After months of teasing a cheaper, ad-supported tier for HBO Max subscribers, the streaming service has finally detailed what we can expect when it launches the first week of June.
While a typical HBO Max subscription currently costs $15 a month, the new ad-supported tier will be $10 a month. Revealed at the WarnerMedia Upfront, this new tier promises to have the “lightest ad load in the streaming industry.”
“HBO Max with ads will bring our beloved entertainment brands and franchises to even more consumers at this new, lower price point-while, for the first time, elegantly connecting brands to the premium, iconic IP that defines this service,” said Tony Goncalves, EVP and chief revenue officer for WarnerMedia.
Specific ad-times and ad placement within programming on HBO Max was not revealed at this time. However, WarnerMedia did briefly discuss some of the ad-support features. There is the Brand Block, where specific brands own a block of content, and the subscribers get a limited commercial experience. Coming in the near future, there will be the ability to pause ads and “Branded Discovery,” which will “surround the content discovery process as consumers explore HBO Max recommended programming.”
Aside from the ad-tier for HBO Max, WarnerMedia also announced new Batman and Superman animated series. Additionally, the first trailer for the Friends Reunion Special debuted.