'Games of Thrones' season 8 release date: HBO confirms fans' worst fears

The waiting game has started

For Games of Thrones fans, winter isn't coming for a while.

HBO has announced that the final season of the fantasy series won't premiere until 2019.

This is disappointing news for fans of the hit show who were hoping for a 2018 release date.

The delay is suspected to give Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin a window to release his long-awaited novel The Winds of Winter from his Fire and Blood series.

A news release from HBO announced that credits for season 8 will include : series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, David Nutter, and Miguel Sapochnik. Benioff and Weiss will also write the new season along with Bryan Cogman and Dave Hill. Benioff and Weiss executive produce along with Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield. Cogman, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis and George R.R. Martin as co-executive producers.​

Game of Thrones Season 7 aired in summer of 2017 and previous seasons had usually run in the spring.

It's uncertain when exactly the next season of the series will premiere in 2019, but previous rumours have alluded to it happening during the earlier part of the year.

Actress Sophie Turner had revealed that production for the final six episodes had begun in October.

Hopefully Martin will release his next book to hold Game of Thrones fans over.

If not, at least fans will be hyped for 2019.