When WarnerMedia’s new streaming service launched in the US back in May, our HBO Max review praised the “impressive library of beloved shows and movies.” But there were also some glaring missteps in HBO Max’s launch, including a lack of 4K HDR support, confusion over how to sign up for HBO Max and the difference between HBO Max, HBO Go, and HBO Now.
If you’re still confused about the last point, the streamer is attempting to make life a bit easier in the coming months. According to a WarnerMedia spokesperson, the HBO Go app will be removed on July 31, 2020, while the HBO Now app will be simply renamed “HBO.”
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In an official statement from WarnerMedia, the company outlines why it’s decided to make these changes:
“Now that HBO Max has launched and is widely distributed, we can implement some significant changes to our app offering in the U.S. As part of that plan, we will be sunsetting our HBO Go service in the U.S. We intend to remove the HBO Go app from primary platforms as of July 31, 2020. Most customers who have traditionally used HBO Go to stream HBO programming are now able to do so via HBO Max, which offers access to all of HBO together with so much more. Additionally, the HBO Now app and desktop experience will be rebranded to HBO. Existing HBO Now subscribers will have access to HBO through the rebranded HBO app on platforms where it remains available and through play.hbo.com. HBO Max provides not only the robust offering of HBO but also a vast WarnerMedia library and acquired content and originals through a modern product.“
WarnerMedia did not give any update on the future availability of HBO Max on Roku or Amazon’s Fire devices, since the company has still not made deals with those companies to allow them to integrate HBO Max into their existing offerings.
For more on the streamer, here’s why you can’t watch HBO Max on a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick streaming device, our reviews of the best and worst HBO Max original shows, and a list of the major DC movies and TV shows missing from the HBO Max library. Watch the trailer for HBO Max’s upcoming Doom Patrol Season 2 debut below:
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He’s also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com HBO GO Is Getting Axed to Simplify HBO Max Transition