Overview
- Crunchyroll will restrict purchases in its online store to Mega and Ultimate-tier subscribers when a revamped storefront launches in August 2026, making those tiers the only way to buy new drops and merchandise.
- Crunchyroll, which announced the change on Tuesday, launched a 50% Summer Sale on July 14 and designated some items as final sale ahead of the August relaunch.
- Reporting indicates Fan-tier subscribers will be allowed to browse the new store but not complete purchases while non-subscribers will be blocked from browsing or buying at all.
- Crunchyroll says the new store will emphasize collectibles, curated drops and limited releases to reduce inventory risk and recreate convention-style exclusives rather than restore a broad physical-media catalog.
- Critics and collectors say the shift follows Sony’s 2023 consolidation of Right Stuf into the Crunchyroll Store and reflects a wider Sony strategy that moves physical-media access behind membership gates and narrows available titles.