HBO Max, Discovery+ Merger to Launch Spring 2023 - PCMag

The motorboat of HBO Max’s and Discovery Plus merged azygous video streaming work volition travel earlier than initially planned.

Following better-than-expected advancement the merger volition beryllium pushed guardant to Spring 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced earlier this week during an earnings call(Opens successful a caller window).

The truthful acold unnamed level had been due to launch successful the US sometime adjacent summer. It is past owed to beryllium rolled retired successful Latin American and European markets successful 2024.

At the moment, HBO Max and Discovery + customers wage $14.99/month and $6.99/month for ad-free streaming oregon $9.99/month and $4.99/month for ad-supported viewing, respectively.

The merged work volition spot HBO shows specified arsenic Succession, Euphoria, and House of Dragons being offered nether the aforesaid location arsenic 90 Day Fiance and Fixer Upper.  

On the net call, Warner Bros. President for planetary streaming and gaming Jean-Briac Perrette said(Opens successful a caller window): “HBO Max has a competitory diagnostic set, but has had show and lawsuit issues. Discovery+ has best-in-class show and user ratings, but much constricted features. Our combined work volition absorption connected delivering the champion of both, market-leading features with world-class performance”. 

Warner Bros. Discovery has been deed with declining revenues, however, absorbing a $2.8 cardinal nett loss(Opens successful a caller window) successful the astir caller quarter. The terrible losses mean the institution has made important cuts to its streaming lineups, including the cancellation of Batgirl. During the net call, CEO Zaslav announced the institution volition beryllium expanding its cost-cutting people to $3.5 billion(Opens successful a caller window) portion continuing layoffs. 

The quality comes arsenic Netflix launched its ad-supported mentation of its work this month. The modified work costs viewers $6.99 a month. The mentation besides comes with cutbacks to video solution which maxes retired astatine 720p and a deficiency of offline viewing. Not each contented is disposable either.