Game of Thrones is 2017’s most pirated television show

Game of Thrones is one of the biggest shows on television, but perhaps with that popularity comes being the most pirated television series of the year.

Congratulations… we guess?

According to Screen Rant, the juggernaut HBO series Game of Thrones holds onto its status as the most downloaded show on television. Similarly, the series was the most pirated show for the past five years as wel, and clearly its popularity has not waned. Legally and illegally, so many people are watching this show, which perhaps makes the fact that the next season will be the last all the more depressing.

What’s interesting is that despite the piracy, the audience for the show only grows with each season. Season 7 apparently had the highest rated premiere of any of them thus far, making the series bigger than ever. Maybe some people are discovering the series through piracy, then actually shelling out the dough to stream the new episodes on HBO when they finally arrive.

This past season also saw the hacking and early releases of multiple episodes prematurely. Despite this, millions of people were still tuning in once they were officially airing on HBO. People really like to pirate this show, but they like to pay for it as well. I guess people just can’t get enough Game of Thrones one way or the other.

Next: Donald Trump attacks Vanity Fair and Hillary Clinton on Twitter

The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones is not expected to air until 2019. Pirates are going to have to find something new to share illegally during this next year.