Game of Thrones popularity through the roof thanks to streaming

We already knew HBO’s Game of Thrones was popular but never did we expect this level of viewership. With the season 6 finale set to air this Sunday, expect it to be the most watched programming of the night—just as it has been over the past few months. In fact, with streaming factored in, it has reached record-breaking numbers.

Through June 17, HBO says the series has averaged an incredible 23.3 million viewers across all platforms, which includes cable, DVR, HBO Go, and HBO Now. That’s a lot of eyeballs for one show, and doesn’t even take into account the amount of pirating that’s taking place; Game of Thrones is consistently one of the industry’s most pirated shows, which means the figure is more likely around 30 million at the very least.

Most significant among the Nielsen data cited by HBO is how much streaming viewership has gone up. According to the data, viewership through HBO Now and HBO Go has gone up 70 percent since April 2015, which just goes to show how popular digital media has become. I consume the show through HBO Go because I don’t have to wait until 9 p.m. to watch the latest episode (I’m on the west coast).

Game of Thrones has always been a popular show but its feverish fanbase continues to grow, which isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do for a show in its sixth season. With episodes such as “Battle of the Bastards,” however, it’s easy to see why people get so drawn in.

If you’re all caught up, check out the gallery above to relive season 6 of Game of Thrones (sans finale).