When HBO Max first launched, it was mysteriously missing from a couple of major devices, the Amazon Fire TV line-up included. That's no longer the case, as WarnerMedia and Amazon have come to an agreement to have HBO Max on Amazon Fire TV.

Why Wasn't HBO Max on Amazon Fire TV at Launch?

HBO Max launched in May 2020 and it's only now, in November 2020, that the service is coming to Amazon devices.

The reason it has taken so long is that WarnerMedia, who control HBO Max, didn't want its service to be controlled by the Amazon ecosystem.

Normally, services available on Amazon devices route through what the shopping giant dub as Prime Video Channels. WarnerMedia took issue with this because it doesn't give it a full overview of user data and also cuts into its advertising revenue.

While HBO Now has been accessible on the Prime Video Channels, this caused complications as the service is merging into HBO Max.

Now, however, the two companies have come to an agreement that seems to satisfy both parties.

If you're wondering why HBO Max isn't available on Roku, it's for the same reasons. Though perhaps this deal with Amazon signifies that an agreement could be made there.

HBO Max Is Now Available on Amazon Fire TV

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As of November 17, 2020, HBO Max is now available on Amazon Fire TV streaming devices, smart TVs, and tablets.

If you already use the existing Amazon HBO app, this will automatically update and become the HBO Max app at no extra cost (both HBO Max and the previous HBO channel cost $14.99 a month anyway). Your current login credentials will remain valid.

For everyone else, the HBO Max app is available for download and you can log in using your Amazon credentials.

The app can be controlled by Amazon's voice assistant, Alexa. Using this, you can search for content, launch something specific, and play or pause media.

Tony Goncalves, head of sales and distribution for WarnerMedia, said:

Our continued goal is to make HBO Max and its unparalleled content available to customers across all the devices they love. Fire TV is a favorite among customers and we look forward to working with the Amazon team to engage and grow our existing subscriber base by showcasing all that HBO Max has to offer.

HBO Max currently has close to 29 million subscribers, though most of these are through pay TV packages rather than direct sales.

What Is HBO Max?

Still a bit confused about what exactly HBO Max is? That's understandable, considering all the different HBO branded services that exist. Check out our guide that sums up what they all do.