The final season of Game of Thrones is here. It promises to be the most fierce yet.

You can watch the official full trailer above to whet your appetite further and below we reveal other details on GoT season 8, including how and where to watch it.

When does Game of Thrones season 8 start?

Game of Thrones returned to HBO yesterday, with a simulcast on Sky Atlantic that took place at 2am today. As with previous years, the show will also take up the 9pm time slot on Sky Atlantic today, too.

The rest of the episodes will be available in the same time slot each week, with Sky confirmed to simulcast each episode of the entire series at 2am each Monday morning like it did with season 7.

How many episodes are there in season 8?

Unlike previous series, there will only be six episodes in total for the final season. And that's that (apart from the spin off prequel series that has been officially greenlit by HBO for some time in the future).

Where can you watch it?

Apart from the ever-diminishing pirate network, the show will be available to watch in the US and UK via the following:

HBO, HBO Go and HBO Now

As HBO makes the show, it screens it in the US. That means it is available on all of the channel's subscription services - the main HBO channel for TV viewers, through the HBO Go apps and platforms for existing HBO subscribers, or HBO Now for those who don't pay for the main channel. 

All of its on demand services will offer the show as catch-up content.

A HBO subscription is generally offered as a premium service through cable providers in the States, costing around $15 a month to add to an existing package. HBO Go is a free service for subscribers to the TV channel. HBO Now is for those who don't have cable TV but still want access to the channel.

HBO Now also costs around $15 a month. There are HBO Now apps for a wide array of devices, including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV and Roku.

Sky+ and Sky Q

Sky exclusively screens HBO content in the UK, so has the rights to season 8, albeit with adverts. The US screening is ad-free.

It will appear on Sky Atlantic, simultaneously shown with each HBO screening. Fans will therefore be able to watch the premiere at 2am BST each Monday morning.

All episodes will also be screened in an evening time slot of 9pm on the channel the day after the US airing. A repeat showing will also be on the channel at 11.40pm on the Monday, 10.10pm on the Tuesday and several other days if you don't manage to catch-up with it beforehand.

Sky+ and Sky Q subscribers will be able to watch them live, record them (with series link) or catch up with each episode on demand, as long as they have their set-top-box connected to the internet.

A Sky Q subscription, which includes Sky Atlantic, starts at £22 a month.

Sky has also made the entire run of seven seasons so far available on demand.

Now TV

With a £7.99 a month Now TV Entertainment Pass, you can watch Sky Atlantic live alongside a range of other channels, Sky, and otherwise. That means you can watch the episodes when they appear on Sky Atlantic as above. You can also watch it on demand on the service. And Now TV catch-up is devoid of adverts, save for a few dedicated stings, so you can jump into a mostly uninterrupted version.

Now TV can be viewed through a dedicated Now TV or Now TV Smart Box, Roku media streaming boxes or online through a browser. Apps are also available for iOS, Android, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, YouView and select LG Smart TVs. You can also use the Now TV app on a smartphone or tablet to play the show through a Google Chromecast.

An additional benefit to Now TV is, like with Sky Q and Sky+HD, you can catch up with any of the previous series of Game of Thrones before plunging into season 8.

Sky Go and Sky Q apps

Sky Go offers the show on catch-up or live, but you do need a Sky TV subscription to access the app for iOS, select Android devices, PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. Or watch it online through a PC or Mac.

Where Sky Go becomes a great option though is if you have a parent or friend with a Sky subscription and they have no interest in registering their free Sky Go accounts on mobile devices. You could ask if they would let you use one of the device slots instead (you can register up to two devices on one account). They might even let you take up a device slot for the duration of season 8, and you can deregister it after.

Alternatively, if they subscribe to Sky Go Extra or you upgrade them to Sky Go Extra for £5 a month, you can take one of four device slots. One caveat with this method is that the iPhone and iPad app won't allow AirPlay mirroring or direct connection to get the pictures onto a TV. In this case, you really do get what you paid for. The Sky Q app cannot be subscribed to separately either. It is for Sky Q subscribers only.