As a result of WarnerMedia’s acquisition of Discovery, streaming service HBO Max will be discontinued. In Germany, the coveted HBO content has so far mainly been shown on Sky. Could that change now?
In April 2022 the time had finally come. With WarnerMedia and Discovery, two of the largest US media groups merged. Since then it has been clear that things will change. These changes also affect streaming services, among other things. And even though HBO Max isn’t available in Germany at all and Discovery+ has only recently become available in Germany, that means some changes for the streaming landscape in this country. Because so far, the big HBO titles like “Game of Thrones” or “Euphoria” have mainly been shown on Sky. But now HBO Max is being scrapped and the content is moving to Discovery+.
HBO Max is set to be discontinued
Since the big merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery into WarnerBros Discovery, it’s clear that a streaming service has to go. Both parties brought their own platforms with HBO Max and Discovery+. However, since two platforms within one company make little sense, the question arose as to which of the two would be stamped out. Noisy The Verge The choice ultimately fell on HBO Max because the streaming provider had to struggle with technical problems from the start. Among other things, this has led to the service not being available at all in many countries, including Germany.
With Discovery+, on the other hand, the basic requirements are much better. The streaming service already exists in this country. Only the offer leaves something to be desired compared to HBO Max. So far, mainly documentaries and reality formats are available. HBO, on the other hand, is known for its high-quality and successful content. With series such as “Euphoria”, “Succession” or the “Game of Thrones” spin-off “House of the Dragon” you not only win prizes, but also record-breaking viewership.
Since HBO Max did not exist in Germany – and will never exist – all this content was available on Sky or its streaming provider WOW. What do users have to be prepared for here?
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HBO content continues on Sky for the time being
HBO Max will be discontinued completely by summer 2023. For US customers, this means all content is moving to Discovery+. In this country, however, this period is irrelevant for the time being.
Sky recently signed a deal with WarnerBros Discovery, which includes the new streaming service Discovery+. Accordingly, the German HBO rights will remain with Sky until at least 2025. Incidentally, this also includes cinema blockbusters like “Dune” or “The Batman”, which come from Warner Bros.
Discovery+ might have other plans in the long run
This means that Sky users and HBO fans do not have to worry about the offer here in Germany. However, nothing is certain for the period after 2025. As of now, Sky is still offering the Discovery+ package and for the time being WarnerBros Discovery should be busy with itself anyway. In view of the booming streaming numbers, the company could well have its own plans for the German-speaking market.
Much will then probably depend on how well Discovery+ can establish itself in this country – and how much Sky is willing to pay for the rights from 2025. Aside from the sports offer, HBO content is the main reason for many to subscribe to Sky. It would definitely be a severe blow for the provider if the films and series were to migrate to a competitor.