“Game of Thrones” is back! Just not for certain HBO GO superfans, who had trouble watching the season premiere due to “excessive volume.”
HBO GO took to Twitter shortly after the season-four premiere began to respond to users who couldn’t access the app.
Looks like there’s trouble in the realm. Apologies for the inconvenience. We’ll be providing updates, so please stay tuned. #GameofThrones
— HBO GO (@HBOGO) April 7, 2014
HBO promised to make the episode available on demand through some cable providers, but didn’t have the problem solved until hours later. This has happened before, when “True Detective” had a similar effect on the platform, which HBO also attributed to “popular demand.” That popular demand translated into 6.6 million viewers, making the season four premiere HBO’s most-watched episode since 2007’s “Sopranos” finale.
Prior to Sunday night’s premiere, “Game of Thrones” had already been all over Twitter and Facebook in anticipation of its return. Facebook says the show earned more than 2.8 million interactions (likes, mentions, shares) yesterday and became one of the site’s top five trending topics. Even Francis Underwood is a fan, apparently. Netflix’s “House of Cards” went on its Twitter account to celebrate “Game of Thrones’” return:
Welcome back, @GameofThrones. May the best House win. #FU pic.twitter.com/khW0Hg3MXK
— House of Cards (@HouseofCards) April 7, 2014
Read more at TheWrap, Re/code and Deadline.
Brief Take: HBO GO’s popularity is a blessing and a curse for the pay-cable network, as it’s been lauded in the past but may begin losing customers if fans can’t use the service when they are most counting on it.
[Image courtesy of HBO]
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