NAIROBI - A highly publicized Black Friday deal offering a one-year subscription to HBO Max for $36 in the United States has drawn attention to the fragmented nature of the global streaming market and its direct impact on Kenyan viewers. The promotion, which significantly reduces the monthly cost of the ad-supported plan, is unavailable in Kenya, as HBO Max is not directly accessible in the region due to content licensing and distribution agreements.

Instead, Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO's parent company, maintains a long-standing, exclusive partnership with MultiChoice for content distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. This makes MultiChoice's platforms, the DStv satellite service and the streaming service Showmax, the sole official channels for Kenyans to watch popular HBO and Max Originals like House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and Succession. This arrangement means that international promotions offered directly by HBO Max do not apply to the Kenyan market.

Navigating Kenya's Streaming Landscape

The Kenyan streaming market is a competitive field with several international and local players. While HBO Max remains geographically restricted, services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have established a direct presence. As of early 2025, Netflix offers Kenyan subscribers multiple tiers, with prices ranging from KSh 200 for a mobile-only plan to KSh 1,100 for a premium subscription. These platforms compete alongside MultiChoice's Showmax, which has strategically positioned itself as a hub for both local productions and licensed international content, including that from HBO.

The exclusive nature of the MultiChoice-HBO deal has been a cornerstone of its premium offering for years, first established with M-Net. However, the global streaming strategy of Warner Bros. Discovery has shown signs of evolving. In a significant shift, the company began licensing some of its older, popular HBO titles like Insecure and Ballers to its primary competitor, Netflix, in some international markets in 2023. While Showmax confirmed at the time that its slate of current and express HBO titles for Africa would remain unaffected, the move signaled a broader industry trend towards re-evaluating content exclusivity to maximize revenue.

Global Strategy, Local Impact

Warner Bros. Discovery's global expansion of HBO Max has been methodical, with the service launching in numerous countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Further expansion into Asia Pacific is planned for 2026 and beyond. However, in regions like the Middle East and Africa, the company has opted for strategic partnerships rather than a direct-to-consumer approach. In the Middle East, a similar model exists with OSN, where Warner Bros. Discovery recently took a minority stake to solidify its presence.

This strategy allows Warner Bros. Discovery to leverage the established market presence and subscriber base of local providers like MultiChoice, avoiding the high costs of launching a new service in a complex market. For Kenyan consumers, this means access to HBO's acclaimed content is tied to a DStv or Showmax subscription. As of August 2025, MultiChoice adjusted its pricing, increasing DStv subscription fees while simultaneously reducing the cost of Showmax plans to better compete with other streaming services. The standard Showmax entertainment plan now costs KSh 550, with a mobile-only version at KSh 200.

While the U.S. Black Friday deal for HBO Max offers a glimpse of aggressive pricing in mature streaming markets, it remains a distant promotion for Kenyan audiences. The local focus remains on the value offered by accessible platforms like Netflix, Showmax, and Prime Video, and how their blend of local and international content, alongside pricing strategies, caters to the Kenyan consumer. The availability of HBO's prestigious library in Kenya continues to be determined by strategic corporate partnerships rather than direct global promotions.