Legacy HBO Max subscribers will soon have to upgrade their plan or say goodbye to 4K streaming.
When HBO Max rebranded as simply Max back in May, Warner Bros. Discovery said that existing subscribers already paying for ad-free streaming could still access certain perks, like 4K streaming, for at least the next six months. Well, that deadline has arrived, and now Max is notifying legacy subscribers that, come December 5, their only option to retain 4K streaming is to upgrade from their $16/month subscription to Max's Ultimate Ad-Free Tier for $20 a month.
The streamer introduced the tier alongside Max's big revamp. Previously, HBO Max's $16/month ad-free tier offered 4K streaming, Dolby Atmos support on select titles and simultaneous streams on up to three devices. But with the Ultimate Ad-Free Tier, those perks became locked behind a new $20 per month price tag, with the max number of simultaneous streams bumped up to four.
After December 5, legacy customers will have to make do with HD quality, just like any new sign-ups for Max's ad-free tier today are limited to. They'll also lose out on an extra concurrent stream, as Max's standard ad-free tier now only offers two to new members for the same $16/month price.
Meanwhile, subscribers' maximum number of downloads will remain unaffected by this change. Both legacy and new ad-free customers can save up to 30 titles on supported devices to watch on the go without a data connection. (Ultimate Ad Free subscribers can download up to 100 titles.) And of course, every subscriber regardless of what plan they pay for gets access to one of the best streaming service's library of original programming, TV and movies.
In short, come December 5, get ready to enjoy fewer benefits with your ad-free Max subscription while paying the same amount month to month. Between that and the service's lackluster November line-up, it might be worth canceling Max this month. If you're looking for more ways to cull your list of monthly subscriptions, check out our round-up of the best free streaming services.
Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide, overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming, and entertainment. Before Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk and has written game reviews and features for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and roller skating. She's also a puzzle fan and can often be found contributing to the NYT Connections coverage on Tom's Guide
