HBO Is Simplifying Its App Line-Up, Scrapping HBO Go

The recent release of HBO Max meant that HBO was split between HBO, HBO Now, HBO Go, and HBO Max. Now, to reduce confusion, parent company WarnerMedia is discontinuing one of their apps and rebranding another to make it clearer what you're getting. HBO Go will be discontinued from July 31, and HBO Now will be re-branded as just HBO.

The Hollywood Reporter has detailed these upcoming changes, which should ultimately encourage more subscribers to make the switch to HBO Max, which offers more content for the same price. While previously the app you used to access HBO content depended on whether you were signed up through a cable provider or third-party platform. While some platforms will automatically upgrade users to HBO Max, it's more complicated if you've signed up through Amazon, Roku, or other companies that have not made specific deals with WarnerMedia--which is why the HBO app still needs to exist.

When HBO Go is discontinued, subscribers who access HBO through a cable provider will mostly be able to move over to HBO Max, or by either watching their programs on TV when they're scheduled or accessing them via hbogo.com, which will remain accessible until August 31.

WarnerMedia provided a statement to The Hollywood Reporter suggesting that they expect to make more deals to switch customers over to HBO Max in the future. "The vast majority of HBO Go customers now have access to HBO Max through their cable providers through the distribution deals we’ve secured for HBO Max," a WarnerMedia spokesperson said. "For those remaining distributors, we’re remain committed to making HBO Max available on every platform possible to as many viewers as possible."

Despite some current complications, it seems that the plan is to move as many subscribers as possible over to HBO Max, and the discontinuation of the HBO Go app is the first step towards that. HBO Max will be the only place where you can access the Snyder Cut of Justice League when that launches.