So I'm a huge fan of Mass Effect. I have logged over 175 hours on the first game with 4 different characters and one unfinished one. I bought and read both of the books, and loved them. I am beyond pumped for this game and I am undoubtedly going to pre-order it once I get the mon-mon. 
 
I'm such a huge fan of the story that I literally don't even want to look at any footage or interview or new article about it because I want the whole experience to be new. I don't want to go in the game thinking "Oh, it's that part from that video", you know? I seen the Thane part and I'm kicking myself in the teeth for it. If you're like me, and you don't want to know about anything, I'm going to say what I seen in the article in the next paragraph. Just a heads up.
 
But I came on the net the other day, and I noticed two things - One article talked about how Garrus is back, which I guess I didn't really mind because I knew he was coming back (not to mention he's my favorite character) but also that The Collectors would be in the game. Now I didn't even read or click on the article, it was right there in the headline. This really pissed me off because to me, that would have been a great surprise, especially after learning about them in the books. The books didn't make it obvious at all that they would be featured in the games, but a freaking article headline on a website did. 
 
So yeah, I'm kinda peeved how I'm learning so much about the story from all this media. AHH. Does anyone else feel the same?! 
 
Another thing, THE COLLECTORS ARE IN THE GAME!!! YEAAAAA

For me, the hardest part about avoiding coverage for a game is listening to podcasts. Even when there's warning of talk, you rarely know how far to skip ahead. I can also see the problem of spoiling headlines, but I'm not sure I've encountered that yet, or if I have it's far less often.

Not about this game in particular (I played a bit of Mass Effect and it just didn't click with me for whatever reason, I like RPGs and FPS games, I dunno) but I hear what you're saying. It sucks when you're watching a dramatic scene and suddenly you know what's going to happen next because you saw it in a trailer. That's why when I go to movies I usually leave to go to the bathroom when the trailers start.

" So I'm a huge fan of Mass Effect. I have logged over 175 hours on the first game with 4 different characters and one unfinished one. I bought and read both of the books, and loved them. I am beyond pumped for this game and I am undoubtedly going to pre-order it once I get the mon-mon.  I'm such a huge fan of the story that I literally don't even want to look at any footage or interview or new article about it because I want the whole experience to be new. I don't want to go in the game thinking "Oh, it's that part from that video", you know? I seen the Thane part and I'm kicking myself in the teeth for it. If you're like me, and you don't want to know about anything, I'm going to say what I seen in the article in the next paragraph. Just a heads up. But I came on the net the other day, and I noticed two things - One article talked about how Garrus is back, which I guess I didn't really mind because I knew he was coming back (not to mention he's my favorite character) but also that The Collectors would be in the game. Now I didn't even read or click on the article, it was right there in the headline. This really pissed me off because to me, that would have been a great surprise, especially after learning about them in the books. The books didn't make it obvious at all that they would be featured in the games, but a freaking article headline on a website did.  So yeah, I'm kinda peeved how I'm learning so much about the story from all this media. AHH. Does anyone else feel the same?!  Another thing, THE COLLECTORS ARE IN THE GAME!!! YEAAAAA "

stop watching the footage
 
just dont click on anything that says mass effect 2 on it, although i bet you just cant help yourself right?

I think that reveals such as Thane and the Collectors are minor.  I guessed that Cerebus would be in ME2 after the game, and after reading the books, I guessed that the Collectors would be too.  Neither of these reveals were a surprise for me.
 
The fact is, ME2 will have a really compelling plot, regardless of whether or not you know who Thane is or what the conflict is.