What do you do when your subscription service isn't doing as well as you'd hoped? Well, if you're Warner Bros. Discovery, you change its name.
According to Bloomberg and The Wrap, "the HBO name turns off many potential subscribers", which is why the streaming platform will change its name from HBO Max to just Max.
The reasoning behind the name change isn't clear yet but it's presumed it has something to do with the upcoming merger between HBO Max and Discovery+.
Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming platform undergone several name changes in recent years, going from HBO Go to HBO Now to HBO Max and now, to Max. But, if it's any consolation, the name change comes with a handful of improvements to justify the monthly subscription cost of $20 a month, which includes better video quality, among several others.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, believes the upcoming HBO Max and Discovery+ merger will help the streaming service compete with industry frontrunners, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix.
Netflix is still atop the food chain based on streaming numbers followed by Amazon Prime Video. Disney+ is a distant third and HBO Max is even further away in fourth place. It remains to be seen if the unannounced name change and merger will have a positive impact on the platform. But, we don't think HBO Max will compete with the leading services until it can prove that it's focused on the quality of its shows after a series of cancellations.
Keep in mind that fans still haven't recovered from the cancellation of Batgirl, especially when Black Adam came out and did badly at the global box office despite posting similar audience testing scores.
If it's any consolation, Warner Bros. Discovery owns some of the most bankable properties. Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and the Wizarding World franchise are easily worth billions individually.
Also, don't forget that the company owns DC Comics. If HBO can get its ducks in a row, catching up to Netflix and Prime Video is possible. Just don't expect it to happen anytime soon.
