean I should.
What makes things worse is once those leaks are out, everyone is making videos, articles or even podcasts. It gets to the point where, unless you make an effort to avoid them, you’ll ultimately stumble across them, and that also hurts. It has to be the favor of the month, with everyone shoving them into your face.
At the end of the day, datamining isn’t a victimless hobby, it affects the entire community. For players, it strips away the joy of surprise. For developers, it ruins carefully crafted moments. For publishers, it creates headaches and damages trust. And for those of us who just want to enjoy games the way they were meant to be revealed, it sucks.
The sad irony is that data miners claim to be fans. But if you really love this medium, maybe think twice about whether spoiling it for millions of others is the best way to show it. Sometimes the best way to support developers isn’t to tear open their work early. It’s to let them share it on their terms.
