How to Watch Game of Thrones Outside the US
Method 1: Torrenting Game of Thrones Season 8
BitTorrent and peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies have been a favorite distribution medium of content junkies, movie buffs, and television series addicts for years.
TorrentFreak reports that Game of Thrones is the most pirated television program on the internet, so BitTorrent certainly deserves an honorable mention as one of the best ways to watch Game of Thrones outside the US. However, BitTorrent does come with a variety of security risks.
If you do choose to download torrent content, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel.
A VPN tunnel will increase security in three main ways.
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- Prevent other seeders and leechers (that is, downloaders and uploaders) in the P2P swarm from seeing your real Internet Protocol (IP) address – Instead, others will only see the IP address of the VPN server, which makes you anonymous to other torrent users.
- Your downloads are encrypted through the VPN tunnel, so, governmental organizations and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) won’t be able to see what you’re downloading – That could be a mission-critical requirement if you live in a part of the world where copyright regulations are overly harsh.
- VPN tunnel will help you access torrent sites that may be blocked in your region – For instance, it’s not uncommon for countries to block access to The Pirate Bay. A VPN tunnel will make that site available, so you can find the latest episodes of your favorite shows.
Method 2: Streaming Game of Thrones
Last but not least, it’s possible to stream videos from content sites hosted on the internet for free. However, I typically loathe this option, as these types of sites are rather sketchy, and most seem to make money through intrusive and irritating pop-up ads. Sites like:
- CouchTuner
- Putlocker host entire libraries of movies and television shows that can be downloaded or streamed for free.
- 123Movies
I would caution you to have an antivirus application installed, with real-time features and phishing protection in conjunction with a VPN tunnel.
There are many competing domains that target visitors to free media sites with phishing attacks. For example, run a Google search for “putlocker” and you’ll see at least five different domains (such as putlocker, putlocker-hd, putlocker9, and so forth).
These types of websites can change hands pretty quickly, and without proper protection you have no way of knowing whether a website is legitimate or if it’s going to execute a malicious script in your browser.
I’d also advise using a VPN tunnel to protect your anonymity against ad tracking. For that matter, you’ll likely want a good ad-blocker as well, as a lot of these types of websites host digital marketing campaigns that are less than savory.
Method 3: Streaming from the HBO Website (VPN Recommended)
To watch Game of Thrones season 8 100% legally in the US you need an HBO Go, HBO Now, or a HBO on Amazon subscription. To watch elsewhere, you require a subscription to one of HBO’s pay television partners.
If you (or a friend or family member) have a subscription to HBO Go, HBO Now, HBO on Amazon, or one of HBO’s pay television partners, but you are abroad, then you can use a VPN to spoof your location in order to watch Game of Thrones.
If you live in the UK but have a friend in the US with an HBO subscription, they are willing to let you use, a VPN will allow you to pretend to be in the US so you can stream GoT directly from HBO.
Method 4: Watch Game of Thrones season 8 on Sky Atlantic
Here in the UK, for example, Sky Atlantic (only) will broadcast Game of Thrones season 8 in a transatlantic simulcast for super-fans at 2am UK time. Episodes will be repeated on Monday at 9pm for those with more sensible timetables.
Method 5: Watch Game of Thrones on Amazon Prime
Seasons 1-7 are available to Amazon Prime users, but at additional cost (they are not included free with Prime membership). It is reasonable to assume that season 8 will also become available on Amazon Prime at some point, but we don’t know when this will be.
What you should know about Game of Thrones season 8
With the kind of budget previously reserved only for the big screen, Game of Thrones (GoT) has demonstrated a clear demand for high-quality programming with space over multiple episodes and seven seasons (so far) to fully explore the world of the Seven Kingdoms and the complex characters who reside there.
The unprecedented success of the series has spawned a slew of high quality, high budget shows, the like of which TV audiences have never been treated to before.
Sadly, our excitement at this year’s season 8 of Game of Thrones is tempered a little by the knowledge that it is the final season of what many regard as the best TV show ever made.
Season 7 finished on the mother of all cliffhangers. We found out that rather than being illegitimate, Jon Snow is a genuine heir to the throne with a similar birthright to his aunt Daenerys Targaryen. Which is a bit awkward given that in the final episode of season 7 (The Dragon and The Wolf) Jon and Daenerys unknowingly committed incest.
What will happen next, though, is anyone’s guess? Winter is coming, with the army of White Walkers and Undead already at the Wall. Cersei Lannister’s betrayal of Jon means there is nothing in the way to stop them. Even more terrifying, the Night King is now riding on the back of the undead corpse of Daenerys’ fallen Dragon.
Game of Thrones season 8 premiers on Sunday 14 April 2019 at 9pm EST on HBO.
How to Watch Game of Thrones Outside the US: Conclusions
Game of Thrones season 7 is slated to be released in mid-July 2017, which is just around the corner. If you don’t have an HBO subscription or you aren’t located in the US, you’ll have to turn to one of these alternative sources to keep up with the Starks, Lannisters and Targaryens. Of the solutions mentioned, I think getting the content straight from HBO is the best option for two reasons.
First, it’s the safest option from a legal perspective. You won’t have to worry about copyright infringement issues or other legal consequences. Additionally, it’s also one of the safest options from a security perspective. HBO is a trustworthy organization with a great online reputation, so you won’t have to worry about downloading a virus or your computer becoming infected by malware.
However, if HBO isn’t a desirable or viable option for you, I think the next best approach is to access it for free via Popcorn Time. I’d caution you to avoid resorting to free online streaming sources like Putlocker. I know how badly most people want to see the latest episodes, but in the long run it’s not worth it if a virus compromises your computer. Last but not least, remember that a Virtual Private Network tunnel will unblock foreign content the majority of the time, including Game of Thrones episodes.
If you are looking for a cheap VPN so you can safely stream or torrent game of thrones, take a look at our best cheap VPN guide.
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