HBO Go crashes as Game of Thrones fans attempt to stream season 4, episode 1

"Looks like there's trouble in the realm," service tweets

Some viewers had to wait to watch the new Game of Thrones episode (HBO)

HBO Go crashed due to high demand for Game of Thrones' season 4 episode 1 instalment 'Two Swords' last night, with the service advising users to "send a raven".

Many fans hoping to watch using the streaming service rather than HBO or Sky Atlantic were met with black screens, airing their frustrations on Twitter and Facebook.

HBO Go responded to the complaints with levity, tweeting: "Looks like there's trouble in the realm. Apologies for the inconvenience. We'll be providing updates, so please stay tuned."

It later suggested that people having trouble accessing the episode "send a raven," to the annoyance of many.

A similar problem hit True Detective earlier this year (Picture: Twitter)

Read more: Police crack down on illegal Game of Thrones download websites

This is not the first time the service has struggle to meet demand, it previously going down the night of True Detective's season finale.

Fans who escaped technical difficulties were delighted to see the fantasy drama return, though Netflix rival House of Cards wasn't so thrilled, tweeting a "f**k you" to the series ahead of its broadcast.

You can read our review of the first episode here.