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Sony Also Taking Pelters for Locking Crunchyroll’s Store Behind a Subscription
Sony-owned Crunchyroll is restricting its online merchandise store to higher-paying subscribers from August, adding to a string of unpopular decisions that have drawn criticism of Sony in recent weeks, including its earlier announcement that it will stop manufacturing physical PlayStation games from 2028. Crunchyroll says the change is intended to prioritise its most committed fans for limited-edition and convention-exclusive items, but critics argue the store also sells more everyday products, such as manga and comics, that will now be needlessly locked away from lower-tier subscribers.
Under the new system, only members on Crunchyroll's Mega (around $13.99) or Ultimate (around $17.99) subscription tiers will be able to buy from the store, while those on the cheaper Fan tier (around $9.99) will lose access entirely. Ahead of the change, Crunchyroll is offering a 50% discount on selected items to all members for the rest of July. The move has been met with a largely negative reaction from fans and commentators, who see it as further evidence of Sony limiting consumer choice at a time when the company is already facing backlash on other fronts.
In short
- Crunchyroll store restricted to Mega/Ultimate subscribers from August
- Fan-tier subscribers lose store access entirely
- 50% discount offered through July ahead of the change
- Adds to recent criticism of Sony's consumer-facing decisions
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Crunchyroll's tiered subscription model creates differential value propositions, with premium tiers naturally offering enhanced benefits such as store access. This encourages customer investment in higher subscription levels whilst allowing the company to reserve limited-edition and exclusive merchandise—genuinely scarce goods—for its most committed and highest-paying members. Such tier-based privileges are standard practice across subscription services and represent legitimate business strategy.
The case against
The merchandise store sells everyday items like manga and comics alongside exclusive goods, making the 'committed fans' justification ring hollow when common products are locked behind paywalls. Lower-tier subscribers have already paid for their service and face an artificial additional restriction that limits consumer choice without clear necessity. This appears symptomatic of Sony increasingly limiting customer options rather than expanding value, warranting criticism on principle even if the restriction is legally permissible.
Explained simply
Crunchyroll is a subscription streaming service owned by Sony that specialises in anime and manga content. It offers three subscription tiers at different price points: the basic Fan tier at around $9.99 per month, the Mega tier at around $13.99, and the premium Ultimate tier at around $17.99.
The service operates a merchandise store where subscribers can purchase items ranging from exclusive limited editions and convention releases to everyday products such as manga and comics. Sony has come under criticism in recent weeks over several decisions seen as limiting consumer choice.
These include plans to stop manufacturing physical PlayStation games by 2028 and restrictions on merchandise store access for lower-tier subscribers. Commentators and fans view these as part of a broader pattern of constraining consumer options.