Streaming Game of Thrones is one of the things we do for love.
Helen Sloane/HBO
The Battle for Winterfell is upon us.
After two episodes of the final season of Game of Thrones we’ve seen a lot of talking. Our heroes experienced reunions, first meetings and revelations aplenty in the first episode, titled Winterfell. And in the second, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, there were more reunions… and revelations, plus plenty of drinking, singing and hanky-panky.
Episode 3 looks like less talk, more fight. The living are finally all assembled for the coming fight against the dead. And if this is indeed the Battle for Winterfell, it’s rumored to be incredibly bloody and could end with some of those living, well, not so alive. Here’s the episode 3 trailer.
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So how can you stream all the action in Westeros? You’ll need a way to watch HBO. Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to subscribe, even if you don’t have cable, starting with HBO Now and HBO Go. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the services featured on this page.
Online HBO options compared
*$25 monthly = 1/12 of annual $120 Amazon Prime fee plus $15 per month for HBO
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Game of Thrones season 8 schedule
This last season will comprise six, supersize episodes. The premiere has the shortest runtime of the season at 54 minutes. Episode 2 is 58 minutes, and the final four are each roughly 80 minutes. It will all be over — sniff — by mid-May.
Plan to clear out your Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) in the US, from now until the middle of May. Here’s the schedule:
- Episode 1: Winterfell (now available on demand)
- Episode 2: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (now available on demand)
- Episode 3: April 28
- Episode 4: May 5
- Episode 5: May 12
- Episode 6: May 19
HBO’s main two streaming options
HBO Go
If you’re already a subscriber to HBO as part of a cable or satellite TV package, you get HBO Go for free. It lets you stream Game of Thrones along with the rest of HBO’s shows on supported phones, tablets, connected TVs and gaming consoles. Not only can you watch all seven past seasons of GoT with HBO Go, but you can livestream the new episodes as they air on HBO.
See at HBO Go
HBO Now
As opposed to the free streaming add-on mentioned above, HBO Now is a standalone subscription to HBO — no cable or satellite TV subscription required.
It costs $15 a month and lets you watch HBO via the HBO Now app or in a browser at HBONow.com. The HBO Now app is available on a number of devices, including mobile devices, smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. As with HBO Go, you can steam the new episodes live on Sunday nights, the same time that they air on HBO.
See at HBO Now
Add HBO to a streaming service
You can add HBO to four of the TV streaming services below for an additional monthly charge. If you’re a GoT fan and also a subscriber to Sling TV or YouTube TV, then I’m sorry to report that you’re out of luck: neither service offers HBO. Here are four that do.
Amazon Prime Video
Prime members can add HBO for $15 a month. A Prime membership costs $119 a year.
See at Amazon Prime Video
Game of Thrones in the UK, Australia and elsewhere
Game of Thrones, according to HBO, airs in all but four countries around the world — but not necessarily on HBO itself. In the UK, for example, HBO shows are on Sky Atlantic and Sky’s online services Sky Go and Now TV. In Australia, Game of Thrones airs on TV and online on Foxtel. In both countries the show airs at the same time as in the US (i.e., early Monday), and is repeated on Monday night.
And for the record, HBO restricts the use of VPNs used to stream any of the above services from outside the US.
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Originally published March 5 and regularly updated as episodes air.