With only a few days under its belt, it seems like HBO Max has not made everyone happy just yet. The head analysts from the independent media and communications research company MoffettNathanson have released their rating for its first day, and it’s not too kind at all.
In their report, Michael Nathanson and Craig Moffett gave the WarnerMedia streaming service a C+ grade and dubbed it a “chaotic with the mess of brands that they’ve got.”
“It’s hard to imagine that it could have followed the imagined script more closely,” said Moffett, referring to initial concerns many raised about how HBO Max would balance all of its assets. In comparison, Moffett praised the “theme park” approach to navigation on Disney+, showcasing the key brands of Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Disney. Moffet went on to say he feels that “the brands [on HBO Max] don’t resonate the same way because they aren’t as clear.”
Nathanson went as far as to describe the HBO Max launch as an “opportunity lost”, but acknowledged that the forced production shutdown leading to the shelving of the Friends reunion special played a significant role in this, stating that it “would have been the cool, must-have thing to get people to sign up.”
Since HBO Max is in its early phase, and production restrictions starting to lift around the globe, the streamer has the chance to make up for what is being described as a lackluster launch. Allen Christian and I reviewed it kindly the following video, where we opened about the good and bad of the streaming service’s first day:
How did you feel about the first few days of HBO Max? Have you subscribed to the service? What do you make of it so far? Let us know in the comments or on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
