After days of speculation online, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has confirmed it plans to launch a new streaming service combining HBO Max and discovery Plus in the United States next summer.
It will include subscription-only, partially ad-supported and fully ad-supported iterations.
More details such as a combined tech stack, pricing and a name are still being worked out, said WBD CEO David Zaslav.
The streamer is expected to roll out in other markets following the US launch, although no further details about there were revealed.
“Our streaming strategy has evolved over the last year, and reflects the importance of, rather than the dependence on [streaming],” Zaslav told investors on the company’s earnings call.
He added the WBD intends to roll out a FAST service “once our SVOD service is firmly established in the market.”
HBO Max and Discovery Plus added 1.7 million subscribers in Q2 2022 to finish the quarter with a combined 92.1 million globally. The company said it expects the combined platform to have 130 million users by the end of 2025.
Last month, WBD confirmed it would no longer be rolling out HBO Max in Europe.
In a statement released to TVBEurope, the company said: “Warner Bros Discovery has publicly stated its commitment to a singular streaming service that combines HBO Max and discovery plus and harnesses the unmatched combined content of the organisation.
“We continue to develop our plans to roll out a high-quality global service both in territories where we have a presence in streaming, as well as in new markets.”
