Viewer numbers at the premiere of season 2 of House of the Dragon decreased compared to the series launch

House of the Dragon is back.

The second season premiered Sunday night and drew 7.8 million viewers across linear and streaming platforms, according to Warner Bros. Discovery. That’s a minor blow to the franchise considering the first season premiere drew about 10 million viewers on its first night.

Although WBD did not break down viewership by linear and streaming content, the company said Max had its best day ever on Sunday, thanks to House of the Dragon.

Samba TV’s data also showed a dramatic drop in viewership compared to the first season. 1.3 million U.S. households watched the second season premiere episode on HBO and Max, compared to 2.6 million who tuned in to the first season premiere.

This isn’t necessarily the news HBO was hoping for for the latest season, but there’s still hope, as weekly viewership numbers are likely a more meaningful data point than the premiere audience.

Audiences had already watched the first season before the latest episode. In the week before the second season premiered, the first season garnered about 1 million viewers, which was the largest viewership in over a year and a half. This could indicate that season 2 will see stronger viewership in the coming weeks as viewers return to the series and possibly rewatch it in its entirety.

Outside the U.S., the series has been hugely successful. In Latin America, the season two premiere broke streaming ratings, posting 30% growth compared to the season one premiere. According to WBD, it’s the biggest launch for Max in the region.

House of the Dragon is from Co-Creator/Executive Producer George RR Martin; Co-Creator/Co-Showrunner/EP Ryan Condal; Co-Showrunner/EP/Director Miguel Sapochnik; and EPs Sara Hess, Jocelyn Diaz, Vince Gerardis, Ron Schmidt. It is based on Martin’s Fire and blood.