Sony is making bold strokes in the world of anime, as negotiations for the acquisition of Crunchyroll are reaching their climax. If things go as planned, the media giant will acquire the anime streaming service for approximately $957 million dollars, adding the site to their already formidable anime offerings.
For those that didn't know, Sony already owns a great deal of major anime companies. Big names like Funimation and Aniplex are under that umbrella. Adding Crunchyroll to the mix will only serve to further that monopoly, and could mean big things for the future of anime streaming as a whole depending on how Sony uses it.
It should be said up front that Sony consists of more than just PlayStation. This acquisition isn't instead of a gaming studio acquisition, as there are likely completely separate budgets for such things. That isn't to say that this won't affect PlayStation gamers in some way, but it shouldn't be viewed as a negative thing for gaming.
With Sony poised to own several major anime dubbing and subbing companies, there are rumors and speculation abound. Some fans are hoping to see a Crunchyroll and Funimation merge, forming a one stop anime streaming service that could rival the likes of Netflix or Disney+. Others, seeing the connection between Sony and PlayStation, are praying to see PS Plus include a free Crunchyroll subscription. Naturally, since the deal hasn't even gone through yet, Sony has made no remarks on this type of speculation.
Fan reaction to the news is somewhat mixed, as there are some good points on either side of the issue. On the one hand, Sony tends to do extremely well in most of its business ventures, so fans of the company have faith in how it will handle Crunchyroll. On the other hand, it has been known to be particularly harsh with censorship in anime, though some consider these to be just rumors. If this is true, though, it could be that the west will see more censorship in anime than before. Others fear that Sony will create a monopoly over anime services, hiking prices up as a result. While this is theoretically possible, it's highly unlikely.
Fans should keep in mind that negotiations are still ongoing, so anything could happen at this point. Whether the price stays increases or decreases or if the whole deal falls through remains to be seen. Interested fans should be sure to keep an eye on this development, as it could reshape the world of anime streaming.
Sony is in talks to acquire Crunchyroll.
Source: Nikkei