HBO has confirmed that Blinkbox will be the first digital retailer in the UK to offer Game of Thrones season 3 to buy, meaning you can stream the award-winning show from 15 July 2013 and for the first time you'll be able to stream in high definition.

Game of Thrones season 3 has been aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK, but Blinkbox will be your first port of call if you don't have Sky. Blinkbox was also the first digital retailer in the UK to offer access to seasons 1 and 2 of George R R Martin's fantasy epic.

"Game of Thrones is the TV show of the moment and we expect demand for the third series to be high. Whether you have heard about the series recently thanks to the buzz around season 3 or have enjoyed the first two episodes but don’t have a Sky subscription, blinkbox is the place to enjoy this gripping series," said Blinkbox CEO Michael Comish.

Blinkbox is also using Game of Thrones season 3 to launch its new high-definition streaming service, meaning it will be competitive with services such as iTunes or Xbox Movies. On 15 July you'll be able to buy all three seasons of Games of Thrones in HD or SD.

Blinkbox is a movie and TV streaming service owned by Tesco in the UK and offers a wide range of other HBO titles aside from Game of Thrones.

Currently, the date for the DVD or Blu-ray release of Game of Thrones season 3 in the UK isn't listed on major online retailers such as Amazon.co.uk or Sainsburys.co.uk, although pre-order has the Blu-ray listed at £49.99 and £39.99 for DVD on Amazon. Both prices are tentative and may change closer to actual launch.

Similarly, Blinkbox doesn't yet have a Games of Thrones season 3 price, but the first two series are both available for £17.99 for SD, we'd imagine that there will be something of a premium on HD titles once the service goes live.  

Blinkbox can be accessed through supporting smart TVs and Blu-ray players, on Xbox 360 or PS3, iPad or Android tablet, PC or Mac.