HBO
Are you trying to watch Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5, but the streaming services HBO NOW or HBO GO aren’t working? Are they down or did they crash? Or are they just loading endlessly without stopping? Unfortunately, this isn’t an uncommon or rare problem. It’s happened for some viewers in nearly every episode of Game of Thrones this season. Here’s what to do, along with alternatives you can try if they don’t work soon.
What To Do if HBO GO or HBO NOW Crash During Season 8 Episode 5 of ‘Game of Thrones’
Sometimes the HBO servers get overloaded and the streaming services crash. This could look a number of different ways. You might see error messages, the service might just go completely blank, or the screen might be stuck loading while nothing happens.
If HBO GO or HBO NOW are down when Season 8 Episode 5 is supposed to begin, here’s what you can try. First, make sure your app is updated to the most recent version. HBO might fix an issue by updating the app, but if your own app isn’t updated then you’ll miss out on the fix.
If that doesn’t help, try restarting the app or switch to a different device. Some viewers may report trouble with the website, for example, but find that the episode may load fine on their iPad or phone. Or maybe it won’t load on their iPad but it loads fine on their Xbox. (A number of users have reported that switching to the app on their Xbox seems to run more smoothly than anything else, so it’s worth trying if the option’s available to you.) If it’s not loading on your Smart TV’s app, then try switching to Apple TV. For some reason, some versions of the app might work even if another one isn’t. It’s definitely worth checking out all your options.
Look up HBO GO & HBO NOW on Twitter
Check for new tweets from HBOGoHelp or HBONowHelp (be sure and switch the timeline to “latest” rather than “top”) to see if a fix was shared online. If not, check tweets sent to those accounts to see if others are reporting a similar issue or sharing their own fixes. Sometimes HBO will post a quick fix to a problem on the respective Twitter accounts, so it’s a good idea to check those right away.
You can also tweet directly to either account. HBO GO may respond by asking you to direct message them with your HBO ID, email, TV Provider, Device, bandwidth, and the troubleshooting steps you already tried.
For HBO NOW users, you may be asked to DM with your HBO NOW email address.
Don’t tweet any private information to either GO or NOW, because you don’t want that information to be public. Only share it in a DM to either of the two accounts.
Here is where you can find HBO GO troubleshooting steps:
@emilylopez Hi, thank you for reaching out with your inquiry. Apologies for the streaming difficulties. Please follow this link for some troubleshooting steps to try: t.co/SbtBr9Zhjz. Please let us know if they help resolve the streaming errors you’re having. Thanks.
And here is where to get sign-in help for HBO NOW:
Stream #GameofThrones on #HBONOW tonight at 9PM ET, the same time it premieres on #HBO! Watch on your favorite #HBONOW supported devices: t.co/D4wzJ0KEst
For sign-in help, see: t.co/ZHXCQKWjcM
If all else fails, give one of these alternatives a try.
Alternatives if HBO GO or NOW Crash
Here are the backups, some of which can be accessed with free trials that you can use until HBO GO or HBO NOW is working for you again:
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.
Viewers Have Had Problems with Every Episode
Unfortunately, if you’re having trouble today you’re not alone. Viewers have reported problems with HBO GO and NOW with every episode. One error people get is simply seeing a blank or black screen instead of the episode:
Or the app may just endlessly load.
christ may have risen, but @hbonow is dead
They may also have problems with the resolution.
Did anyone else have banding issues in some of the #GameofThrones scenes last night? It was terrible in some scenes and at first thought it was due to using HBO now instead of regular cable.
For some, the stream slows or stops midway through the episode.
@HBONowHelp HBO Now has slowed & stopped approximately once a minute in the 17 minutes I’ve been streaming tonight’s #GameofThrones episode. WTH? Epic level frustration.
Or they just get this annoying error message:
For the third week in a row, @HBO‘s video streaming service, HBO Go, in the United States and across South America can’t cope with subscribers who want to watch #GameofThrones and crashes.
Just the other day there were problems specifically with playback involving Chrome or Firefox. So try a different browser if that’s an option for you.
We’re aware some users may be experiencing playback issues with #HBOGO using Chrome or Firefox. We appreciate your patience as our team works to resolve this as quickly as possible. Please try another browser and check t.co/mQQ7TQIRuu for updates.
We’re aware some users may be experiencing playback issues with #HBONOW using Chrome or Firefox. We appreciate your patience as our team works to resolve this as quickly as possible. Please try another browser and check t.co/mz40nonR0V for updates.
And here’s some advice that’s just funny:
If you have any problems tonight, try any of the above solutions.
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HBO GO & NOW Are Down or Crashed: Fixes & Alternatives for ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 5