Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)
It's time for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a limited-time promotion on HBO Max subscriptions. As of this writing, new and returning customers to the video streaming service can take 30 percent off a one-year subscription when they pay for the 12 months in advance. This brings the ad-free version of the service down from $150 to $105 (or just under $9 a month) and the ad-supported tier down from $100 to $70 (or just under $6 a month). The promotion technically went live a few weeks ago, but HBO Max says the deal will be available through October 30.
To put the offer into context, new HBO Max owner Warner Bros. Discovery recently started culling content from the service as part of a major cost-cutting drive, even going so far as to cancel high-profile features like Batgirl before their scheduled release. Last month, the company also announced plans to merge HBO Max with the Discovery+ streaming service by the summer of 2023, though it hasn't clarified what that service will cost or how the merger will affect existing subscribers. The promotion here, then, looks to be a way to stem subscriber losses and lock in more customers for the year ahead.
That said, this is still a fairly sizable discount. And even after shedding dozens of titles, HBO Max still has plenty of worthwhile binge fodder, including Ars-approved series like Hacks, His Dark Materials, and The White Lotus, newer well-reviewed titles like The Rehearsal and Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, and well-known fare like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. If you aren't fatigued by the glut of streaming services asking for your attention these days, or if you've been looking to give the service a try anyway, this is a decent deal. Just note that the offer can not be used to extend an existing membership.
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