Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD, Financials) launched a new feature for its Max streaming service aimed at curbing password sharing, the company announced Tuesday.
The new Extra Member Add-On, priced at $7.99 per month, allows a Max subscriber to add one person outside their household to their account. The feature, available only to users who subscribe directly to Max, provides the additional member with a separate standalone account featuring individual login credentials, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.
Max's move follows similar initiatives by Netflix (NFLX, Financials) and Disney+ (DIS, Financials), which introduced extra member options in efforts to limit account sharing and increase revenue. Warner Bros. Discovery executives had previously signaled intentions to implement account-sharing restrictions, and the rollout of the Extra Member Add-On formalizes those plans.
Under the program, only one extra member can be added per subscription. The additional member can stream content on one device at a time, while retaining full access to the content library included in the primary user's plan. Subscribers also have the option to transfer an adult profile — including watch history, personalized recommendations and settings — to the newly created Extra Member account, the company said.
JB Perrette, president and chief executive officer of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said the new features were designed to offer subscribers greater flexibility in managing their accounts while maintaining uninterrupted access to content.
Max's library includes titles from HBO, Warner Bros., the DC Universe, A24, and Adult Swim. Current and upcoming offerings include series such as “The Last of Us,” “Hacks,” “The White Lotus,” and “House of the Dragon,” as well as films like “Barbie” and “Dune.” Future releases highlighted by the company include “Duster” from J.J. Abrams, scheduled for May 15, season two of “Conan O'Brien Must Go” arriving May 8, and the second season of “Peacemaker” in August.
Warner Bros. Discovery continues to adjust its streaming strategy amid broader industry efforts to tighten account security and maximize subscriber revenue.
