Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service, Max, has officially launched in Taiwan, marking its entry into the competitive Asian market. The platform's arrival in Taiwan follows its simultaneous launch in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
Max joins Netflix and Disney+ as the third major US streaming service available to Taiwanese consumers. The launch comes after both Netflix and Disney+ adjusted their subscription fees in the region.
Max is offering two subscription plans: a standard plan priced at NT$220 per month and a premium "Ultimate" plan at NT$299 per month, both of which are positioned as more affordable than its competitors.
"Max's direct-to-consumer launch in the Asia Pacific is another significant milestone in Max's global expansion," said J.B. Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, in an official statement. "We look forward to delighting fans across the region with our iconic brands and franchises. We also plan to launch Max in more markets in 2025 and 2026, as we are still in the early stages of growth."
In an interview with Central News Agency yesterday, Perrette stated that while the company has just announced its subscription plans and doesn't have immediate plans to change them, adjustments to reflect costs are inevitable. The most important thing, he said, is for viewers to feel that the value they get from watching the content far outweighs the monthly fee.
Jason Monteiro, Senior Vice President of Streaming Services, Asia Pacific at Warner Bros. Discovery, told Business Next last week that the company would not have entered the Taiwanese market if it were not a growing one.
"We are taking a long-term view, and there will definitely be Taiwanese-produced content," Monteiro said, adding that Max original content created by Taiwanese writers and producers could be aired in the United States and Europe.
According to a May study by Taiwan's Market Intelligence Consulting Research Institute, 63% of OTT market subscribers use Netflix, followed by YouTube at 41% and Disney+ at 38%. A separate report by Taiwan's Creative Content Agency last year found that Taiwanese people subscribe to an average of 1.57 streaming platforms. This figure has remained unchanged since 2019, with Netflix maintaining its dominant position throughout the period.
The entry of Max into the Taiwanese market is expected to further intensify competition among streaming services and provide consumers with more options.
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