Discovery+ to Stay Standalone Streaming Platform Whereas Nonetheless Combining With HBO Max

Warner Bros. Discovery has determined to maintain Discovery+ as a standalone streaming providing and to proceed with launching the yet-to-be-named mixed product of Discovery+ and HBO Max, Selection has confirmed.

In line with a Wednesday report within the Wall Street Journal, “As an alternative of mixing HBO Max and Discovery+ of their entirety, the brand new platform will characteristic HBO Max content material and most Discovery+ content material, with Discovery+ remaining accessible as a stand-alone possibility, a few of the individuals stated.”

A person with data of the state of affairs tells Selection that WBD’s plan for the upcoming platform that can embrace each HBO Max and Discovery+ stays “unchanged,” and, moreover, the corporate has determined to maintain the lower-priced providing of Discovery+ within the U.S.

Per the WSJ’s sources, “the choice to maintain Discovery+ is a part of an effort to keep away from risking dropping a big chunk of the app’s 20 million subscribers who may to not need to pay the upper value to entry that content material.”

For reference, ad-free HBO Max prices $15.99 a month, whereas it’s ad-supported model runs at $9.99. Discovery+ ad-free is ready at $6.99 and with adverts is $4.99. Discovery+ with out adverts prices $6.99 a month, and the ad-supported model prices $4.99. Warner Bros. Discovery has indicated that the upcoming unified streamer will price subscribers greater than HBO Max presently does.

Whereas no date has been formally set for the launch of the mixed HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service, Warner Bros. Discovery had moved up the timeline from a summer season launch to a spring debut, all whereas holding again on what the providing can be known as.

As Selection beforehand reported, Warner Bros. Discovery can also be launching a FAST channel this yr. WBD has already set offers with Tubi and Roku giving the third-party FAST companions entry to content material pulled from HBO Max — together with “Westworld,” “The Nevers,” “Raised by Wolves,” “FBoy Island,” “Legendary,” “Discovering Magic Mike,” “Head of the Class” and “The Time Traveler’s Spouse.”

Warner Bros. Discovery is ready to host its fourth-quarter earnings name on Feb. 23.

Representatives for Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t instantly reply to request for remark Wednesday.

VIP+ Evaluation: What WBD Rivals Can See in Its Streaming Plan