Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max has taken a significant step in its Asia-Pacific expansion, marking a critical phase in the company’s global growth strategy. Following its September launch in Japan and a smaller debut in New Zealand in October, the platform has rolled out its service across seven additional East Asian markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
The transition replaces the legacy HBO Go platform, which had served these regions since 2010. According to JB Perrette, President of Streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, the shift to Max brings a more comprehensive, technologically advanced product to these markets. This move aims to attract new audiences with an enriched content offering and an enhanced user experience.
The services’s revamped platform integrates a diverse catalog, blending brand associated originals, Max Originals, and Hollywood blockbuster films from Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount. The service also plans to reclaim beloved franchises like Friends and The Big Bang Theory, alongside the introduction of unscripted content from Discovery. This diverse slate offers viewers a compelling mix of dramas, reality shows, and films designed to cater to a global audience.
‘To adapt to the region’s diverse economic and cultural landscapes, we are introducing tailored subscription models. In Indonesia and the Philippines, for example, Max now offers its first-ever mobile-only plans, designed to provide affordable access to its content’, commented Perrette.
Or in Japan, where Max has adopted a more localized approach by partnering with U-Next, the country’s leading streaming service. ‘This collaboration allows Max to leverage U-Next’s extensive distribution network and provide Japanese dramas for a global audience’.
Expansion challenges and opportunities
Despite its progress, Warner Bros. Discovery acknowledges the complexities of launching in highly competitive markets like South Korea, dominated by Netflix and local giants such as Tving and Coupang Play. The platform also faces hurdles in entering low-income territories like Vietnam and Cambodia, where reclaiming rights and localizing content remain critical tasks.
Perrette emphasized that Asia-Pacific represents a vast growth opportunity for Max, with Australia slated as the next key market. Scheduled for launch in 2025, Australia is expected to become one of platform’s top-performing regions globally, thanks to its high demand for premium content.
