{"id":11075,"date":"2018-11-12T13:27:19","date_gmt":"2018-11-12T11:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/media\/?p=11075"},"modified":"2018-11-12T13:33:23","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T11:33:23","slug":"how-popular-is-game-of-thrones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/media\/gambling\/how-popular-is-game-of-thrones\/","title":{"rendered":"How Popular is Game of Thrones?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Game of Thrones is returning\u2026in 2019. The epic fantasy drama has kept fans on the edge of their seats as the entirety of 2018 passed by without a new episode. The show set a ratings high when 16.5 million people<\/a> tuned in to watch the Season 7 finale \u2013 and that number will likely rise for the final season\u2019s premiere. Filming for the final season concluded in July 2018, so the finished episodes are just waiting to be revealed to the world and the cast have remained tight-lipped about who may end up on the Iron Throne. Whether Game of Thrones will break the record for the most watched TV show episode ever \u2013 that goes to the finale of M*A*S*H, which drew in 105.9 million viewers back in 1983 \u2013 it has still racked up a fair few broken records already. But how can you measure the popularity of Game of Thrones?<\/p>\n

Game of Thrones Records<\/strong><\/p>\n

The popularity of a concept can actually be analysed, as data collection firm Parrot Analytics claim<\/a>. Game of Thrones achieved 7,191,848 Demand Expressions globally in 2016 \u2013 making it the most in-demand TV show of the year. Indeed, with figures like that, it\u2019s hard to argue that the show didn\u2019t become a ground-breaking phenomenon. Though, it\u2019s not just standard TV viewers that should be taken into account to show how popular the show is. Reportedly, during the airing of the 6th season finale in 2016, there were 350,000 individual torrents of Game of Thrones, not just in HBO’s native United States, but across the world. Viewership aside, the show is also pleasing for those who make the big decisions in American TV. During the 68th Primetime Emmys awards, Game of Thrones raked in 37 separate awards, breaking the record for the most Emmys for a fictional series. The 4th season\u2019s DVD box set topped charts for being the fastest-selling DVD box set \u2013 retailing 157,000 copies in the course of a week. Punters are already excited about the records that Season 8 will top, especially given the gulf of time between episodes. Whether the show tops its previous records or not, the fact that a show could go on hiatus for over a year and still draw in the fans shows its popularity.<\/p>\n

Game of Thrones Merchandise Galore<\/strong><\/p>\n

Game of Thrones is also in a prime position to create an endless stream of accompanying merchandise. The show was based on a series of books, and the TV series has helped shift the tomes from the shelves. In 1996, when they were first published, author George R R Martin was pleased to make the predicted 5,000 sold copies. Since the rise of the show, this figure has transformed into around 70 million and counting -with the books translated into more than 40 languages. The series has also spun off various board games, including Monopoly, Cluedo and Risk, and even online turn-taking games that take the episodic nature of the supremacy aspects of fighting for the Iron Throne. Minecraft users also created WesterosCraft<\/a> and created a similar world to the show totalling around 22,000 x 59,000 blocks and breaking in-game simulation records. The show even has a series of slot games based on it with Betway<\/a>. The slots feature iconic music similar to the show and the motifs of the houses featured in the show. Even in slot form, it\u2019s Stark vs Lannister. The ability to tie in merchandise to a fictional world, such as Game of Thrones, helps widen the popularity and appeal to fans of the tie-in, as well as fans of the series.<\/p>\n

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*SPOILER ALERT*
\n\u201cThat\u2019s a pretty song. I\u2019ve never heard it before.\u201d
\nWatch @EdSheeran<\/a>\u200b in the premiere episode of #GoTS7<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/YbADfWqng1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) July 18, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n