<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[GameUP24]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://gameup24.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[William A.]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://gameup24.wordpress.com/author/louzwate/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Game of Thrones&#8217; Ratings Continue to&nbsp;Rise]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<div><img src='https://i0.wp.com/static.gamespot.com/uploads/screen_medium/123/1239113/3085613-got.jpg' style='max-width:600px;' /></p>
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<p>With the sixth season of <em>Game of Thrones</em> about to conclude, HBO has revealed the show&#8217;s ratings are on the rise.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Its HBO&#8217;s first fantasy series to see ratings increases over the course of six years, the network told <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ift.tt/28RfHrM">USA Today</a>. This season has seen an average of 23.3 million viewers when combining the various ways to watch, which is a 15 percent increase over Season 5.</p>
<figure><a href="http://ift.tt/28SxkpM"><img src="http://ift.tt/28Sxnl6"></a></figure>
<p dir="ltr">This rise is thanks in part to streaming through HBO Go and HBO Now, the latter of which was still a <a href="http://ift.tt/28QbkrH">new service limited to PCs and Apple devices last season</a>. The two combine for about 2.5 million streams of the show, a 70 percent increase over last year. Meanwhile, live premiere ratings are up 6 percent to 7.3 million, and combined TV/on-demand viewing is up 4 percent.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, two of HBO&#8217;s other Sunday shows, <em>Silicon Valley</em> and <em>Veep</em>, are up in overall viewership, though <em>Silicon Valley</em>&#8216;s TV ratings (which doesn&#8217;t include gains through streaming) are down slightly.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Still, HBO boss Richard Plepler says this is all evidence that HBO Now &quot;doesn&#8217;t cannibalize anything on the (TV) network,&quot; which is a concern that was raised prior to its launch in April 2015. &quot;It simply expands the audience&#8217;s opportunity to watch our programs. It&#8217;s all about expanding the pie.&quot;</p>
<p><em>Game of Thrones</em> is, unsurprisingly, confirmed to continue beyond this season, though <a href="http://ift.tt/28N7QWE">there may only be 10-15 hours left</a>. There has long been talk of a potential spinoff, and HBO has indicated previously it would be <a href="http://ift.tt/1ZaINQ8">up for whatever showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss think of</a>, if anything.</p>
<p>Season 6 concludes this coming Sunday, June 26. We recently got a <a href="http://ift.tt/28QbkIt">sneak peek at some of what&#8217;s set to unfold during this longer-than-usual episode</a>.</p>
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<p><em>Source: <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://ift.tt/28PkdkE">GameSpot</a></em></div>
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