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Nearly Half of Game of Thrones Season 5 Leaks Online
HughPickens.com writes Paul Tassi reports at Forbes that the first four episodes of the new season of "Game of Thrones", nearly half of the ten total episodes, have been leaked online to various torrent sites. The four episodes appeared to come from a screener sent to reviewers with the digital watermark blurred out and are in 480p video format, equivalent to standard-definition TV, not HD.The episodes have already been downloaded almost 800,000 times, and that figure was expected to blow past a million downloads by the season 5 premiere. Game of Thrones has consistently set records for piracy, which has almost been a point of pride for HBO. "Our experience is [piracy] leads to more penetration, more paying subs, more health for HBO, less reliance on having to do paid advertising If you go around the world, I think you're right, Game of Thrones is the most pirated show in the world. Well, you know, that's better than an Emmy."
How the leak happened isn't a mystery. Television critics typically receive the first four episodes of an HBO show before its season premiere, and "Game of Thrones" is no exception. HBO could not immediately say whether the leak could be traced to screener copies of the show. "I suspect HBO may be a bit more restrictive about handing out Game of Thrones screeners to press, given the event-like nature of the show and its reliance on keeping spoilers close to the chest," writes Tassi. "I really don't see why commentary like that needs to exist in the first place." The network can take solace in at least one thing, though. Episode four ends on a heck of a cliffhanger, and those who pirated the episodes will be in the same boat as those of us who received them legally — waiting until May to find out what happens next. "I would imagine it's more fun to just spend the next month watching week to week as nature intended, even if you are watching illegally," concludes Tassi. "Game of Thrones is one of the last true "event" shows where it's something you want to talk about Sunday night or Monday morning with friends and strangers alike."
How the leak happened isn't a mystery. Television critics typically receive the first four episodes of an HBO show before its season premiere, and "Game of Thrones" is no exception. HBO could not immediately say whether the leak could be traced to screener copies of the show. "I suspect HBO may be a bit more restrictive about handing out Game of Thrones screeners to press, given the event-like nature of the show and its reliance on keeping spoilers close to the chest," writes Tassi. "I really don't see why commentary like that needs to exist in the first place." The network can take solace in at least one thing, though. Episode four ends on a heck of a cliffhanger, and those who pirated the episodes will be in the same boat as those of us who received them legally — waiting until May to find out what happens next. "I would imagine it's more fun to just spend the next month watching week to week as nature intended, even if you are watching illegally," concludes Tassi. "Game of Thrones is one of the last true "event" shows where it's something you want to talk about Sunday night or Monday morning with friends and strangers alike."
All you have to do is read anything about the books.
Still a better story than your b.s. comment.
No, reading his comment was over quicker than watching game of thrones
Our experience is [piracy] leads to more penetration, more paying subs, more health for HBO, less reliance on having to do paid advertising If you go around the world, I think you're right, Game of Thrones is the most pirated show in the world. Well, you know, that's better than an Emmy.
That right there is why I happily pay a premium for a technically poor streaming service (HBO Nordic ). Even though it's much easier for me to download episodes than to use the service, I still think that HBO has met me half way in providing their content in a reasonable, fair manner. Time to put our money where our mouths are.
Is that a joke? The series followed the book (thankfully) close enough that anyone can know what's coming by RTFB.
Oliver.
Judging by the hype and how popular it is with the general populace, it seems my decision is the correct one.
Is that not the definition of being a hipster?
I don't think nature intended us to be sitting on our asses to watch stories happen on animated flat canvases.
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Oh, Hugh Pickens. 'Nuf said. As if being the #1 pirated show doesn't bring it enough publicity, they have to advertise it here.
I pride myself in the fact that I have never watched even a single episode of the show. Judging by the hype and how popular it is with the general populace, it seems my decision is the correct one.
Silly me, I tend to base my viewing decisions on whether a particular show is good or not, whether the "right" people share my particular taste is irrelevant.
By taking pride in not seeing a single episode you're not celebrating refined taste, you're celebrating ignorance.
I stole this Sig
SO in other words, you have no idea if the show is any good or not, but you'll pull the whole superiority thing (aka I don;t even own a tv). Sorry but puffing out your chest doesn't make you any less ignorant.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
I still don't understand why people want to watch such a crap quality (480p and blurred watermark)..