In an expected movie, HBO has announced that it would NOT be sending out advanced screeners of the eighth season of Game of Thrones to critics for review purposes.

This continues the trend that began with the series’ sixth season but this wasn’t always the case. HBO used to send out GoT screener DVDs in advance. Critics sometimes got to view as many as six episodes of the new season before the first had even aired (though often with low resolution and incomplete special effects).

Yet season 5 changed all that after the first four episodes leaked online from DVD screeners. The culprit was not a critic, but the event was enough to convince HBO to hold back on advanced reviews.

Season 7 experienced similar troubles as a hacker, later identified as an Iranian national, infiltrated HBO’s network trying to get spoilers on the new season and other corporate intel. This resulted in the network’s security being tightened even more

For the highly anticipated final season, HBO is expected to eventually announce a premiere screening for the first episode. Members of the media, as well as the cast and crew, will attend but reviews for the episode will most likely be embargoed until the episode’s worldwide premiere date.

Games of Thrones premieres on HBO on April 14, 2019.