George R.R. Martin’s Latest ‘Winds of Winter’ Update Exposes a Bigger ‘Game of Thrones’ Problem

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, you’ve probably heard the phrase “Winter is coming.” That usually refers to the threat of the White Walkers, but it could also refer to the long, long wait for The Winds of Winter. The next book in George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire series, which serves as the basis for Game of Thrones, has been afflicted with multiple delays and rumors about its release date. Martin provided an update on The Winds of Winter in January, and one key sentence sticks out:

“I do think if I can just get some of these other things off my back, I could finish The Winds of Winter pretty soon. It’s been made clear to me that Winds is the priority, but… I don’t know. Sometimes I’m not in the mood for that.”

Martin’s comments point to the major issue surrounding The Winds of Winter: the discussion around the release has eclipsed what should be a monumental moment for Game of Thrones fans. Winds of Winter is meant to be the penultimate entry in the saga, paying off multiple plot points while also setting the stage for Martin’s planned conclusion to A Song of Ice and Fire. This is a pop culture event that should be on par with Avengers: Endgame or the conclusion of other literary franchises like Harry Potter and Twilight, but anticipation has been replaced by frustration due to constant delays.

‘The Winds of Winter’ Delay Heavily Affected ‘Game of Thrones’

Image via HBO

Perhaps the biggest effect that The Winds of Winter‘s delay has had is on Game of Thrones itself, as each season was meant to adapt a book in the Song of Ice and Fire saga. By Season 5, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had essentially run out of material, leading them to take creative liberties with the series’ ending. As anyone can tell you, that ending was extremely infamous, to the point that Benioff and Weiss opted to skip 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con, drawing even more ire from fans. It didn’t help that Martin would reveal years later that he was creatively out of the loop by the time Game of Thrones was ending.

The seemingly crushing disappointment of the Game of Thrones finale, along with Martin’s creative absence from the later seasons, contributed to fan fervor for The Winds of Winter​​​​​​. Many fans want to see Martin’s actual ending for the series, either because they feel it’s better than what Benioff or Weiss came up with, or simply because they want to see how their investment pays off. But with each delay, that investment started to wane, to the point where a fan actually told Martin to hand the book over to another author at a convention. This level of entitlement is, sadly, becoming increasingly commonplace in fandom, so it’s no surprise that Martin often doesn’t feel in the mood to continue with writing Winds of Winter.

George R.R. Martin is Dedicating His Time to ‘Game of Thrones’ Spinoffs

The major reason for The Winds of Winter‘s delay is that George R.R. Martin serves as an executive producer on two Game of Thrones spinoffs, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Both shows take place years before Game of Thrones‘ events, allowing them to expand on its world without stepping on established events. Martin is also involved with other Game of Thrones-related projects, including the stage play The Mad King and a feature film penned by Andor writer Beau Willmon that would focus on the Targaryen lineage.

Between his prolific output, convention appearances, and other commitments, George R.R. Martin might continue to take a while with The Winds of Winter. Rather than debate in endless speculation or push for another writer, fans should just sit back and wait. It took a while for winter to come to Westeros, after all.