'Game of Thrones' Was the Most Pirated TV Show of 2015
Khaleesi would not approve of your thievery.
That jaw-dropping Jon Snow moment at the end of season five gave Game of Thrones a major boost in viewers—but it turns out that millions of those tuning in did so illegally. Game of Thrones is still ruling the ranks of torrented TV shows, topping the year's most-pirated list for the fourth year in a row.
TorrentFreak tracks how often shows are illegally downloaded, and this year's season finale of Game of Thrones was downloaded via BitTorrent 14.4 million times. That number is higher than the number of actual television viewers that episode racked up in the United States. More than 258,000 people shared the same torrent file at the same time, and it was downloaded 1.5 million times during the first eight hours after the show ended.
The Walking Dead and The Big Bang Theory landed in second and third with a comparatively paltry 6.9 million and 4.4 million downloads. But it seems like people are illegally downloading the HBO show by a landslide, despite the fact that the network started to warn torrenters this year after the season premiere leaked. They even launched a standalone HBO Now subscription for cord-cutters, but the pirating numbers keep going up. And given that Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys, says season six is "mental," the trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon, despite HBO's best efforts.
Follow Marie Claire on Instagram for the latest celeb news, pretty pics, funny stuff, and an insider POV.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Megan Friedman is the former managing editor of the Newsroom at Hearst. She's worked at NBC and Time, and is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Our Complete Quiet Luxury Shopping Guide
30 quality closet classics that always have—and always will—endure.
By Emma Childs Published
-
Kaia Gerber and Cindy Crawford Medal in Mother-Daughter Olympic Matching
The pair touched down in Paris wearing coordinating navy looks.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Prince Harry Reveals Royal Family Rift Was Worsened by Tabloids
"Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
A Guide to the Dragonseeds in 'House of the Dragon'
We're breaking down the bastards with Valyrian blood—and how they could influence the future of the show.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Did Aegon Die in 'House of the Dragon?' A Breakdown of Season 2 Episode 4
We're breaking down *that* death, including what happens in George R. R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood.'
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
What Happened in the 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Premiere?
The 'Game of Thrones' prequel returned with one of the franchise's most brutal scenes ever.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
How Victoria Justice Learned to Use Her Voice on the Set of 'Victorious'
The former Nickelodeon star recalls what it was like to speak up to adults on set as a child.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones Tease an Announcement: "We've Got Some News to Share"
The former 'Normal People' costars and IRL best friends seem to have a new project in the works.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
The Woman Who Inspired Martha in 'Baby Reindeer' Calls the Series "a Work of Fiction" In a YouTube Interview
A woman has come forward as the alleged inspiration behind Martha in the hit Netflix series.
By Sadie Bell Last updated
-
The Best 'Friends' Episodes of All Time
Could these BE any better?
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ 2023: Everything We Know
Cue up Mike Reno and Ann Wilson’s “Almost Paradise."
By Andrea Park Last updated