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Many Game of Thrones fans around the world are excited about streaming Game of Thrones on HBO tonight. The Season 8 premiere could be one of the biggest moments in television history, and we can expect some developments during the episode to be “dark and full of terrors.” Fans are hoping, however, that the HBO servers for HBO NOW and HBO GO aren’t among those terrifying problems.
You might want to have a backup plan in place, just in case. Some viewers using both HBO NOW and HBO GO reported that the streaming services crashed earlier this year during True Detective‘s Season 3 premiere. Game of Thrones will no doubt have a much bigger turnout of viewers than True Detective did.
GoT fans also had issues during Season 7. For some, the Season 7 finale crashed or froze multiple times. And during the Season 7 premiere, the first episode was delayed by a few minutes because of traffic. That was a couple years ago, so HBO has had time to improve its infrastructure since then.
Still, fans are so worried that they’re already tweeting and creating memes about HBO servers early:
Still, here’s what you can do if you encounter problems.
What To Do if HBO GO or NOW Crash
First, make sure your app is updated to the most recent version. It’s best if you do this before the premiere airs. Sometimes HBO will resolve access issues but those will only be available in a newer version of the app.
If there is a problem, there are a few things you can try. Sometimes you’ll just have a load screen that you’ll need to wait on as the website lags. Other times you might need to restart the app to get it to work.
Other times, you might have better luck if you switch to a different device. Some have trouble with the website, but the episode may load fine on their iPad or phone, for example. So if one location isn’t working for you, try another device.
You might also try through a different app. For example, if it’s not loading on your Smart TV’s app, then try switching over to Apple TV. For some reason, some versions of the app might work even if another one isn’t.
You can also try tweeting HBOGoHelp or HBONowHelp. Also check the tweets sent to and from both accounts to see if others have noted the same problem. Sometimes HBO will post a quick fix to a problem on the respective Twitter accounts, so it’s a good idea to check those for possible solutions.
Sometimes the only solution is to wait a few minutes and then try relaunching the show. That was the case on March 9 during True Detective‘s finale, as you can see in the tweet below.
Backup Options if HBO GO or NOW Crash
Remember, you do have options for streaming backups if HBO GO or NOW stop working. Consider having one of those set up and ready to go if you need it. Here are the backups:
If you have Amazon Prime or want to start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch live and on-demand HBO content through the HBO Amazon Channel, which also comes with a free 7-day trial. Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the HBO channel, you can watch the show either live as it airs or on-demand after. With either option, you can watch on your computer via the Amazon website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the Amazon Video app.
Whether you already have Hulu or you want to sign up for a new subscription, HBO is available as an add-on to either Hulu or Hulu with Live TV. Once signed up, you can watch the show live as it airs, or you can watch it on-demand anytime after. With either option, you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (on-demand only), Nintendo Switch, Echo Show or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
Whether you already have PlayStation Vue or you want to start a free 5-day trial of PlayStation Vue, you can watch live and on-demand HBO content through the HBO add-on, which comes with a free 7-day trial. Once signed up, you can watch the show either live as it airs or on-demand anytime after. With either option, you can watch your computer via the PS Vue website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation (3 or 4), or other supported device via the PS Vue app.
Hopefully there won’t be any major issues, but if you do encounter issues it could be good to have an alternative streaming option ready.
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