Following reports from August, Discovery Plus and HBO Max will merge for US subscribers in the summer of 2023. But the aforementioned streaming platform mashup will arrive sooner than anticipated; according to recent reports, it will now launch in the spring of 2023.
Warner Bros. Discovery Arrives in Spring 2023
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) President and CEO David Zaslav confirmed this development in the company's most recent earnings call. The top executive also stated that the company is actively experimenting and testing the upcoming product to point out possible gaps.
The merger of HBO Max and Discovery Plus will result in a single streaming service that will concentrate on the transition of Warner Bros. Discovery from its parent companies. It is combining two services to focus on providing both of its contents under one service rather than having two separate apps or platforms for its content.
Fierce Video reports that WBD increased its global streaming subscribers by 2.8 million in the third quarter. Meanwhile, as of the end of September, HBO Max and Discovery+ had a combined user base of 94.9 million. It is important to note that most subscribers are from countries other than the United States.
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Zaslav claimed in the most recent earnings announcement that the company has the strongest position in the market in terms of the completeness and caliber of its asset portfolio. This was broadened by the WBD's IP across sports, news, nonfiction, and entertainment, in almost every continent and in every language.
HBO Max x Discovery Plus
HBO Max is preparing to take off as a streaming service, and it wants to overtake market leaders like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and other well-known labels.
The company is popular for its remarkable titles on the platform that highlight shows produced by HBO Originals, such as "Game of Thrones," "Euphoria," "Westworld," "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," and others.
Variety reports that the number of HBO, HBO Max, and Discovery+ streaming subscribers increased to nearly 95 million worldwide from July to September. This is when "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon" made its debut.
The streaming service is also adding new features for users to enjoy, and one of them is the addition of a shuffle button similar to what other platforms provide for their users.
Discovery Plus, on the other hand, is a brand-new platform that aims to make a name for itself in the streaming market by providing important documentaries, wildlife programs, and more.
Coming in 2023
During the earnings call, the top official also mentioned that a compelling lineup of films would be released next year. "The Flash," "Shazam," "Doom 2," "Aquaman," and other titles are on the schedule. Zaslav also mentioned that "The Last of Us," based on the post-apocalyptic video game, will air on TNT next year, along with a new script and original series for TV such as Lazarus Project.
