PlayStation will soon be adding HBO and Cinemax in a couple of different ways, according to the company’s blog. A standalone app for HBO NOW will be available for the PS3 and PS4. At the same time, subscribers to PlayStation VUE, the company’s streaming video service, will have access to HBO and Cinemax.
The company is using the hype surrounding the start of the HBO series Westworld as a way to grab viewers. The app and services will be online ahead of the show’s October 2 launch. Notes the blog:
The launch of HBO and Cinemax on PlayStation Vue will mark the first time HBO’s live programming and Cinemax’s channel will be available directly to you as standalone channel offerings, without the need for a bundle subscription. That means through PlayStation Vue, you’ll have the option to subscribe to HBO and Cinemax as standalone channels or add them to your existing PlayStation Vue plan. Both HBO and Cinemax will be available for $15 each per month through PlayStation Vue.
Advertisement
What we are seeing regularly now is the redirection of what were once cable-only channels to set-top boxes and digital devices. There was a time when this was unthinkable — cable providers would have revolted over losing sole possession of valuable properties like HBO. But the audience has shifted, and the channels know they have to meet the audience on its own terms.
HBO is a big target for piracy. “Game of Thrones” is regularly the most pirated show on TV. By making itself more widely available – and not just in pricey cable packages – the company has a way of reaching its audience that may make the viewers less likely to steal its shows.