Ditching – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Thu, 15 May 2025 02:09:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.7 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Ditching – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 Max is ditching the rebrand and going back to HBO Max https://earlybirdsinvest.com/max-is-ditching-the-rebrand-and-going-back-to-hbo-max/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/max-is-ditching-the-rebrand-and-going-back-to-hbo-max/#respond Thu, 15 May 2025 02:09:13 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/max-is-ditching-the-rebrand-and-going-back-to-hbo-max/

What you need to know

  • Max is ditching the “Max” name and going back to HBO Max this summer—less than two years after switching it up.
  • This will be the second time the service has changed its name in just three years—first launched as HBO Max in 2020, replacing HBO Now and separate from HBO Go.
  • The company is focusing on high-quality TV over a massive library.

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that Max is getting its old name back. The streaming service is heading back to being called HBO Max, like it never left.

Just two years after ditching the HBO Max name, it’s coming back. At Wednesday’s Upfront event, the company confirmed the switch will happen this summer.

The upcoming name change marks the platform’s second identity crisis in just three years. Back in May 2020, when it was still under WarnerMedia, the streaming service launched as HBO Max, replacing HBO Now (its standalone streaming option since 2014) while keeping it separate from HBO Go (its old cable-authenticated VOD service that’s since been retired).

“More content” wasn’t the answer

At launch, WarnerMedia promised HBO Max would deliver everything HBO has to offer and then some.

HBO Max also packed in content from the rest of WarnerMedia’s lineup, including DC Comics, Cartoon Network, and more. Still, the real hook was being able to stream HBO’s top-shelf lineup without needing cable.

HBO Max and Discovery Plus logos side by side

(Image credit: Jay Bonggolto / Android Central)

When Max ditched the HBO name in 2023, it left everyone scratching their heads. Suddenly, apps on platforms like Google TV showed up as just “Max,” confusing subscribers who wondered where their HBO content went.

Warner Bros. Discovery claimed that the goal was to broaden the brand’s appeal beyond just HBO’s prestige TV crowd. No more HBO in the name meant the service could push reality shows, kids’ content, and blockbuster movies without feeling tied to HBO’s highbrow reputation.

A lesson in brand loyalty

Turns out, viewers weren’t shy about hating the name change. Despite Warner Bros. Discovery’s grand plans, dropping HBO rubbed fans the wrong way, and many saw it as ditching the prestige that made the platform special in the first place.

Now, the company is course-correcting. Instead of chasing a “quantity over quality” approach with a sprawling library of random content, it’s doubling down on high-end, must-watch TV.

Bringing back the HBO name is a key move in Warner Bros. Discovery’s plan to grow its global subscriber base. The company believes that reintroducing the HBO brand on Max will make it crystal clear to subscribers what kind of high-quality content they can expect.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/max-is-ditching-the-rebrand-and-going-back-to-hbo-max/feed/ 0 36286 Blade of God X Accused of Ditching Web3 After Crypto Funding, Says Former Exec https://earlybirdsinvest.com/blade-of-god-x-accused-of-ditching-web3-after-crypto-funding-says-former-exec/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/blade-of-god-x-accused-of-ditching-web3-after-crypto-funding-says-former-exec/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 08:56:46 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/blade-of-god-x-accused-of-ditching-web3-after-crypto-funding-says-former-exec/

Blade of God X (BOGX), a role-playing game developed by Void Labs, is facing criticism from a former team member who says the project dropped its blockchain plans after securing funding from crypto sources.

In an April 1 post on X, Amber Bella, who previously worked as the game’s chief marketing officer, claimed the team responsible for the Web3 side of the project was let down once the funding was secured.

Bella said her team’s pay was first delayed, then stopped completely, even though the game had promised to build features using blockchain technology. She said these plans were dropped without warning, and her efforts to handle things properly were ignored.

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Bella contacted the game’s founder, Tnise Liu Yang, asking him to return money to non-fungible token (NFT) buyers and to give back in-game purchases made by users during one of the game’s test phases. However, she said:

I discovered I had been blocked from all personal communication channels without any advance notice.

Bella also stated she had suggested closing out the Web3 side of the game if the team wanted to move toward a more traditional model. This suggestion, too, received no support.

Furthermore, Bella said the team managing the regular game features used their own accounts to collect prizes meant for users. According to her, this was hidden from the Web3 group and only stopped after they provided proof linking the accounts to those team members.

Meanwhile, Robinhood, a crypto trading platform, was recently investigated by Massachusetts officials. What happened? Read the full story.

Aaron S. Editor-In-Chief

Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.
With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.
Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.
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