Typically, Game of Thrones tops the annual list of the most pirated TV shows, but in 2018 it didn’t even make the cut.
The HBO series, which produced no new episodes last year, was not among the 10 most “torrented” shows, as compiled by TorrentFreak. In fact, the network had just one program on the list, Westworld, ranked eight.
Topping the list is AMC’s The Walking Dead as the most popular show among pirates.
Perhaps HBO’s increased anti-piracy security is showing promise after Game of Thrones’ 2017’s hacker incident. That year the drama was pirated some 90 million times. In 2019, Game of Thrones is taking its last-season bow.
Here’s Bit Torrent’s 2018 ranking by total downloads:
1) The Walking Dead
2) The Flash
3) The Big Bang Theory
4) Vikings
5) Titans
6) Arrow
7) Supernatural
8) Westworld
9) Legends of Tomorrow
10) Suits
Four of those shows—Titans, Supernatural, Westworld and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow—are newcomers to the 2018 list.
Just as the traditional entertainment world has changed in recent years, so too has piracy. Rather than downloading full episodes, many pirates prefer to now watch episodes on free streaming channels, which do not report viewing statistics. The Torrent list, however, is seen as good guide for what pirates are searching for online.