'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Release Date, News & Update: HBO Decides Not to Send Out Screeners This Year

Everyone is now waiting for the upcoming "Game of Thrones" Season 6 that will air on the small screen next month. However, HBO decided not to release advance screeners for the critics' review.

It is the first time that HBO will not send out the "Game of Thrones'" preview for their evaluators. Hence, the critics just have to watch the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novel on Sunday night together with everyone else.

HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo told Entertainment Weekly that they will not send any "Game of Thrones" copies this year.

"We're not sending out press copies this year, anywhere in the world," Lombardo told the outlet. "There will be no copies for review."

Moreover, it has been known that before "Game of Thrones" officially launch on TV, HBO would usually send out screeners to different "industry pundits" for reactions. The cable television company generally does this move to gather more "critical acclaim" for the upcoming season.

The reason why HBO chose not to send out any "Game of Thrones" Season 6 screeners is because of the mishap that happened in 2015. To recall, the first four episodes of "Game of Thrones" Season 5 leaked online, which were released as screeners before the show officially started.

Evidently, it is quite inevitable that "Game of Thrones" will be pirated after its every airing that's why HBO is trying to be really careful to keep Season 6 under wraps before its air date.

Meanwhile, ever since HBO started an "online screening system that bypasses physical media transfer," hackers are waiting to get a hold of the uploaded "Game of Thrones" screeners. If a video context exists online, it can be copied by hackers who know how to break its encryption.

Hence, it is now easy to spread the distributed copy via file sharing services and social media. HBO is trying not to spill the beans as this is also the first time that "Game of Thrones" is not being based on the book. George R.R. Martin is not yet finished with "The Winds of Winter."

Also, HBO is trying to hide the real deal behind Jon Snow's fat. Snow made waves from the finale episode of Season 5 when he was apparently killed. "Game of Thrones" Season 6 will air on April 24 on HBO.