Game of Thrones Title Sequence

Game of Throne's opening sequence clocks at 1:50 minutes, which is indeed longer than most modern TV opening credits that rarely break a minute. There are several reasons for this:

1. To establish an epic feeling for the series. A similar series, Rome, has a credit sequence that lasts 1:30.

2. To establish where the action takes place. Each episode the camera zooms on the part of the map where the story will unfold. This is to help TV viewers who don't have the luxury of an inset map.

3. Game of Thrones is an ensemble piece, and thus has plenty of major characters and thus actors. So to give their credits justice, you would indeed need a longer than average credit sequence.

The theme is also important in the opening sequence; not only does it establish the tone, but also the entire history and idea of repetitive histories in the series.

Let me explain:

The first thing I notice in the title sequence is the eternal image of the sun, the idea that no matter what happens on this earth and in this world, that the sun will keep turning. It represents the idea of the gods, that they are eternal, it will exist even after the events of this epic. It could bring together the whole theme of futility and tragedy to the 'players' of this game; that, in the end, it will all be for nought. The first image we can see is that the sun is comprised of rings: Rings of time, or, wheels of time. There we glance at several other images, Aegon's Conquering of Westeros from the First Men, and then further on to Robert's rebellion against that conquest. We see that through all the castles, lands and war, that time is repetitive and has always been about one thing: Power. So the questions we then ask ourselves is, what will the next ring of the Sun's circle be?

I may also note:

Games are reference quite a bit both in the shows and the book series, and it's here we can conclude that most rulers see this bloody and inhumane struggle for power as a game. A board game, in fact:

1. Robb and Stannis are constantly shown with a large board, displaying the whole of armies (as pieces) across vast and tragically complex lands. It both desensitizes them and their situation within the realities of war and life.
2. In ADWD and perhaps in ASOIAF, the game cyvasse is played particularly by kings (or would be kings) and in that they learn the lessons of strategy.

There are most likely innumerable examples and connections, but these are simply a few reasons why the show-runners chose this as a display of "The Game of Thrones".