Is House of the Dragon Before or After Game of Thrones
House of the Dragon is set before Game of Thrones. The show is a prequel based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, covering the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, which happens roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. The series premiered on HBO and Max on August 21, 2022, and its second season premiered on June 16, 2024, continuing the Targaryen dynasty story that leads toward the world seen in the original Game of Thrones. For a timeline overview, see the official HBO House of the Dragon page at HBO House of the Dragon.
Game of Thrones aired from 2011 to 2019 and is set in a later era of Westeros, while House of the Dragon takes place during the height of the Targaryen dynasty, before the decline that leads to the events of the original series. The first season of House of the Dragon adapts the early chapters of Fire & Blood, while the second season moves deeper into the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war that directly sets the stage for the eventual fall of the Targaryens shown in Game of Thrones. Both series are produced by HBO and are based on Martin's works, with House of the Dragon serving as a direct prequel rather than a sequel.
Timeline and Story Order
In chronological story order, House of the Dragon comes first, followed by Game of Thrones. The first season of House of the Dragon begins around 129 AC (After the Conquest) and covers the start of the Dance of the Dragons, while Game of Thrones begins roughly 172 years later, around 297 AC, during Robert's Rebellion and its aftermath. The second season of House of the Dragon continues the civil war and ends with major Targaryen losses that shape the future of the dynasty. This timeline placement makes House of the Dragon a direct prequel that explains how the Targaryen family's power eroded over time.
Viewers often watch House of the Dragon first to understand the Targaryen history that leads to the events of Game of Thrones, but the original series can be watched independently because it starts generations after the Dance of the Dragons. The chronological order is House of the Dragon Season 1, House of the Dragon Season 2, then Game of Thrones, which spans eight seasons and covers the War of the Five Kings, the rise of Daenerys Targaryen, and the eventual end of the Targaryen dynasty. For additional context on the source material, visit the official George R.R. Martin page at George R.R. Martin.
Release Dates and Streaming Facts
House of the Dragon premiered after Game of Thrones ended, with the first season debuting on HBO and Max in August 2022 and the second season debuting in June 2024. Game of Thrones originally aired from April 17, 2011, to May 19, 2019, spanning eight seasons and becoming one of HBO's most-watched series. Both shows are available to stream on Max, where House of the Dragon is marketed as the first live-action prequel to Game of Thrones. The second season of House of the Dragon expanded the cast and production scale, reflecting the ongoing demand for the franchise.
In terms of viewership, Game of Thrones set records for HBO during its run, while House of the Dragon became one of the streamer's most anticipated new series, with its second season continuing strong performance on Max.