HBO Max Turns Into Max Today, and Users Are Experiencing Tech Issues and Confusion

HBO Max is officially no more, as today is the day Warner Bros. Discovery’s new combined streaming service launches as just “Max”. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been the smoothest rollout for the new service, as subscribers are taking to social media to complain about login troubles, voice their confusion about the transition, or to just poke fun at the new name. 

Multiple subscribers are reporting issues logging into their Max accounts. Users are having trouble logging into the app on Roku, while others are posting screenshots of error messages they’ve encountered early on in the app. 

To be fair, issues like this aren’t uncommon on a streaming service’s release date. Disney+ subscribers reported similar technical problems when the service launched in 2019, leaving viewers unable to watch The Mandalorian.

But Max is in kind of a unique situation, given that it’s essentially a glorified rebrand of a preexisting service. This is bringing a unique set of problems to HBO Max subscribers who are trying to migrate to the Max app. As the company previously announced, some devices will automatically update the HBO Max app to the new Max version. But users on Android, Apple, DirecTV, LG, PlayStation, Xbox, and Samsung TVs have to navigate to the device’s storefront to download an entirely new app. The process is causing confusion and bewilderment for some subscribers.

“Wait a second you have to manually DOWNLOAD a whole different APP to transition from HBOMax to MAX???” Tom Zohar wrote on Twitter. Other Twitter users joined in on the confusion, with @sorrelquest saying, “someday they will have a unit on this baffling decision in every marketing class in the united states”.

Other users are lamenting the loss of some features that didn’t make the cut in the transition from HBO Max to Max. For example, it seems you can no longer upload any profile picture you want for your account.

Finally, many folks are simply making fun of Max’s name itself. @FrancisTheSailr on Twitter pointed out Max’s new tagline, “The one to watch for HBO”, writing, “I love how HBO Max changed its name to ‘max’ so now has to clarify that it’s the one to watch for HBO”.

Max is the new streaming service featuring the HBO Max content library along with select additions from Discovery+. It’s the place to stream HBO Originals like Succession, The Last of Us, and House of the Dragon, as well as DC’s slate of movies. It also hosts content from Discovery brands like HGTV and Food Network.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over seven years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.