Remember when Netflix tweeted, “Love is sharing a password,” because I do. It’s been almost seven years since then, and during that passage of time, Twitter became X, Netflix has raised prices multiple times, cracked down on password sharing, and the streaming scene has become more fractured than ever before.
It seems that HBO Max might be following a similar path. In the quarterly earnings call, JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games for Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “And then we are in the second inning of our password sharing enforcement. It is just beginning to get scale. It has not expanded globally at all. That will start in 2026.”
Currently, HBO is cracking down on password sharing in the United States and is set to expand globally, starting this year.
The crackdown on password sharing is just the first step
The crackdown on password sharing was mentioned as one of the growth levers the company was considering for increasing revenue. This might be accompanied by a price hike and ad-supported tiers.
President and Chief Executive Officer, David Zaslav, said, “We have taken decisive actions, which led to eight price increases, when we made clear we were evaluating all paths, and have thus far achieved a 63% increase in value.” This appears to have worked for the company, and based on its comments, price hikes will likely continue.
Then there’s the ad-supported tier. It offers a more affordable alternative to HBO Max’s ad-free plan, and the company plans to push it in overseas markets to grow its subscriber base.
What it means for HBO Max subscribers and new users
If there’s one clear takeaway, it’s that HBO Max is entering a new phase of growth. Whether through tighter password-sharing rules or additional price increases, the company appears to be following a path similar to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, focusing on generating more revenue from its existing subscriber base.