In a surprising twist that has the streaming world buzzing, Warner Bros. Discovery announced they're bringing back the HBO Max name this summer, abandoning the simplified "Max" branding adopted just two years ago.

The announcement came during WBD's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on Wednesday, where CEO David Zaslav emphasized quality over quantity: "The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media".

This reversal acknowledges what many industry insiders and consumers already knew – the HBO brand carries significant prestige. As Casey Bloys, chairman of HBO and Max Content, humorously noted during the presentation, he still has "a drawer full of stationary with the HBO Max name from the last time around".

The company's statement suggests the change reflects evolving consumer preferences: "No consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content".

After adding 22 million subscribers over the past year and improving streaming profitability by nearly $3 billion in two years, WBD seems confident this return to the HBO Max branding will help them reach their goal of 150 million subscribers by the end of 2026.