Watch order
Game of Thrones timeline
HBO's live-action Westeros universe in US premiere order—Game of Thrones Seasons 1–8 (2011–2019), House of the Dragon (the Dance of the Dragons), and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Dunk & Egg)—plus Story order for in-universe chronology and FAQ for books, games, and upcoming spin-offs.
Release order
When each HBO season premiered in the US—one row per season, not individual episodes. Game of Thrones S1–S8 (2011–2019), House of the Dragon S1–S3 (2022–2026), then A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms S1 (2026).
- Classic order → Game of Thrones S1–S8 first (how most fans originally watched)
- Story chronology → House of the Dragon S1–S3 → A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms → Game of Thrones
- HotD only → GoT is not required first, but GoT callbacks make more sense after HotD
- Licensed games (Telltale, mobile) → FAQ only—not part of the HBO story
Story order tips
When events happen in Westeros fiction—one Story row per HBO season with approximate AC year ranges. HotD S1–S3 (~112–135 AC), KotSK S1 (~209 AC), then GoT S1–S8 (~298–305 AC). Seasons do not each span an entire series era.
- HotD S1 → ~112–132 AC (time jumps); HotD S2 → ~132–133 AC; HotD S3 → ~133–135 AC (Dance continues)
- KotSK S1 → ~209 AC (Dunk & Egg)
- GoT S1–S5 → roughly 298–301 AC; S6 jumps to ~303 AC; S7–S8 → ~304–305 AC
- Many fan guides use one AC year per season (298→305)—ranges here are approximate; see FAQ
Story order
When events happen in Westeros fiction—one Story row per HBO season with approximate AC year ranges. HotD S1–S3 (~112–135 AC), KotSK S1 (~209 AC), then GoT S1–S8 (~298–305 AC). Seasons do not each span an entire series era.
- HotD S1 → ~112–132 AC (time jumps); HotD S2 → ~132–133 AC; HotD S3 → ~133–135 AC (Dance continues)
- KotSK S1 → ~209 AC (Dunk & Egg)
- GoT S1–S5 → roughly 298–301 AC; S6 jumps to ~303 AC; S7–S8 → ~304–305 AC
- Many fan guides use one AC year per season (298→305)—ranges here are approximate; see FAQ
Timeline
When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.
Release order
Game of Thrones — Season 1
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—Ned in King's Landing, Daenerys in Essos; the War of the Five Kings begins in Season 2.
- Overview
- HBO adapts A Game of Thrones—Winterfell, King's Landing, and Essos introduced.
- Related games
- Telltale's 2014 game is set later during the TV era—not required here.
- Where it fits
- Start here for the original saga—or skip to HotD for Targaryen-first viewing.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 17, 2011 (ten episodes through June 19, 2011).
Game of Thrones — Season 2
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—War of the Five Kings; Battle of Blackwater Bay.
- Overview
- Adapts A Clash of Kings—multiple claimants to the Iron Throne.
- Where it fits
- Direct continuation—watch after Season 1.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 1, 2012.
Game of Thrones — Season 3
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—Red Wedding; Jaime and Brienne arc.
- Overview
- First half of A Storm of Swords adaptation.
- Where it fits
- Peak-era binge stretch for many viewers.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere March 31, 2013.
Game of Thrones — Season 4
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—Purple Wedding; Oberyn vs the Mountain.
- Overview
- Completes Storm of Swords; moves beyond published books in some threads.
- Where it fits
- Watch after Season 3 without gap.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 6, 2014.
Game of Thrones — Season 5
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—Dorne, Cersei and the Faith Militant, Jon at the Wall.
- Overview
- Draws from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons with major condensation.
- Where it fits
- Mid-saga—books diverge more sharply from here.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 12, 2015.
Game of Thrones — Season 6
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesTen episodes—Battle of the Bastards; Tower of Joy revelations.
- Overview
- First season mostly beyond published novels—HBO outline with Martin consultation.
- Where it fits
- High point for many fans—momentum into final stretch.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 24, 2016.
Game of Thrones — Season 7
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesSeven episodes—Daenerys lands in Westeros; Army of the Dead march.
- Overview
- Shortened penultimate season—accelerated travel and coalition against the Night King.
- Where it fits
- Watch immediately after Season 6.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere July 16, 2017 (summer slot vs spring).
Game of Thrones — Season 8
HBOTV seriesLive-actionMain seriesSix episodes—final war with the dead; Iron Throne resolution.
- Overview
- Finale season—six feature-length episodes ending the main HBO saga May 19, 2019.
- Where it fits
- Conclusion of the main series—prequels aired later in real life but take place earlier in the story.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere April 14, 2019; finale May 19, 2019.
House of the Dragon — Season 1
HBOMaxTV seriesPrequelSpin-offTen episodes—succession crisis builds; the Dance of the Dragons begins in the season finale.
- Overview
- First major spin-off—from Fire & Blood; HBO sets it ~200 years before Game of Thrones.
- Related games
- No canon game tie-in required—mobile titles are non-HBO.
- Where it fits
- Watch before or after GoT—chronologically first in Westeros.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere August 21, 2022 (ten episodes through October 23, 2022).
House of the Dragon — Season 2
HBOMaxTV seriesPrequelSpin-offEight episodes—civil war escalates; Battle of Rook's Rest.
- Overview
- Continues the Targaryen civil war—Blood and Cheese aftermath.
- Where it fits
- Watch after HotD Season 1; before KotSK in fiction order.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO premiere June 16, 2024 (eight episodes through August 4, 2024).
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — Season 1
HBOMaxTV seriesPrequelSpin-offSix episodes—Dunk and Egg wander the Seven Kingdoms (~90 years before GoT).
- Overview
- Adaptation of Martin's Hedge Knight novellas—lighter tone, half-hour episodes.
- Related games
- Unrelated to Telltale or mobile strategy games.
- Where it fits
- Latest Dunk & Egg series as of July 2026—Story order after HotD, before GoT.
- Premiere dates
- US HBO/Max premiere January 18, 2026 (six episodes weekly through February 22, 2026).
House of the Dragon — Season 3
HBOMaxTV seriesPrequelSpin-offEight episodes—the Dance of the Dragons continues with major battles, dragon losses, and a shift in King's Landing.
- Overview
- Third season—continues the Targaryen civil war from *Fire & Blood* after Season 2's Battle of Rook's Rest.
- Where it fits
- Watch after HotD Seasons 1–2. In story order, still before A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (~209 AC).
- Premiere dates
- US HBO/Max premiere June 21, 2026 (eight episodes through August 9, 2026).
FAQ
Chronological vs release watch order, HotD and KotSK placement, books vs show, licensed games, and planned series (Snow, Ten Thousand Ships).
Watch order
Westeros chronology (Story order): House of the Dragon S1–S3 → A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms S1 → Game of Thrones S1–S8. How most people watched (Release order): GoT S1–S8 (2011–2019) → HotD S1–S3 (2022–2026) → KotSK S1 (2026). Both are valid—chronology front-loads Targaryen history; release order finishes the main saga before prequels existed.
Release order lists US HBO premiere dates—GoT first because it aired 2011–2019, then HotD, then KotSK. Story order lists Westeros fiction per season with approximate AC year ranges—HotD S1 (~112–132 AC) through GoT S8 (~304–305 AC). Use Release for "when did this premiere?"; use Story for "what year in the story does this season cover?"
No—HotD works on its own as a Targaryen tragedy set about 200 years before Game of Thrones (HBO's official description). Yes, eventually, if you want the full HBO universe—Game of Thrones references dragon extinction and Targaryen madness that HotD explains. Many newcomers in 2026 watch HotD → KotSK → GoT; longtime fans often watched GoT first when it was the only show.
~209 AC in Westeros—about 90 years before Game of Thrones Season 1 and roughly 80 years after the Dance of the Dragons (HotD). Watch after HotD S1–S2 for pure chronology, or after GoT if you prefer release history. Six episodes in Season 1 (January–February 2026).
Each season has its own approximate window—they do not all cover an entire series span. Example: GoT S1 is mostly ~298 AC (Ned dies toward 299 AC); S2 is ~299 AC; S6 jumps to ~303 AC after S5 ends around ~301 AC. HotD S1 spans ~112–132 AC in one season because of time jumps.<br><br><strong>Simpler rule of thumb:</strong> many guides assign one AC year per GoT season—S1=298 AC through S8=305 AC. This page uses tighter ranges where the show skips time.<br><br>The Story tab lists one row per HBO season. Episode-level dates are not listed here.
Canon & books
Either works—they follow different paths after the show moves past the published novels (~Season 5–6 in the books; the show overtook book plot by Season 6). Books (*A Song of Ice and Fire*) have more detail and unfinished arcs; HBO is the finished TV saga through Season 8. HotD and KotSK draw from *Fire & Blood* and the Dunk & Egg novellas. This page tracks HBO only.
Westeros history
Optional & extras
More timelines
Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.
- Media
Westeros History
Westeros timeline from the Dawn Age and First Men (~12,000 BC) through the Long Night, Aegon's Conquest, the Dance, Robert's Rebellion, and Game of Thrones—what HBO shows cover vs books-only lore.
- Media
The Witcher Media
The Witcher Netflix watch order (2019–2025)—seasons 1–4, Nightmare of the Wolf, Blood Origin, Sirens of the Deep, and how the show relates to Sapkowski books and CDPR games.
- Media
Fallout Media
Fallout TV watch order on Prime Video (2024–2026)—Seasons 1–2, 2296 wasteland fiction, and how the show connects to the games on /fallout.
- Media
Castlevania Media
Castlevania Netflix watch order (2017–2025)—four seasons of the main anime plus Castlevania: Nocturne, and how each relates to Konami's game canon.
- Game series
The Elder Scrolls
Elder Scrolls release and Tamriel story order (1994–2019), DLC placement, and classic vs modern play paths.