'Game of Thrones' Sets Ratings Record Despite Leaked Episodes

"Game of Thrones" has a message for pirates: we're doing just fine.

The HBO drama aired its season five premiere this past Sunday, reaching a new record high in ratings for a premiere episode.

"The Wars to Come," the first episode of the fifth season, drew an average of 8 million viewers throughout the night, an increase of roughly 1.4 million over last year's premiere.

The 8 million viewers also sets a series high for "Game of Thrones," topping its previously most-watched episode by about 800,000 viewers.

This is all despite increasing piracy of the series, as fans without cable have pirated the show in record numbers leading up to the premiere. The first four episodes of the fifth season have also leaked early on torrent sites, causing worry that ratings will drop for the start of the season.

The numbers include views from DVR and HBO Go, however numbers from new standalone service HBO Now don't seem to be factored in just yet.