The collective groan heard across the planet as Game of Thrones confirmed a delay for Season 7 should have tipped us off to the size of its audience, but weeks after the Season 6 finale, we have some harder numbers. The HBO drama has officially surpassed 25 million viewers, thanks in part to streaming platforms like HBO GO and HBO NOW.

Per the network’s official press release, digital viewership data from HBO streaming services indicate that at least 40% of Season 6 ratings came from shifted viewing, pushing overall average ratings to 25.1 million viewers an episode. That’s close to five million up over Season 5's 20.2 million average, with NOW and GO usage up a combined 91%.

The uptick isn’t lost on Game of Thrones’ Sunday compatriots either, as Silicon Valley jumped to an average 6.7 million viewers over last year’s 6.1, while Veep Season 5 hit 4.7 million viewers, up from last year’s 4.2.

Certainly a boon for networks with dedicated streaming platforms, but will Game of Thrones manage to top its ratings record again next year, with a summer audience over spring, and less episodes to build up the overall average?

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