HBO has yet to formally renew Game of Thrones for an eighth and final season and now we have some insight into why. The cabler’s programming president Casey Bloys tells TVLine that showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are still deciding how many episodes the farewell season will consist of, which suggests the duo may be rethinking their previously announced six-episode game plan.

“The only thing we’re working out is how many episodes they want to do,” says Bloys. The exec added that he “hopes” Benioff and Weiss will deliver more than six episodes.

“They’re still figuring it out because I think they’re trying to get a shape of the season,” he continues. “They always do what they think [will yield] the best version of the show. It’s all about how many they’re comfortable [with]. But I’ll always take more.”

Bottom line: Once the exact episode count is ironed out, an official Season 8 pickup will follow. In the meantime, Bloys assures us with a laugh, “If you’re afraid we’re not going to do an eighth season, I assure you we’re going to.”

Last April, Benioff and Weiss revealed that the forthcoming seventh season (bowing this summer) would consist of seven episodes and Season 8 would likely feature just six episodes. “I think we’re down to our final 13 episodes,” Benioff said. “We’re heading into the final lap.” Game of Thrones: Season 7 Theories You'll Hate

Benioff added at the time that the decision to wind things down is “not just [about] trying not to outstay [our] welcome,” adding, “We’re trying to tell one cohesive story with a beginning, middle and end… We’ve known the end for quite some time and we’re hurtling towards it. Those last images from [the Season 6 finale] showed that. Daenerys is finally coming back to Westeros, Jon Snow is king of the North, and Cersei is sitting on the Iron Throne. And we know the Night King is up there, waiting for all of them. The pieces are on the board now… and we are heading toward the endgame.”

What do you think, Thrones fans? Are you hopeful Season 8 will feature more than six episodes? Hit the comments!