HBO Max app keeps crashing on PS4 & PS5 for a section of users, but there're some workarounds

HBO Max is a popular subscription-based video-on-demand OTT service in the United States. It includes a variety of series and movies from various genres.

And, like any other service, HBO Max subscribers occasionally report various problems. Some recently reported issues include offline viewing not working, ‘can’t play title glitch’, and content not available error.

Having said that, HBO Max subscribers have complained that the app on their consoles (PS4 and PS5) keeps crashing (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9).

In some cases, the app flashes the logo but returns a black screen to users and crashes immediately. Others encounter the crash when attempting to play any type of content such as a movie, trailer, or episode.

When the HBO Max app crashes on the PS4, viewers see the error code ce-34878-0. This happens even after the latest update.

This issue is negatively impacting users’ watching experience since they are unable to watch videos without being interrupted by a crash.

This problem has been ongoing for a month (1,2,3) but the developers are yet to acknowledge it.

I would love to be able to watch @hbomax on my Ps4 but unfortunately, the app crashes after streaming for about 5 seconds. I’ve tried all the fixes mentioned by @HBOMaxHelp but nothing works. Can you fix this? Or should I just cancel your service.
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The app won’t load on my ps5, it just shows a loading screen and nothing happens. I’ve reinstalled the app and restarted my ps5 multiple times and nothing works. So frustrating I can’t watch the last of us on my actual PlayStation
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Troubleshooting methods like uninstalling and reinstalling the app, restarting the console, rebuilding the database, and clearing the cache did not solve this problem.

We discovered a couple of methods that may be able to resolve this issue. To begin, remove and then re-add your PlayStation to your HBO Max account:

Another potential workaround involves changing PS5 audio output setting to Linear PCM:

Happened to me too. I got it to work by going into the sound settings, go to “audio output” and scroll all the way to the bottom, then switching the “audio formatting” to Linear PCM. Then run your HBO max app on PS5, it should work
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We hope that HBO Max will provide a permanent solution to the crashing issue, allowing users to resume watching their beloved episodes and movies.

Rest assured, we will keep an eye out for the latest developments and inform you as and when we come across anything noteworthy.

Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated HBO Max section, so be sure to follow them as well.

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