“Game of Thrones” remains relevant, and its prequel series “House of the Dragon” has garnered substantial attention. The show opened strongly with a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.4 rating on IMDb, impressing fans with its initial episode.
However, there’s a notable downturn. The Season 2 premiere of “House of the Dragon” on HBO and Max attracted 7.8 million viewers, marking a 22% decrease from its 2022 debut, which drew 10 million viewers. This decline partly reflects a decrease in linear TV viewership, with Nielsen reporting 1 million fewer cable viewers. Nevertheless, Warner Bros Discovery highlighted that the premiere led to Max’s largest streaming day ever in the U.S. and globally.
Furthermore, Warner Bros Discovery reported that the Season 2 premiere set a new record for its streamers in Europe, post-Max launch. In Latin America, the premiere saw a 30% increase in viewership compared to Season 1. Additionally, the previous week saw 1 million viewers engaging with Season 1.
Reflecting on Season 1, the series debuted with 10 million viewers, peaking at 10.2 million during the second episode. The 25% drop in Season 2 prompts questions about the waning hype.
Social media engagement has been notably low recently. Despite expectations that the “Game of Thrones” universe and the success of Season 1 of “House of the Dragon” would compensate for reduced advertising, the future episodes will determine if viewership can rebound.