"HBO are being some real trolls right now" - The best reactions to THAT Game of Thrones Super Bowl ad

Game of Thrones bud light

If there’s one thing you should never do, it’s get people’s hopes up. HBO proved that last night after an expected Game of Thrones trailer premiere came and went and, well, it was just a beer commercial with a few clever callbacks. 

Not quite the big Game of Thrones season 8 look we all wanted – and fans weren’t happy, especially as some of the other trailers at least showed something. Here are some of the best reactions to the Game of Thrones/Bud Light Super Bowl ad that never was.

What *were* they drinking?

So, yeah. The Game of Thrones Super Bowl TV spot was, in effect, tossed to one side in favour of a Bud Light commercial involving the Mountain and some jousting with the Bud Knight. Not quite what people were anticipating, that’s for sure.

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We want the trailer (x1000)

A cry went up, one that could be heard from Westeros and beyond: We want the trailer. It flooded HBO’s official replies on Twitter as well as the rest of the social media – and it’s a message that will prove to be quite popular in the next few weeks leading up to April 14, I’m sure.

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A tense wait

For those who were sitting through Super Bowl 53 in the hope of a sneak peek at Game of Thrones season 8 things got increasingly frantic. First quarter? No trailer. Second quarter? No trailer. Plus, with the Patriots winning, it felt like an agonising 3-hour episode of Thrones, one where the villain wins, with no hope of a payoff. Boo!

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Not everyone was disappointed

Whisper it, but the advert was actually pretty decent – this just wasn’t the time nor the place. It may have even been the best Super Bowl ad this year according to some…

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All men must die, even the Bud Knight

Of course, you can’t have a Thrones trailer (even a joke one) without a shocking death or two. RIP Bud Knight. We’ll be pouring a cold one out for you.

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Be sure to raise a glass to our look at Game of Thrones theories. Plus, if you have the bottle, we even have some juicy quotes about the Game of Thrones ending for you to pore over.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.