HBO Max and Discovery + will become a single streaming platform starting in 2023, but what does the merger actually change for users?
Following the acquisition of WarnerMedia by the Discovery group, which led to the creation of the Warner Bros. Discovery company, a question was brewing: what would happen to the company’s two streaming platforms.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that a merger between HBO Max and Discovery + would take place in the future, and now, in the last week, Warner Bros. Discovery has made it official that the two will become a one-off service with a transition start. scheduled for 2023, initially in the United States, and soon after the move to Latin America.
Although Discovery + has a smaller audience, made up mostly of people interested in reality and variety shows, HBO Max has become a global hit since its launch.
Therefore, most people are more concerned about the future of HBO Max, a platform known for its selection of high-quality content and great content, which will cease to exist as we know it today after the merger.
So, let’s stress what this means for users and why this change is happening.
The end of HBO Max?
In a way, HBO Max will end next year, with the merger with Discovery +. The deadline announced by Warner Bros. The discovery was that the change will take place between June and September in the United States, between September and December in Latin America and from 2024 onwards in other territories where the platforms are inserted, including Europe.
From these dates, HBO Max and Discovery + will become a single streaming service that does not yet have a name, prices or plans announced.
HBO Max in Brazil starts at R $ 19.90 per month for the mobile plan and R $ 27.90 for the multiscreen plan, plus discounts when contracted for 3 or 12 months. Discovery + costs R $ 21.90 per month and also has a discount for the annual plan. Simply adding signature values would be a very risky move.
Pricing and plans aside, another concern for users may be what will happen to streaming content. The expectation is that it will be a combination of what already exists on the two platforms, with perhaps some removals.
DC productions and franchises like “Harry Potter” can be expected to stay on the side of HBO Max, while hit Discovery + shows like “Death Catch” and “Brothers to Work” should also have their place in the new stream. .
HBO Max’s removal of content is already a reality, with six Warner Bros. streaming exclusives recently removed from the platform’s catalog, as well as the cancellation of the movie “Batgirl”, which has sparked speculation about the future. streaming.
Something common among the titles in question is that they were productions with the Max Originals seal, so it’s possible that the new streaming strategy is more focused on aggregating movies released in theaters and series airing on TV channels, such as HBO. .
The reason for the merger between HBO Max and Discovery +
Many subscribers to these streaming platforms have wondered why the merger took place and at the end of the day it all comes down to business. Warner Bros. and Discovery completed a merger in April this year, which created a new company responsible for these changes.
After the merger, the new Warner Bros. Discovery has already cut $ 825 million in content, according to SlashFilm. The idea behind this could be simply to remove or delete content to reduce taxes and thus recover the investments made. Similarly, switching from one to two streaming apps can be seen as a cost-cutting measure.
The post What changes in practice with the merger of HBO Max and Discovery +? first appeared on Digital Look.
Source: Olhar Digital
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
