Hulu discounts its HBO add-on to $5 per month

In case it wasn't already obvious that HBO really, really wants you to watch the second season of Westworld, Hulu just made it crystal clear. The streaming service has discounted its HBO add-on from $15 per month to just $5 ahead of Westworld's season 2 premiere, with that rate locked in for as long as six months. It's not certain how long the promotional price will remain in place, but a spokesperson told Variety that it's available for a limited time. If you're interested, you might want to act quickly -- this makes a basic Hulu/HBO combo more affordable than HBO Now by itself.

The bargain comes hot on the heels of Hulu's Spotify bundle (which you can't use at the same time, unfortunately), and suggests the online video has a very straightforward strategy for boosting its subscriber base: lure them in with package deals that are hard to resist, even if they're temporary. HBO's eagerness to drive ratings no doubt helped in this case, but we could see deals like this becoming a regular occurrence as Hulu capitalizes on season premieres and other buzz-heavy events.