HBO Max is leaning hard into comfort viewing, with a new feature that feels like a throwback to old-school TV, and Game of Thrones fans are very much part of the plan.
Rolling out today to select users in the US, HBO Max has introduced in-app curated channels that play episodes and films in a continuous stream, removing the need to decide what to watch next.
One of the headline additions is World of Westeros, a dedicated channel that continuously plays content from the Game of Thrones universe, effectively creating a 24/7 Westeros marathon.
Instead of browsing endlessly, users can drop into a live, always-on feed of familiar favourites. When you open a channel, you start at whatever episode is currently playing, with standard playback controls allowing you to scrub forward or back into the queue. These FAST-like channels are designed for those moments when decision fatigue kicks in, and you just want something reliable in the background.
Harry Potter, Friends and more
While Game of Thrones may grab the headlines, it’s just one part of a broader rollout. HBO Max is also launching channels dedicated to Friends, The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Rick and Morty, Harry Potter, Sex and the City, and themed collections like True Crime, DC, and Adult Animation. Think of it less like Netflix’s algorithm-heavy recommendations and more like curated TV channels, updated for streaming.
According to Warner Bros, Discovery, the feature is aimed at “effortless discovery” – a way to surface the platform’s vast back catalogue without putting pressure on users to commit to a full rewatch. For long-running franchises like Game of Thrones, it’s an especially clever move, turning prestige TV into something you can casually dip into again.
The channels appear on adult profiles across all subscription tiers and live in a dedicated “Channels” rail on the homepage. For now, the rollout is US-only, with no word yet on when, or if, it’ll expand internationally. HBO Max is arriving in the UK in March 2026, so these channels could join the service upon launch.
It’s not revolutionary, but it is telling: streaming services may be realising that sometimes, viewers don’t want control, they want the TV to just play something good.
