Sony Pictures Entertainment announced in December 2020 that it would be acquiring anime-streaming service Crunchyroll in a deal worth $1.175 billion.
That agreement was finalized on Monday, cementing Sony’s position as the key player in the anime-streaming market. The entertainment giant already owns Funimation, another major anime streamer.
According to a report from Eurogamer, Sony might be using the acquisition of Crunchyroll to bolster its PlayStation Plus subscription service, which has reportedly been losing subscribers.
Sony is reportedly planning a more expensive version of PlayStation Plus that would include the Crunchyroll anime-streaming service as part of its benefits.
Starting at $9.99 per month, PlayStation Plus enables online multiplayer and includes exclusive member discounts. It also grants a collection of free games every month, with the latest being Hunter’s Arena: Legends, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, and Tennis World Tour 2.
Crunchyroll’s plans start at $7.99. If Sony’s premium PlayStation Plus tier with Crunchyroll is real, users can probably expect to pay around $20 per month for it.
“With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV – everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime. Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.”