In December 2020, it was reported that Funimation was looking to acquire Crunchyroll for $1.2 billion. The deal would bring two of the largest anime streaming services together under the Sony Pictures Entertainment name, and today, that deal has been completed.
Officially confirmed in a press release on the Sony Pictures website, the deal sees Crunchyroll leaving AT&T and joining Sony to "broaden distribution for their content partners and expand fan-centric offerings for consumers."
"We are very excited to welcome Crunchyroll to the Sony Group," said Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. "Anime is a rapidly growing medium that enthralls and inspires emotion among audiences around the globe. The alignment of Crunchyroll and Funimation will enable us to get even closer to the creators and fans who are the heart of the anime community. We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime."
The press release does also reveal that the deal came in at a value of $1.175 billion to be exact.
What this means for the future of Crunchyroll remains unclear, but considering Sony has previously offered access to Funimation's services as part of the Play At Home initiative for PlayStation players, we can probably assume that a similar deal is on the cards for Crunchyroll down the line.