"The Long Game" was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 7 May 2005. Overnight ratings showed that the episode had been watched by 7.51 million viewers live, a 38.9% audience share. It received a final rating of 8.01 million viewers in the UK, the sixth highest-rated broadcast on BBC One for the week. The episode received an Audience Appreciation Index score of 81. "The Long Game" was released on DVD in Region 2 alongside the following episodes "Father's Day", "The Empty Child", and "The Doctor Dances" on 1 August 2005. It was then re-released as part of the first series boxset on 21 November 2005.