The number of people searching for streams of the final season of Game of Thrones has dropped dramatically since the first episode aired, figures have revealed.
Tens of millions of fans of the hit show turned to pirated streams and illicit torrents to watch the first episode of season 8 in order to avoid paying for legitimate services that host the series, such as HBO in the US and Sky and Now TV in the UK.
Digital piracy authority MUSO tracked 54 million piracy visits in the first 24 hours following the official airing of the first episode, though searches for Game of Thrones streams for the following episode dropped by more than half.
For the most recent and penultimate episode, which was panned by critics, Google data shows that search interest for pirated streams is down to around 10 per cent compared to the season 8 opener.
It is unlikely the number of illegal streams have decreased in that time, given the phenomenal demand for the early episodes, which MUSO co-founder Andy Chatterley described at the time as “piracy mania”.
1/9 The wolf pin
Before Theon’s funeral, Sansa places a wolf pin on top of his body. Considering his character battled with identity from the very first episode, it’s a touching moment; being given this pin bearing the Stark sigil by Sansa shows he’s being honoured as a member of the family thanks to his bravery during the Battle of Winterfell.
HBO
2/9 “That’s not me”
After bastard-no-more Gendry Baratheon asks Arya to become his wife and Lady of Storm’s End, she declines, telling him: “That’s not me.” Settling down and marrying a Lord has never been something that’s interested Arya, which shouldn’t be a surprise to fans: she told her father Ned this right back in season one.
HBO
3/9 Podrick’s skills
Sansa spotting Podrick gallivanting around with a girl on each arm during the banquet scene seems to be a reference to a season three scene in which his character sleeps with prostitutes, only to have payment refused due to his sexual skills.
HBO
4/9 ‘Little Bird’
This episode featured a reunion between Sansa and Sandor Clegane AKA The Hound. The latter tells Sansa how her trajectory might have been less tragic had he taken her with him, like he offered, in the early days of the show. This is a reference to Sansa being tormented by Joffrey and forced into two marriages against her will – one with a man who raped and tortured her.
HBO
5/9 Tyrion’s offer
Upon learning that Cersei has sent Bronn to kill him and Jaime, Tyrion reminds his former friend of a conversation they had seasons back – that he would double whatever was offered to him if someone. Those were the days.
HBO
6/9 Varys’s speech
Tyrion recalls an earlier conversation with Varys thanks to this encounter with Bronn. In season two – as well as in George RR Martin’s books – Varys fills Tyrion in on the nature of sellwords. This is the speech that ends with the memorable line, “…and ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” Bronn may cut Tyrion off before he gets to that part, but could this be the writers’ way of hinting at a big future for the character?
HBO
7/9 A Dornish prince
During that same chat with Tyrion, Varys mentions a Dornish prince, who could well appear in the final two episodes. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that this character appears in the final two episodes, attempting to save Ellaria Sand from an unknown fate at the hand of Cersei Lannister. The last time we saw her, she was imprisoned in the Black Cells at King’s Landing.
HBO
8/9 Tyrion knockoiut
Back in the early days, Game of Thrones used to knock Tyrion out before big battle sequences as they didn’t have the budget to show them. Now, they simply don’t have the time so, this week, the tactic is deployed once again as Euyron Greyjoy and The Golden Company start firing arrows at Daenerys’ fleet. Tyrion jumps overboard and is swiftly knocked out by a falling mast. When he comes to, he’s washed up on shore.
HBO
9/9 Dracarys
After Missandei is kidnapped by The Golden Company, Tyrion comes face to face with his sister Cersei. He pleads for her to return Missandei, but Cersei refuses. Instead, she tells Missandei to utter her last words before The Mountain mercilessly chops her head off – but not before Daenery’s council aide shouts the word: “Dracarys.” This is the high Valyrian word for Dragonfire. It’s usually used by Daenerys as an instruction for Drogon to wreak havoc on their enemies.
HBO
1/9 The wolf pin
Before Theon’s funeral, Sansa places a wolf pin on top of his body. Considering his character battled with identity from the very first episode, it’s a touching moment; being given this pin bearing the Stark sigil by Sansa shows he’s being honoured as a member of the family thanks to his bravery during the Battle of Winterfell.
HBO
2/9 “That’s not me”
After bastard-no-more Gendry Baratheon asks Arya to become his wife and Lady of Storm’s End, she declines, telling him: “That’s not me.” Settling down and marrying a Lord has never been something that’s interested Arya, which shouldn’t be a surprise to fans: she told her father Ned this right back in season one.
HBO
3/9 Podrick’s skills
Sansa spotting Podrick gallivanting around with a girl on each arm during the banquet scene seems to be a reference to a season three scene in which his character sleeps with prostitutes, only to have payment refused due to his sexual skills.
HBO
4/9 ‘Little Bird’
This episode featured a reunion between Sansa and Sandor Clegane AKA The Hound. The latter tells Sansa how her trajectory might have been less tragic had he taken her with him, like he offered, in the early days of the show. This is a reference to Sansa being tormented by Joffrey and forced into two marriages against her will – one with a man who raped and tortured her.
HBO
5/9 Tyrion’s offer
Upon learning that Cersei has sent Bronn to kill him and Jaime, Tyrion reminds his former friend of a conversation they had seasons back – that he would double whatever was offered to him if someone. Those were the days.
HBO
6/9 Varys’s speech
Tyrion recalls an earlier conversation with Varys thanks to this encounter with Bronn. In season two – as well as in George RR Martin’s books – Varys fills Tyrion in on the nature of sellwords. This is the speech that ends with the memorable line, “…and ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” Bronn may cut Tyrion off before he gets to that part, but could this be the writers’ way of hinting at a big future for the character?
HBO
7/9 A Dornish prince
During that same chat with Tyrion, Varys mentions a Dornish prince, who could well appear in the final two episodes. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that this character appears in the final two episodes, attempting to save Ellaria Sand from an unknown fate at the hand of Cersei Lannister. The last time we saw her, she was imprisoned in the Black Cells at King’s Landing.
HBO
8/9 Tyrion knockoiut
Back in the early days, Game of Thrones used to knock Tyrion out before big battle sequences as they didn’t have the budget to show them. Now, they simply don’t have the time so, this week, the tactic is deployed once again as Euyron Greyjoy and The Golden Company start firing arrows at Daenerys’ fleet. Tyrion jumps overboard and is swiftly knocked out by a falling mast. When he comes to, he’s washed up on shore.
HBO
9/9 Dracarys
After Missandei is kidnapped by The Golden Company, Tyrion comes face to face with his sister Cersei. He pleads for her to return Missandei, but Cersei refuses. Instead, she tells Missandei to utter her last words before The Mountain mercilessly chops her head off – but not before Daenery’s council aide shouts the word: “Dracarys.” This is the high Valyrian word for Dragonfire. It’s usually used by Daenerys as an instruction for Drogon to wreak havoc on their enemies.
HBO
With piracy figures outstripping those of HBO’s official viewing numbers, Mr Chatterley said more needs to be done to address the issue.
“Regardless of rationale, the piracy figures for just the first 24 hours since the [first] episode aired demonstrate that these audiences cannot – and should not – be ignored,” he said.
“Despite considerable global efforts to tackle piracy over the past couple of years, this data shows that consumers are still being driven to unlicensed sources to find content. It’s imperative that rights holders understand that piracy audiences are some of their most dedicated fans, which, above all else, presents a vast commercial opportunity.”
The final episode of season 8 – and of the entire Game of Thrones series – is set to air on Sunday, 19 May.
Despite many fans being unimpressed by the penultimate episode, which received a record low score of 49 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, interest is expected to peak once again for the finale.
Nearly 3 million people have watched a trailer for the show posted to the official HBO Twitter account, with a further 17 million watching it on YouTube.
