It would seem that Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform has undergone a bit of an identity crisis as the company revealed during their Upfront presentation in New York City on Wednesday (May 14) that their streamer Max would return to its former name, HBO Max, this summer.
So, why the switch-up…. again? According to a release posted following the announcement, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming business has added 22 million new subscribers over the past year, with a path to 150 million plus by the end of 2026. They credit the work, investment, and refocusing the strategy on programming that is working best, such as HBO, recent box-office movies, docuseries, certain reality series, and Max and local originals.
Additionally, the company revealed the decision was driven by consumers wanting quality over quantity when it comes to content. “The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead,” CEO David Zaslav said of the change.
Fellow company execs JB Perrette and Casey Bloys offered additional perspectives on the name change. Bloys, who is the chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content, said, “With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe ‘HBO Max’ far better represents our current consumer proposition. And it clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognized as unique and, to steal a line we always said at HBO, worth paying for.”
“We will continue to focus on what makes us unique – not everything for everyone in a household, but something distinct and great for adults and families,” Perrette, who is the president and CEO of the company’s streaming arm, said. “It’s really not subjective, not even controversial — our programming just hits different.”
As subscribers will recall, HBO Max originally launched in May 2020 and was rebranded to Max in April 2023 after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. (When HBO Max arrived, it also replaced HBO Go, the former streaming service for the pay cable network’s subscribers, and the stand-alone HBO Now.)
If this flip-flopping has you a little flustered, you’re not alone, as fans took to social media to convey their opinions on the matter. Check out some of their funnier takes below.
me explaining how HBO went from HBO Now to HBO Go to HBO Max to Max then back to HBO Max pic.twitter.com/H6751it1Xc
— Spencer Barrett (@spencerbarrett) May 14, 2025
HBO to HBO Max to Max and back to HBO Max pic.twitter.com/CiHMy98C6t
— Candice Frederick (@ReelTalker) May 14, 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery staff having to deal with these rebrands every couple of years:
HBO Go > HBO Now > HBO Max > Max > HBO Max pic.twitter.com/s609UUFH9C— ryan w (@SourceRyan) May 14, 2025
hbo max rebranding……………….. again pic.twitter.com/8EM7MI1wNu https://t.co/er2ae90Kd4
— wiLL (@willfulchaos) May 14, 2025
Max changing its name back to HBO Max: pic.twitter.com/8Hsavl7noC
— Jeff Topolski (@JeffTopolski) May 14, 2025
MAX getting back together with HBO pic.twitter.com/XP2JY0rgOI
— T (@teewatterss) May 14, 2025
HBO Now became HBO Go which became HBO Max which became Max until it became HBO Max again. https://t.co/v2qfzdwaWU pic.twitter.com/9UKhzEWJ5N
— Jonathon Norcross (@NorcrossUSA) May 14, 2025
Max and HBO even got in on the jokes, with their accounts sharing some silly posts:
What she said. pic.twitter.com/nUDClK8i9G
— HBO (@HBO) May 14, 2025
Explaining to my friends I work at HBO Max again. pic.twitter.com/NSJFrNXrm3
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025