Game of spoilers: 'House of the Dragon' finale footage leaks
HBO's hit series House of the Dragon has suffered another online leak. This time, several scenes from the yet-to-be-aired Season 2 finale surfaced on social media platforms TikTok and Twitter/X. The leak happened on Tuesday night, five days prior to its official airing date scheduled for Sunday (August 4, 2024).
Extent of the leak: From TikTok to Twitter/X
A TikTok account posted 14 videos, totaling approximately 30 minutes of footage from the unaired finale. The leaked content attracted between 50,000 to 1,00,000 views before the account was banned three hours later. Despite this action, the leaked videos have since been shared on Twitter/X and Reddit.
HBO's history with leaks: A recurring issue
This incident is not the first for House of the Dragon. The Season 1 finale was also leaked online two days before its scheduled air date in October 2022. According to HBO, that leak originated from a distribution partner in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa.
'Game of Thrones' and its struggle with leaks
The parent series Game of Thrones also grappled with numerous online leaks throughout its eight-season run. Episodes from its final season were found on illegal sites, and even legitimate platforms like DirecTV Now and Amazon Prime Video's German platform posted episodes ahead of their scheduled airings.
HBO's efforts to curb piracy prove ineffective
Despite the franchise's extensive international distribution network and passionate fan base, preventing spoilers has been a challenge for both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. To combat piracy for the Season 2 finale, HBO refrained from sending screeners of the episode to journalists. However, this measure did not stop the episode from being leaked.
