Just a day before the official premiere of the "Game of Thrones" Season 5 on April 12, the first four episodes of HBO's fantasy epic were leaked online. And in spite of the show's profanity and nudity, it is considered as one of the most illegally downloaded show on TV.
On Saturday night, April 11, the cyber world went wild when the first four episodes of "Game of Thrones" Season 5 were leaked online after they were uploaded to several Torrent sites. According to Design & Trend, the leaked episodes have allegedly originated from a DVD screener sent to the press for review before its official debut on HBO.
While the show is usually shown in 720p or 1080p on HBO, Mashable reported that the leaked episodes of "Game of Thrones' Season 5 are in 480p, which is comparable to the quality of a standard TV. The digital watermark in the videos are reportedly blurred.
"Game of Thrones" has been consistently ranked as the most illegally downloaded show on television, BuzzFeed News noted. And this is the reality that networks and cable providers are being forced to embrace, as a small but growing segment of Web users have begun to rely on streaming devices, The Christian Science Monitor added.
Meanwhile, the "Game of Thrones" Season 5 episodes leak came just a week after the show's post-production producer-in-charge Greg Spence expressed his concerns regarding the possibility that the screener might be uploaded to the Internet.
"The cast is looping all over the world, sending files back and forth," he told The Denver Post. "Artists are working in special-effects houses all over the world. The files are watermarked, and editors have to confirm in writing that they've deleted them."
Early this year, "Game of Thrones" Season 5 trailer was also leaked after screenings of the last two Season 4 episodes and the Season 5 trailer started in IMAX theaters. Shortly after the leak, HBO immediately released the official version.
"Game of Thrones" fans all over the world seemed to be desperate to get a sneak peek of the epic drama. In several online forums, some even expressed their willingness to pay for episodes of the show, if they could do so without a cable subscription.
And in order to combat piracy, the premium network announced that they would simulcast the show in 170 countries, which will not require a cable subscription.
In the meantime, don't miss the "Game of Thrones" Season 5 premiere this Sunday, April 12 at 9 p.m. on HBO.
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