'Game of Thones:' First 4 episodes leak online
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Spoilers are coming.
The first four episodes of the highly anticipated fifth season of “Game of Thrones” leaked online Saturday night — a full 24 hours before the show’s HBO premiere.
The cable network quickly ruled out a Sony-style hacker attack and instead pointed the finger at screeners sent out to the media.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Sadly, it seems the leaked four episodes of the upcoming season of ‘Game of Thrones’ originated from within a group approved by HBO to receive them,” HBO wrote in a statement. “We’re actively assessing how this breach occurred.”
The stunningly violent “Game of Thrones” has held the crown for more than three years as the most-pirated show on TV, as many fans don’t have access to HBO.
But the premium cable network has been working to change that, launching its stand-alone streaming service — HBO NOW — last week. The service gives users their first opportunity to watch the show without a cable subscription, offering a 30-day free trial before requiring people to cough up $14.99 per month. It is currently only available via iTunes and Cablevision’s Optimum Online Internet service.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fans of the fantasy series quickly snatched up the leaked episodes, with more than 1 million downloads since the sneak peek was illegally released Saturday night, according to download site TorrentFreak.