Remember when Netflix tweeted, “Love is sharing a password,” because that’s what I do. It’s been nearly seven years since then, and in that time Twitter has become X, Netflix has raised prices multiple times, cracked down on password sharing, and the streaming scene has become more fragmented than ever.
It seems HBO Max could follow a similar path. In the quarterly earnings call, JB Perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “And then we’re in the second round of our password sharing enforcement. It’s just starting to gain traction. It hasn’t expanded globally at all. That will start in 2026.”
HBO is currently cracking down on password sharing in the US and will be expanding globally starting this year.
Addressing password sharing is just the first step
Cracking down on password sharing was cited as one of the growth levers the company was considering to increase revenue. This could come with a price increase and ad-supported tiers.
President and Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav said, “We took decisive actions that resulted in eight price increases as we made clear we were exploring all avenues and have achieved a 63% increase in value to date.” This appears to have worked for the company and based on its comments, the price increases are likely to continue.
Then there is the ad-supported tier. It offers a cheaper 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 stricter password sharing rules or additional price increases, the company appears to be following a similar path to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, focusing on generating more revenue from its existing subscriber base.
