DC Universe no longer offering annual subscriptions

The annual membership to DC Universe has been quietly removed as an option adding to the mysteries surrounding the service.

Launched on Sept. 15, 2018, DC Universe was touted as the home for everything related to the comic publisher, but evidence is mounting that there may be a change coming soon.

With the launch of HBO Max, users began to wonder why there were two services for Warner Bros. properties. Then with the announcement of original DC programming on the service, the head-scratching began in earnest. Add in that Zack Snyder's Justice League is heading to HBO Max, and numerous other small moves such as the cancelation of DC Daily, and it does seem some plan is taking shape.

The latest puzzle piece is that DC Universe has removed the option for an annual subscription. Previously you could subscribe for $7.99 a month or $79 a year for a savings of 20%. With the removal of the annual plan, it seems as though the writing is on the wall that the service won't be around in a year.

With Doom Patrol already airing on both DC Universe and HBO Max, and Stargirl moving to The CW, it seems the content is already being split up. The big question is what will happen with the digital comics. Marvel Unlimited has been quite successful with nothing but comics, so it would be quite possible for DC Universe to transition to something similar.

Nothing is official as of yet, but the writing definitely seems to be on the wall and an announcement being a question of "when" and not "if." With DC FanDome taking place in Aug., it seems like a good location to make announcements about the future of all of the content.

22 comments

j.k.2023

July 22, 2020

Xbox did the same thing with live gold some days ago.RIP.

Hunter Zolomon
July 22, 2020
Yeah but the rumour is MS are making playing online free for all with Gamepass/XCloud being what you sub too, such a move could really impact both Sony and Nintendo.
1. j.k.2023
  July 23, 2020
  Seems like, They will be killing gold sub needed to play online.It's a necessary step if you want more active players.Base Xbox game pass and Xbox game pass ultimate(Game pass for pc + Will includes Xcloud) will be the main subscriptions.

Rust

July 22, 2020

While I'm supporting the service out of love, this is why I prefer to own things physically and don't think all-digital is a great future.

It's not really a library like you might expect, with things coming and going (if they get added at all), and eventually the entire thing can just disappear. If I want to show something to friends or family, I prefer the reliability of my bookshelf.

I'd love an easily accessible digital collection of DC's awesome history, but it just doesn't seem like any company can get this sort of thing together in a competent - or perhaps financially/legally realistic - manner.

It's been a great way for me to conveniently catch up on comics I can't afford to collect, and I enjoyed checking out Swamp Thing and Titans, as well as showing people I know all the animated and live action stuff, so I'll be sad to see it go. I'm sure the forum community is frustrated and disappointed too.

j.k.2023

July 22, 2020

What will happen to Titans?....Seems like nobody wants that trash.Doom Patrol, Stargirl, Swamp thing season 1 already found their new home.

Tom
July 22, 2020
Titans is on Netflix in countries that don’t have DC Universe so maybe it’ll live there
1. Mr Smith1466
  July 23, 2020
  Netflix playing titans and Netflix paying to make titans are very different things.
Les Grossman
July 24, 2020
First step to Titans's success, fire Akiva Goldsman. And by fire, I mean, hook him up to a rocket and send him far, far away from the DC characters.

NinjaGamer13

July 22, 2020

The smart thing to do?

Reduce the price down to $4.99 or even $3.99/month.

Include it for free with HBO Max.

Make it comics only.

Make it ALL comics. Not a revolving limited window. All comics. maybe barring new releases for the last 3 months or so.

That way it is only going to lead to more money. HBO Max viewers get something extra for the price they pay. Comics fans have a way to access their favorite stuff. New comics fans have a way to read comics easily (which could lead to more sales of actual books in the future). People that already won't pay for it because they prefer physical won't pay for it anyway. A lot of people that pirate probably would.

It's purely an extra way to make money and they already have everything in place.

But no, they won't do it. And I will continue to pirate.

Mark
July 22, 2020
Make it ALL comics. Not a revolving limited window. All comics. maybe barring new releases for the last 3 months or so.
Comics don't revolve anymore; once they're there, they stay. There are some gaps, mainly to protect books that still sell as graphic novels or that have legal entanglements (e.g., the creator-owned Vertigo stuff), and there's a 1-year window before printed books go on the service to help support FLCS's. Plus, much of the massive back catalog isn't digitized at all yet but it's trickling on in.
1. NinjaGamer13
  July 22, 2020
  That's a solid improvement, was not aware of that. Maybe they will head in the direction I describe above after all.

Drake Grayson

July 22, 2020

If HBO Max absorbs it, that will be a ton of DC content to help generate subscribers who may be on the fence. This could also help generate buzz for the JL series by Snyder.

As for the comics, I do think it should be a part of Max, simply because you and I seem to be in the minority of people who pay for that app to read. Max needs all the help it can get right now, and DC content was voted the number 1 appealing aspect of Max. Consolidating and offering something different from other streaming services could really help get it to where they want.

Ravager
July 22, 2020
There's a shit ton of stuff on HBO Max, so I'm a little skeptical to hear that it's struggling.
1. Drake Grayson
  July 22, 2020
  It’s losing the Harry Potter films and there have been reports that the subscription numbers are well below what they anticipated. A confusing roll out, along with it still not being available on Roku or FireStick have definitely hurt it. But I do feel confident that it can get up to where they want it to be. Disney+ had Mandalorian to help its initial launch. Justice League, and absorbing DCU should help, whenever that happens. We might get an idea in late August when those plans will be realized.

Batmarr

July 22, 2020

Well...crud. I’ve been a subscriber since before Day 1 (pre-registered). Some things about the service are great (comics, community, 4k, animated stuff) and some just haven’t been my favorite, but that’s OK. I still enjoy it. But I gotta’ say, paying the full 7.99 a month and no annual discount do NOT make me happy about it. Hope it survives in some way or other. I like most of the suggestions made here. I guess we’ll have to stay tuned......

Mark
July 22, 2020
Actually, per the Office Hours thread in the Community (so, official word from the community manager), Annual subs will still be available for renewals if you have one already. So, if you're annual now, don't let it lapse to monthly or you're SOL.
1. Batmarr
  July 22, 2020
  OH COOL!! Thanks for letting me know Mark.

Andy Lee

July 22, 2020

Just cancel dc universe, move the comics section to HBO max, some people can read comics or watch programs.

AquamanIsCool

July 23, 2020

They should keep the service with only comics and rotating animated movies, and old canceled tv shows (Birds of Prey, Constantine, etc.) Move all the original tv shows to HBO Max/CW. I'd still pay $7.99 for that.

Sense

July 23, 2020

I think it's all going to get shut down and integrated into HBO Max, except for the digital comics unfortunately.

Stanley Alexander O

July 23, 2020

My issue with HBO Max is that it's not 4k. DC Universe has it's videos in Ultra 4k. HBO Max needs to fix that. They're dropping the ball

Flower & Monster & Golden Calf

July 23, 2020

Harley Quinn animated show will show on HBO max.

j.k.2023
July 22, 2020
Xbox did the same thing with live gold some days ago.RIP.
1. Hunter Zolomon
  July 22, 2020
  Yeah but the rumour is MS are making playing online free for all with Gamepass/XCloud being what you sub too, such a move could really impact both Sony and Nintendo.
  1. j.k.2023
    July 23, 2020
    Seems like, They will be killing gold sub needed to play online.It's a necessary step if you want more active players.Base Xbox game pass and Xbox game pass ultimate(Game pass for pc + Will includes Xcloud) will be the main subscriptions.
Rust
July 22, 2020
While I'm supporting the service out of love, this is why I prefer to own things physically and don't think all-digital is a great future.
It's not really a library like you might expect, with things coming and going (if they get added at all), and eventually the entire thing can just disappear. If I want to show something to friends or family, I prefer the reliability of my bookshelf.
I'd love an easily accessible digital collection of DC's awesome history, but it just doesn't seem like any company can get this sort of thing together in a competent - or perhaps financially/legally realistic - manner.
It's been a great way for me to conveniently catch up on comics I can't afford to collect, and I enjoyed checking out Swamp Thing and Titans, as well as showing people I know all the animated and live action stuff, so I'll be sad to see it go. I'm sure the forum community is frustrated and disappointed too.
j.k.2023
July 22, 2020
What will happen to Titans?....Seems like nobody wants that trash.Doom Patrol, Stargirl, Swamp thing season 1 already found their new home.
1. Tom
  July 22, 2020
  Titans is on Netflix in countries that don’t have DC Universe so maybe it’ll live there
  1. Mr Smith1466
    July 23, 2020
    Netflix playing titans and Netflix paying to make titans are very different things.
2. Les Grossman
  July 24, 2020
  First step to Titans's success, fire Akiva Goldsman. And by fire, I mean, hook him up to a rocket and send him far, far away from the DC characters.
NinjaGamer13
July 22, 2020
The smart thing to do?
Reduce the price down to $4.99 or even $3.99/month.
Include it for free with HBO Max.
Make it comics only.
Make it ALL comics. Not a revolving limited window. All comics. maybe barring new releases for the last 3 months or so.
That way it is only going to lead to more money. HBO Max viewers get something extra for the price they pay. Comics fans have a way to access their favorite stuff. New comics fans have a way to read comics easily (which could lead to more sales of actual books in the future). People that already won't pay for it because they prefer physical won't pay for it anyway. A lot of people that pirate probably would.
It's purely an extra way to make money and they already have everything in place.
But no, they won't do it. And I will continue to pirate.
1. Mark
  July 22, 2020
  Make it ALL comics. Not a revolving limited window. All comics. maybe barring new releases for the last 3 months or so.
  Comics don't revolve anymore; once they're there, they stay. There are some gaps, mainly to protect books that still sell as graphic novels or that have legal entanglements (e.g., the creator-owned Vertigo stuff), and there's a 1-year window before printed books go on the service to help support FLCS's. Plus, much of the massive back catalog isn't digitized at all yet but it's trickling on in.
  1. NinjaGamer13
    July 22, 2020
    That's a solid improvement, was not aware of that. Maybe they will head in the direction I describe above after all.
Drake Grayson
July 22, 2020
If HBO Max absorbs it, that will be a ton of DC content to help generate subscribers who may be on the fence. This could also help generate buzz for the JL series by Snyder.
As for the comics, I do think it should be a part of Max, simply because you and I seem to be in the minority of people who pay for that app to read. Max needs all the help it can get right now, and DC content was voted the number 1 appealing aspect of Max. Consolidating and offering something different from other streaming services could really help get it to where they want.
1. Ravager
  July 22, 2020
  There's a shit ton of stuff on HBO Max, so I'm a little skeptical to hear that it's struggling.
  1. Drake Grayson
    July 22, 2020
    It’s losing the Harry Potter films and there have been reports that the subscription numbers are well below what they anticipated. A confusing roll out, along with it still not being available on Roku or FireStick have definitely hurt it. But I do feel confident that it can get up to where they want it to be. Disney+ had Mandalorian to help its initial launch. Justice League, and absorbing DCU should help, whenever that happens. We might get an idea in late August when those plans will be realized.
Batmarr
July 22, 2020
Well...crud. I’ve been a subscriber since before Day 1 (pre-registered). Some things about the service are great (comics, community, 4k, animated stuff) and some just haven’t been my favorite, but that’s OK. I still enjoy it. But I gotta’ say, paying the full 7.99 a month and no annual discount do NOT make me happy about it. Hope it survives in some way or other. I like most of the suggestions made here. I guess we’ll have to stay tuned......
1. Mark
  July 22, 2020
  Actually, per the Office Hours thread in the Community (so, official word from the community manager), Annual subs will still be available for renewals if you have one already. So, if you're annual now, don't let it lapse to monthly or you're SOL.
  1. Batmarr
    July 22, 2020
    OH COOL!! Thanks for letting me know Mark.
Andy Lee
July 22, 2020
Just cancel dc universe, move the comics section to HBO max, some people can read comics or watch programs.
AquamanIsCool
July 23, 2020
They should keep the service with only comics and rotating animated movies, and old canceled tv shows (Birds of Prey, Constantine, etc.) Move all the original tv shows to HBO Max/CW. I'd still pay $7.99 for that.
Sense
July 23, 2020
I think it's all going to get shut down and integrated into HBO Max, except for the digital comics unfortunately.
Stanley Alexander O
July 23, 2020
My issue with HBO Max is that it's not 4k. DC Universe has it's videos in Ultra 4k. HBO Max needs to fix that. They're dropping the ball
Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
July 23, 2020
Harley Quinn animated show will show on HBO max.

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DC Universe no longer offering annual subscriptions

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