Amazon and HBO have signed a multi-year licensing agreement that will see select HBO content arrive on Prime Instant Video next month. What's more, HBO GO will be available on Amazon Fire TV by the end of the year according to a press release on the matter.
The deal, which marks the first time HBO programming has been licensed to an online-only subscription streaming service, will make available past hit shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, Big Love, Deadwood, Eastbound & Down, Family Tree, Enlightened, Treme, early seasons of Boardwalk Empire and True Blood, as well as mini-series like Band of Brothers, John Adams and more.
Unfortunately, some of the network's newer content won't be available anytime soon. For example, shows such as Girls, The Newsroom and Veep will become available approximately three years after airing on HBO. Worse yet, HBO's most popular show - Game of Thrones - isn't included in the deal.
While not likely to please everybody, the addition will no doubt help some feel better about Amazon's recent Prime price hike. The annual membership increased from $79 to $99 last month, marking the first price increase since the service launched in 2005.
In addition to free two-day shipping and access to thousands of shows and movies via Prime Instant Video, the subscription service allows members to check out one book per month via the Kindle Owners Lending Library.