As the European streaming market heats up, HBO Max is making a strategic first move in Germany — and it’s not going solo. Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium streamer has signed a bundling agreement with German platform RTL+, allowing viewers to access both services under a single subscription.
The partnership comes just days before HBO Max’s official Germany launch on January 13, positioning the service with instant scale in a highly competitive market.
What the HBO Max–RTL+ Bundle Offers
Under the new deal, German subscribers will be able to choose between two combined plans:
- €11.99 per month for the ad-supported version of RTL+ and HBO Max
- €17.99 per month for the ad-free bundle
Booked separately, the two services would cost significantly more, making the joint package a clear value play for consumers.
The collaboration brings together two very different content ecosystems:
- RTL+ focuses on mass-appeal programming, including live sports like the UEFA Europa League, reality shows, event TV, and German-language originals.
- HBO Max delivers high-end global franchises such as Game of Thrones, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us, alongside library favorites like Friends and Sex and the City, plus blockbuster films from Warner Bros. Discovery.
The idea is simple: broad local reach meets premium global storytelling.
A Timely Alliance Ahead of a Big Launch
HBO Max’s Germany rollout will be backed by an aggressive publicity push, including the world premiere of the new Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in Berlin next week.
The partnership also builds on an existing relationship. RTL already handles advertising sales for HBO Max in Germany, and last year extended its licensing deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing WBD and HBO content to RTL’s linear channels and RTL+.
RTL Germany CEO Stephan Schmitter called the bundle “the next stage” in RTL+’s growth, describing it as a powerful mix of Germany’s most-watched national content paired with HBO Max’s globally recognised series and films.
Why This Matters for Streaming in Europe
This move reflects a wider industry shift toward aggregation over fragmentation. Instead of forcing audiences to juggle multiple subscriptions, streamers are increasingly bundling — a model that looks strikingly similar to traditional cable TV.
HBO Max’s strategy mirrors similar deals elsewhere in Europe, including Netflix’s upcoming content partnership with French broadcaster TF1.
Notably, the agreement arrives amid reports that Netflix is in talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery — a potential mega-deal that could dramatically reshape the global streaming landscape. Any such acquisition, however, would need approval from European antitrust regulators, who may scrutinise market concentration closely.
HBO Max’s Delayed European Expansion
Germany marks one of HBO Max’s last major European launches. Long-term licensing agreements with Sky previously blocked entry into Germany, the UK, and Italy. That changed after RTL acquired Sky Germany last summer.
Following Germany, HBO Max will roll out across German-speaking Europe and Italy next week, before launching in the UK and Ireland in March.
Final Words
The HBO Max–RTL+ bundle is more than just a pricing deal — it’s a signal of where streaming is heading. As competition intensifies and subscriber growth slows, partnerships like this may become the new normal.
For German audiences, it means premium Hollywood storytelling and local entertainment under one roof. For the industry, it’s another reminder that the future of streaming may look a lot like the past — just smarter, leaner, and bundled.
