[Updated] HBO Max rebrand to 'Max' faces backlash from the community

Here’s the crux of the article in video form:

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on April 13, 2023) follows:

HBO Max is a popular streaming service whose future has been a little blurry ever since WarnerBros. Discovery started planning its merger with Discovery Plus.

However, a recent rebrand has solidified that the platform is not going anywhere, at least for now. HBO Max announced that they’ll be changing their name to ‘Max’ on May 23, 2023. Naturally, some are annoyed by this change.

This is not the first time HBO Max has made a decision that has upset fans. They previously made the choice to remove popular series like Harry Potter, John Wick, and more on a very short notice.

HBO Max rebrand to ‘Max’ faces backlash

Unfortunately, the decision to rebrand has not gone down too well with the community. HBO Max rebrand to ‘Max’ is now facing major backlash (1,2,3,4,5,6) from disappointed fans on social media platforms like Twitter.

This is stupid. The #HBO brand is iconic. Like Coke and Nike or Budweiser. So move away from the premier name in television to Max. Like really stupid…
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You should keep the HBO name. A name synonymous with quality.
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Some claim that the new name is boring, generic, and lacks creativity. According to fans, ‘HBO’ associated the platform with high quality and offered it credibility.

Users are going as far as calling it the dumbest decision that they’ve ever made. Some even consider it unnecessary as HBO Max is already a successful and well-known brand.

The reason behind the name change

According to a report by The Verge, WarnerBros. Discovery changed the service’s name to cater to kids and families.

While HBO is a popular brand, it is generally associated with edgy and youth-oriented content. Which means that some parents may not feel comfortable allowing their children to use the service.

Changing the name to ‘Max’ allows them to promote kids-friendly content through the platform.

New color scheme

As a part for the rebrand, HBO Max also changed its color scheme from an elegant purple to a generic blue shade. This is disappointing (1,2,3) as nearly every other streaming service in the market uses that color.

According to reports, HBO Max has lost its idenitity with these changes. Some are asking the platform to go back to its original color scheme. However, that’s very unlikely to happen.

We hope that the HBO Max team listens to the community feedback and makes decisions accordingly. We’ll keep an eye on this matter and update this story to reflect noteworthy developments.

06:27 pm (IST): Users can now download the new Max app after the rebranding from HBO Max app was revealed last month. A Redditor has shared all the important details regarding the same in this post.

In an email to subscribers, Max appears to have made three primary arguments. The billing data will be transferred first. The way watchlists and profiles work is similar. And lastly it said:

Depending on your devices, one of two things will happen: HBO Max will automatically update to Max. Or, when you open HBO Max, you’ll be prompted to download the Max app.
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Apart from that, the Max app for iOS and Android is already accessible. You can pre-register for the Max app on the Play Store and App Store.

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