this post was submitted on 14 May 2025
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[–] kadup@lemmy.world 128 points 20 hours ago (5 children)

Companies that reach a certain critical mass really truly become incompetent. I don't mean just evil or profit first, I mean simply incompetent at the most basic aspects of running a business. There are marketing departments that behave as if the entire team is composed of interns frantically googling marketing slang.

Warner Bros, Hasbro, Apple, they're carried by the inertia of their gigantic size and the customers that were alive to have moulded their vision about the company during their good years.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 51 points 20 hours ago

Companies that reach a certain critical mass really truly become incompetent

It's by design.

The guy who creates a game studio to make his own game understands everything about making it.

The AAA studio that buys them out kinda understands games but care more about profit than any individual IP, so the game suffers.

The giant corporation that buys the AAA studio doesn't give a fuck about games in general because it's a small slice of a giant pie. They use the CEO position there as a training spot for executives that don't understand anything about games.

It applies to any industry, but no one can out bid the giant corporations and they have to keep buying stuff up to maintain profit increases.

Eventually they'll cannabilze everything till there's 2-3 options then eventually just one.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 17 points 18 hours ago

They don't even need to reach critical mass. The last place I was at was a shitshow held together by a handful of overachievers. At every level there were idiots making decisions and protecting friendly mouth-breathers. And when we would contact the Big Players in the industry, it was much the same on their end. It got to the point where I had to remind people that just because you're calling Big Name Brand, the person you're talking to is you. And they report to Dave (the know-nothing manager we all worked under). Nobody has a fucking clue. So cut the person on the other end of the line some slack.

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[–] cley_faye@lemmy.world 76 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

Can't wait for everyone to call it "HBO Max, formerly known as HBO Max".

[–] ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world 12 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The channel formerly formerly known as HBO MAX.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 10 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

The channel currently and formerly known as HBO Max

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[–] chunkystyles@sopuli.xyz 7 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

HBO Max formerly Max formerly HBO Max formerly HBO Now formerly HBO Go.

Edit: I forgot one.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 66 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Are they gonna bring back all the quality content they removed to replace it with reality TV?

Because that's what's dropping subscribers, no one cares about the name.

[–] dantheclamman@lemmy.world 40 points 20 hours ago

They also removed 4k from the standard package while continuing to boost prices multiple times, and also filling it with sports I have no interest in. Combined with the fact the app continued to run awfully on Android TV, it made it a really easy decision to cancel

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago

I agree with this statement but have to add The Pitt has been some of the best television I have seen in a few years. So i have hope that is the case.

[–] termaxima@programming.dev 59 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

Someone just re-discovered that brand recognition is important.

Now maybe they’ll eventually also realize that people would rather own than rent… but, baby steps, I suppose…

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 8 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That last part has never been a part of the HBO business model.

[–] termaxima@programming.dev 8 points 13 hours ago

They used to sell DVDs of their series

[–] ninjabard@lemmy.world 57 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I had a survey from them where I answered that dropping HBO from their branding was the second stupidest fucking decision they've made since Zaslav became CEO. Second only to removing legacy content and canning complete movies for tax purposes. That was maybe a month and change ago.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 22 points 10 hours ago

Nice. You did it!!!

[–] SatyrSack@feddit.org 52 points 20 hours ago

Somehow, HBO Max returned.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 40 points 15 hours ago

It never stopped being HBO Max to me.

/it's OK to deadname non-human entities

[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 40 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

They canceled all the good shows and replaced them with "reality" tv slop. No one gives a fuck what you call a trash fire, it is still a trash fire.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 18 points 18 hours ago

Trash Fire MAX

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[–] return2ozma@lemmy.world 37 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 4 points 4 hours ago

Logo designers without much talent not originality must make a living, too.

[–] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 35 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

Inb4 it turns just to HBO and then a nameless entity. It has no name. It just exists. Like death.

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 6 points 8 hours ago

The streaming service formerly known as...

[–] ImADifferentBird@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

A streaming service has no name.

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[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 25 points 17 hours ago

collapsed inline mediaNewsflash, asshole!

Everybody's been calling it HBO the entire god damned time!

[–] MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world 25 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

HBO was the better name. And even Cinemax is a better name than Max.

I kept calling it HBO Max after the first change.

Most CEOs of entertainment companies are just people with business degrees who wish they were creative, but just aren't.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 6 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

HBO objected to HBO Max, so it was rebranded to Max. Now the top HBO execs have left so they’re changing it back.

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[–] SatanClaus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

The problem is they don't ever stop paying the marketing team. Eventually you don't need more marketing and yet. Gestures around. Just hire a PR team for fucks sake.

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[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 22 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

I think I only call it Max instead of HBO or HBO Max less than 25% of the time. This rebrand was goofy. Still not as bad as Twitter's.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 9 points 18 hours ago

I've just always defaulted to HBO, especially considering much of their older content still has HBO pop up as a credit.

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[–] NONE_dc@lemmy.world 20 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Please use a cw. I almost died laughing.

Damn, these companies are running around like headless chickens.

[–] dantheclamman@lemmy.world 9 points 19 hours ago

We should laugh at David Zaslav every chance we can

[–] ramble81@lemm.ee 20 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

If they really want customers back

  • Finish Westworld (they had one season left) and put it back on the service
  • Release the Batgirl movie
  • Release the Cyote movie (though I think they actually sold this one)
[–] PoopingCough@lemmy.world 22 points 15 hours ago (2 children)
  • Bring back all the adult swim/cartoon network content they axed
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[–] huppakee@lemm.ee 5 points 15 hours ago

More westworld yes please

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[–] desmosthenes@lemmy.world 13 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

polygon about to be slop too https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/05/gaming-news-site-polygon-gutted-by-massive-layoffs-amid-sale-to-valnet/

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[–] sexy_peach@feddit.org 9 points 20 hours ago
[–] LanguageIsCool@lemmy.world 9 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

2055: Coca Cola Nestle Max Monsanto HBO

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[–] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 8 points 7 hours ago

Are they also renaming their plans? Can't wait to sign up to HBO Max Max

[–] Koyaanisqatsi@lemm.ee 8 points 18 hours ago

Somehow HBO Max returned.

[–] ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago

This might be the funniest shit I've read.

[–] snausagesinablanket@lemmy.world 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Nougat@fedia.io 4 points 19 hours ago
[–] Psythik@lemm.ee 5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Why the fuck do they keep changing the name? What happened to HBO Go?

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[–] radiohead37@lemmynsfw.com 5 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I don’t think anybody referred to it as Max anyway. Such a generic lame name.

Example of products that could be named Max:

  • power tools
  • protein supplements
  • engine oil
  • gas chambers
[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 4 points 20 hours ago

I didn't know they renamed it

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