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Two weeks after Sony announced it would end physical disc production for PlayStation consoles in 2028, the company has found a new way to anger its fanbase. This time, it’s targeting physical anime sales. Sony-owned Crunchyroll is drastically scaling back its store, leaving many collectors and longtime Right Stuf customers furious.
Crunchyroll, already a dominant force in anime streaming, is making its retail arm significantly more restrictive. Beginning in August, the Crunchyroll Store will be available exclusively to Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan subscribers. Non-subscribers and lower-tier accounts will lose the ability to purchase physical merchandise, collectibles, and remaining anime releases. Polygon reached out to Crunchyroll for comments regarding the decision, and they say it was inspired by community feedback and through observation on what gets collectors and anime fans most excited.
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The decision has drawn strong backlash from fans. Many viewed the Crunchyroll Store as more than just a retail outlet — it served as a comprehensive repository for physical merchandise, collectibles, and remaining anime Blu-ray/DVD releases. For physical media enthusiasts, it represented one of the last major resources for owning anime outright in an industry increasingly shifting toward digital distribution.
Critics argue that limiting access to higher-priced Mega and Ultimate Fan tiers alienates a significant portion of the fanbase, especially those unwilling or unable to upgrade their subscriptions. The move has fueled broader concerns about Sony’s growing influence over both gaming and anime markets, with some accusing the company of prioritizing control and monetization over customer access. The changes to the Crunchyroll Store will become effective in August 2026. A Summer Sale began on July 14, with 50% off selected items.
Crunchyroll Store Changes (Announced so far):
- “New experiences and curated drops with exclusive Crunchyroll merchandise that is available only on Crunchyroll Store.”
- Available through select Crunchyroll memberships for Mega and Ultimate Fans.
- The Company will announce the cutoff date for using the current version of the store in the near future.
- Select items on the Crunchyroll Store are now designated as “final sale.”
- Returns or refunds for those final sale items will only be accepted if the product is damaged or defective. This restriction applies only to final sale items, and not to all items on the Crunchyroll Store.
- Open orders will continue to process and ship as usual, including items that release after the store transitions. If any part of your order cannot be fulfilled, you’ll receive a separate email with details and next steps.
- Accounts are still accessible and your order history will remain intact.
- Crunchyroll Store will continue to support gift cards through August 14, 2026. After the 14th, contact the Store’s Help Desk for more information.
- Existing benefits for store discounts with Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan memberships will end on the same day.
Last February, Crunchyroll increased their prices for all of its subscription tiers in the U.S. last February. The company increased the Fan Tier price from USD $7.99 to USD $9.99, the Mega Fan Tier price from USD $11.99 to USD $13.99 per month and the Ultimate Fan Tier from USD $15.99 to USD $17.99 per month.
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Sony acquired Crunchyroll in a major deal finalized on August 9, 2021, when its Funimation Global Group completed the purchase from AT&T. First announced in December 2020, the Crunchyroll acquisition was valued at $1.175 billion, paid in cash at closing. Following the merger, Funimation’s home video releases and catalog were gradually integrated and rebranded under the Crunchyroll name. Sony acquired video publisher and distributor Right Stuf, Inc., merging it into the Crunchyroll brand in 2022. It would be followed up a year later when Right Stuf was merged into the Crunchyroll Store.
This article is based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Crunchyroll’s policies may be subject to change.
Sources: Anime News Network, Polygon, Crunchyroll
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