HBO Max announced today the launch of a new HBO Recommends skill for Alexa. With the new feature, HBO Max subscribers can use Alexa-enabled devices to easily browse and say yes or no to titles to get recommendations with guidance from the service.
Using HBO Recommends, users can create personalized watchlists by saying “Alexa, open HBO Max Recommends” and giving verbal yes and no responses to questions that will help to narrow down options from the HBO Max library. Recommendations can be filtered based on genre and users can ask for additional info to help make their decisions, including show descriptions and character lists.
There’s also a “multiplayer mode” which allows up to three people watching together while in the same room to come to a decision together, then texting the list of recommendations to the group.
“HBO Max continues to build on its mission of providing fun and interactive experiences to fans with their skill ‘HBO Max Recommends,’” said Jason Mulderig, SVP Brand Marketing, HBO Max and HBO. “Working with Amazon and adding this additional avenue of content discovery is another way we’re enhancing our customers’ overall viewing experience.”
Along with personalized recommendations, HBO Max will be adding Spotlight Sessions to HBO Recommendations in June. These are lists of ten titles curated by the HBO Max team that offer recommendations based on holidays, events, anniversaries, and premieres. The feature is set to launch in time for the debut of “In The Heights” on June 11 and “Space Jam: A New Legacy” on July 16.