Game of Thrones to end after Season 8

It’s official. Season 8 of Game of Thrones will be the last.

HBO executives confirmed on Saturday that the eighth season of Game of Thrones will be the epic drama’s final one. The announcement was made by HBO programming chief Casey Bloys at the Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles, the New York Times reports.

Speaking about the conclusion of the hit series, Bloys said:

“Believe me, as the new guy, if I could get them do to more, I would take 10 more seasons…
But we take their lead on what they think they can do [to make] the best version of the show.”

But though this may be the end for Game of Thrones, fans of the world of Westeros need not despair as there are some talks of a possible spinoff. When asked about this possibility, Bloys commented:

“It’s not something I’m opposed to, but of course it has to make sense creatively… But there’s no concrete plans or anything at this point.”

It’s still good to know that the idea is out there and that it is being considered. And considering the depth and breadth of the source material, there will be more than enough to draw from for inspiration and content. Plus, there’s already a high demand for anything Game of Thrones.

With the next season only having seven episodes, the end is truly fast approaching for Game of Thrones. No episode count has been released for season eight. The hit show recently garnered 23 Emmy award nominations, the most of any other nominee. But its delayed airing will mean that the seventh season will not be eligible for the 2017 Emmy’s. “That’s just something we have to live with,” Bloys said in response.

Game of Thrones season seven will air in the summer of 2017.