Samsung has added Nvidia G-Sync support to its 2026 OLED TVs and gaming monitors, the company announced over the weekend. In addition, a couple of TVs – the S95H and S90H – will also come with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Both of these VRR technologies aim to smooth out your gaming experience by preventing things like one part of an image moving ahead of another part, aka screen-tearing. In the past, Samsung displays have instead relied on its own version variable refresh rate, or VRR.

Besides the high end S95H and S90H, Samsung says it'll make the midrange S85H G-Sync Compatible, too. Over in gaming monitor land, the company named the new 27-inch Odyssey G6 – its absurdly high-refresh-rate 1,040Hz model – and its 240Hz refresh 27-inch Odyssey G6 sibling. (We love confusing lineup naming, don't we? Those are the G60H and G61SH, respectively). Equipped with G-Sync Compatible screens, Samsung's gaming displays could fare a little better when compared to some of the best gaming displays; the company has struggled to outperform the likes of Dell or Asus, at least by our estimation. It has done better in the OLED arena, though – the Odyssey G9 is, after all, our favorite OLED widescreen gaming display.

Besides G-Sync and FreeSync, Samsung's OLEDs this year will also get support for HDR10+ Advanced, which the company previewed late last year. That's the fancy-pants HDR standard meant to fix the soap opera effect, or the unnaturally fluid movement you see on your parents' TV when you go home for the holidays every year (I know you've been surreptitiously turning that off every chance you get, you sneaky old so-and-so).

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach shared an emotional moment with fans after his new movie, Iron Lung, managed to win big at the box office over the weekend.

The YouTube star took to a livestream in the wake of the theatrical premiere of his debut feature film to speak about its success and clear up any confusion about how it compared to competing films. He starts the 25-minute video crying as he speaks about the response he’s received so far.

“Man, it’s been a bit of an emotional day. I’m not gonna lie. It’s been a bit of an emotional day in a good way, in the best way possible,” Markiplier, fighting back tears, said during the Sunday broadcast. “Everything good. Everything’s fine. I don’t even know where to start. OK, so I’ll first say… man, just thank you, guys. Just thank you, guys, so much, because it’s been a really special day.”

What starts with Markiplier’s reaction to a positive review from fellow content creator Hbomberguy then turns into a moment reflecting on his mark on independent filmmaking. Iron Lung premiered alongside Sam Raimi and Disney’s R-rated Send Help, but both films spent the weekend neck-and-neck for the number one spot.

Although Send Help will continue its run while Iron Lung drops out of the box office race (and most theaters), the $21.5 million the film has made globally means it more than made up for its reported $3 million budget. It also means Markiplier is going to be able to “give the crew a big bonus.”

“I had a conversation today with a fan, and it was a perfectly normal conversation,” he said through tears. “They mentioned that they were a film student, and they said how cool it was that this was done independently, and that this was really kind of an inspiration for people that wanted to get into making movies, that it was even possible.”

When Markiplier told the film student that he had “some conversations going” about bringing a studio in to help with distribution, they replied, “please don’t because it’s really cool and kind of a hero moment to showcase that indie filmmaking was possible.” After going back home shortly after, he received an email stating that Send Help was “closing the gap” and only $300,000 away.

“I’m almost hesitant to ask this, but I think it might be a big win for independent filmmaking,” Markiplier added, calling on fans to see Iron Lung before it left local cinemas. “It’s not to shutout Sam Raimi. It’s kinda to shutout Disney for winning 10 weeks in a row – maybe they could only win nine weeks in a row and the one weekend that Iron Lung is here, it could, you know… I think that might be pretty cool.”

He continued: “And maybe if I could inspire someone to keep making films, that would be pretty cool. And maybe if it could open up the door for other people to do their projects independently, and know there could be success in it, I think that would be pretty cool. I think that might actually be really cool.”

Markiplier wrote, directed, self-financed, distributed, and starred in Iron Lung. It’s a live-action adaptation of the 2022 independent horror game of the same name and follows a man trapped inside an iron submarine in an ocean of blood. We gave it a 4/10 in our review.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

This morning Wizards of the Coast put a new Magic: The Gathering product up for sale with an unexpected twist. The “Prints Charming” Secret Lair drop contains four reprinted cards with pretty excellent new art – but rather than simply telling us how much it costs, it was given five different non-foil store listings and five more for the foil version, each with a different price ranging from $10 all the way up to $50. The product description on all of them is careful to point out the following: “The only difference between listings is the price. Higher-priced listings do not include anything extra.”

This, by my estimation as someone who has been playing Magic since the 90s and literally wrote the announcement for the very first Secret Lair, is pretty lame. Taken graciously, it’s a goofy marketing stunt meant to do something silly and get folk talking about it, but it nevertheless leaves those who arrived too late with a very sour taste in their mouth. A more pessimistic reading would be that WOTC is price testing what people are willing to pay for a Secret Lair drop in broad daylight, shedding even the thinnest veneer that may be hiding the capitalist hunger a lawsuit recently alleged is designed specifically to hide shortfalls in other parts of Hasbro’s business.

The reaction amongst the Magic community has been muddled. Some were confused. Some very generously assumed the higher price points were to bait automated scalper bots into spending more while real people could snag a more affordable version – an argument that doesn’t exactly hold water when you consider that they could just make them all cheaper if that was the desire. And some were just angry, either because the cheapest versions sold out so fast, or because they similarly see this as bold-faced market research in cardboard form.

I actually really love the idea of Wizards of the Coast’s Secret Lair line overall. Directly selling small drops of thematically linked cards with cool and unique art treatments is quite fun, and often comes at little-to-no cost for those who just want to ignore it. Being able to give Kratos or Aloy their own cards without the production lift a larger product would require is a neat tool in WOTC’s toolbelt. The “Chaos Vault” moniker this latest one was released under intentionally pushes the envelope even further with weird, off-schedule ideas and one-offs that are explicitly meant to experiment. I dig that!

But that does not mean Secret Lair is free from criticism. Most pressing here, folk (myself included) were already displeased by WOTC’s 2024 decision to move these drops from a “print to demand” model to one with limited and undisclosed quantities. The former system meant anyone who wanted a certain drop could get it within a specific timeframe, while the latter has historically meant you need to get in line right when a popular drop arrives in order to have a chance at purchasing it – something you can’t do if you, say, have work or school at the same time.

So, given there is already anxiety around the availability of Secret Lairs, one that got almost no pre-promotion offering an early bird discount (alongside the option to pay WOTC more money) is understandably frustrating. It’s the sort of thing that independent creators admittedly do with their products from time to time without drawing any ire, rewarding their most dedicated fans while also providing a way to support them even further for those who want to. But for a multibillion-dollar corporation to do it is not endearing in the same way – it comes across more like profit analysis wearing a sign around its neck that reads “it’s just a prank, bro.”

Much to my dismay, both the lowest and highest priced versions of Prints Charming sold out the quickest, either lending some credence to the “ha ha stupid bots” theory or offering evidence that “speaking with your wallet” is and will always be a doomed suggestion. The standard Secret Lair pricing of $30 for non-foil and $40 for foil lasted much longer than the others, so it seems likely the “stock” for those versions was intentionally the largest of all the options. But even if that does make this one big stunt, or even a cute way to subsidize a few discounted drops through folk who are willing to spend a little more, the ultimate result is still that a majority of players feel like they are the ones left holding the proverbial bag.

I don’t know, maybe I am yelling at the clouds. The card-selling company is experimenting with how much money it can sell its cards for. This should not be a shock, nor am I surprised to see Prints Charming sell out within hours (the art is really excellent, even if its total reprint value of around $5 is not). But the quiet part is being said louder than usual here. The teacher has handed us a test, and I fear what the results will be. The theme of this drop is cards that speed up your green resource production, and if that’s not as on the nose as naming your giant evil space station the Death Star, I don’t know what is.

Tom Marks is IGN's Associate Reviews Director and local MTG Cube obssessive. He loves puzzles, platformers, puzzle-platformers, and lots more.

Now is the time to retire that pedal-powered bike of yours and upgrade to electric. The price of electric assisted bikes has plummeted over the past year. Nowadays you can find a decent bike for well under $500. To kickstart the new year, AliExpress is offering the 5th Wheel AB17 500W 375Wh Electric Bike for a rock bottom price of $272.34 after you apply $25 off coupon code "025USAFF". This bike ships locally from a warehouse in the United States, with most orders being delivered within a week. That means you don't have to worry about tariffs, import fees, or egregiously long shipping times.

5th Wheel AB17 500W 375Wh Electric Bike for $272.34

Full spoilers follow for Primal Season 3, Episode 4, “Prey for the Wicked,” which is available on Adult Swim and HBO Max now.

Wow, I didn’t see this coming so soon. Fang is back! And so are her babies and Mira, all of whom we last saw in the Primal Season 2 finale back in 2022. Not only has our favorite T. rex returned, but by the end of this episode she’s been reunited with Spear… or what’s left of him, anyway.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The first three episodes of this season have taken their time just getting us acquainted with the zombie version of Spear, and while it was clear that our undead hero was looking for his lost family – and specifically for Fang – even if he wasn’t entirely conscious of it, it didn’t seem like series creator Genndy Tartakovsky was in any rush to reunite them. Yes, Tartakovsky hinted that the beautiful girl would return eventually, and a trailer gave us a glimpse of her too, but so far Primal Season 3 has very much been centered on zombie Spear, so much so that it wasn’t even clear how much time had passed since his death – er, “death” – in the Season 2 finale.

So I was a bit surprised to find that this episode opens with a flashback, and not just any flashback, but one to Spear’s funeral. How heartbreaking is it when, among the array of villagers mourning Spear, we see Mira intensely dancing in her grief? And even more touching, there’s Fang off in the distance, watching the ceremony with her babes. She might not fully understand the nature of the funeral, but she knows well enough what it means.

Cosmere fans, rejoice! At long last, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe will be officially coming to both big and small screens courtesy of Apple TV. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the deal will adapt his most popular Mistborn (Era 1) and Stormlight Archive book series into film and television series, respectively, with Sanderson himself set to “write, produce, and consult” on the projects.

As a big fan of Brandon Sanderson and his works, (check out my reviews of both the Cosmere TTRPG and Mistborn deck building card game), I thought I would put together a short little helper guide for any of you out there that want to get a jump on the stories and characters that will soon be jumping out of your screens.

If once you finish these books and find yourself chomping at the bit for more, check out our full reading guide on The Cosmere to figure out where to go next!

Mistborn - Era 1

Mistborn and its metal-burning allomancers will be the first of the Cosmere works to coin-push their way from the pages and onto the screen in the form of films. Along with the Stormlight Archive’s world of Roshar, Mistborn’s Scadriel forms what could be considered the backbone of the entire universe-spanning story that Sanderson has been weaving together for the past two decades. The world of Scadrial is told over the course of multiple Eras, with only the first set of books, referred to as “Era 1” being the focus of the first film.

Mistborn (Era 1) follows Vin, a thief with the ability to use Allomancy, Scadrial’s special type of magic, which allows a person to burn specific metals for various effects. We don’t know just yet if Apple and Brandon will attempt to condense into a single film the entire Vin saga (I highly doubt it), but here is what you should check out beforehand.

The Books

One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with a body that responds like rubber thanks to eating Devil Fruit, on his quest to become the next Pirate King by finding the ultimate treasure of legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. Based on Eiichiro Oda's best-selling manga series, One Piece is full of epic battles and a highly entertaining and eclectic ensemble of characters known as the Straw Hat Pirates.

With over 1,000 episodes across over 20 seasons (divided into 10 sagas with 52 different story arcs), specials, OVAs and shorts, it can be difficult to decide when and where to put the One Piece movies into your (re)watch list. Whether you’re new to the world of One Piece or settling in for an epic movie rewatch alongside the live-action series, we’ve got you covered.

Take a look at our One Piece timeline guide for what order you should watch the One Piece movies and episodes in.

Jump To:

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release order

How Many One Piece Movies Are There?

There are currently 15 feature length One Piece movies you can watch alongside the anime series. The movie stories are not connected to the series, and therefore aren’t canon. But the stories are built around canon characters and offer an opportunity to learn more about the world of the Straw Hat Pirates.

While the original One Piece movies are a little hard to track down online, more recent One Piece movies are available to stream on Crunchyroll and also have Blu-ray releases.

Where to Stream One Piece

If you want to start the true binge (don't be intimidated by that episode number, it's worth it), the One Piece anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix. The live-action One Piece show is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

The One Piece Series In Chronological Order

To avoid confusion or early introduction to canon characters, we recommend watching the One Piece movies alongside the anime series and its corresponding episodes in the expansive franchise.

1. One Piece: The Movie (watch after episode 18)

The Straw Hat Pirates find themselves pitted against the ruthless pirate Eldoraggo after an encounter with a trio of thieves. The Straw Hat Pirates must thwart Eldoraggo on his hunt for the treasure of a legendary captain and secure the hoard of gold for themselves. One Piece: The Movie falls in between the Syrup Village arc and the Baratie arc of the East Blue Saga. It offers a good, if visually nostalgic, world overview by showcasing the early days of the crew as they embark on a treasure hunt.

2. One Piece: Clockwork Island Adventure (watch after episode 53)

The Straw Hat Pirates join forces with the Thief Brothers in order to recover their stolen ship, Going Merry and weapons from bandits. The crew and their allies must go to war against the pirate clan reigning over the Clockwork Island, in order to stop their leader from acquiring a superweapon and forcing their crew mate Nami into marriage. One Piece: Clockwork Island Adventure falls after the second half of the Loguetown arc of the East Blue Saga. While this may be a standalone story it's a fun must-watch adventure about a vacation gone awry.

3. One Piece: Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals (watch after episode 102)

Stories about a great treasure lure the Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates to the wilderness of Crown Island where the crew encounters intelligent animals. While separate from the rest of the Straw Hats, the crew’s doctor Tony Tony Chopper triggers a prophecy and ends up crowned the island's lord and protector, the King of Beasts. Despite a few interesting fight scenes, Chopper’s Kingdom is an extremely skippable filler film. But if you’re a completionist, One Piece: Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals falls after episode 102 of the Arabasta Arc: in the Arabasta Saga.

4. One Piece: Dead End Adventure (watch after episode 138)

The Straw Hat Pirates need cash so they enter an underground race between pirates known as the Dead End Competition. The crew finds themselves pitted against a vice-admiral with his own powers and his formidable bounty hunter sidekick. Dead End Adventure is the first full-length feature and offers a fantastic adventure newbies and diehards can enjoy. This movie can be watched at any point after episode 130 but we think it falls in line best after episode 138 in the Goat Island arc of the Sky Island Saga.

5. One Piece: The Cursed Holy Sword (watch after episode 143)

The Cursed Holy Sword centers on Zoro, the crew’s swordsman. While on the island of Asuka, the Straw Hat Pirates learn about a legendary cursed sword the Shichiseiken. The crew’s quickly swept up in the shenanigans of marines intent on freeing the sword. Zoro’s joined their ranks and the rest of the crew must unravel his reasons and figure out what’s going on. This film is a chaotic mess that doesn’t fully come together and is pretty much a miss unless you’re just dying to know more about Zoro. The Cursed Holy Sword falls in line best after episode 14 of the Ruluka Island arc in the Sky Island Saga.

6. One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (watch after episode 224)

Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island, the sixth movie in the franchise, see the Straw Hat Pirates interrupt their journey to Grand Line for a pit stop on a recreation island to relax. Upon arrival the leader of the island, Baron Omatsuri, welcomes them and gives them seven challenges to achieve greater relaxation. The remainder of the movie is unraveling the mystery lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly happy community. Without giving anything away for the uninitiated, it's safe to say the Secret Island should not be on your skip list. The Secret Island falls in line best after episode 224 of the Ocean’s Dream arc in the Water 7 Saga.

7. One Piece: The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle (watch after episode 228)

If you’re in the mood for great action sequences and an off-kilter plotline, then The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle will fully satisfy. The Straw Hats find and open a treasure box. Instead of loot, the crew finds an old lady inside. They agree to help her return home in exchange for a treasure on her Mecha Island. Upon arrival, the crew comes under attack by the island’s leader before he reverses track and asks for their help finding the treasure. Karakuri Castle is best seen after episode 228 of the Foxy’s Return arc in the Water 7 Saga.

8. One Piece – Episode of Arabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates (watch after episode 312)

Most One Piece fans will list the Arabasta arc as one of the best in the franchise. Which means if you watched the episodes, then this movie is extremely skippable. This movie is essentially a condensed version of that storyline that doesn’t offer any new storywise. If you need or want a refresher offered with high quality action sequences then watch the Episode of Arabasta remake after episode 312.

9. One Piece: Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura (watch after episode 325)

The Chopper Plus remake changes events and adds new canon characters, including a sidekick for the villain Wapol, to the original episodes in the Drum Island arc. It’s best to view watch this One Piece movie as an alternate universe where Luffy’s still trying to save crewmate Nami with different obstacles. If you’re interested in seeing the Bloom in Winter play out in a parallel world, watch Chopper Plus after episode 325 and the end of the Water 7 Saga.

10. One Piece Film: Strong World (watch after episode 381)

Luffy and his crewmates learn that islands in East Blue have been destroyed. The crew discovers that an ex-member of the Rocks Pirates, Shiki the Golden Lion, is responsible. Shiki wants to destroy the marines. After he kidnaps Nami to become their navigator, the Straw Hats decide to take matters into their own hands. They come together to battle the legendary Shiki and rescue Nami. Strong World showcases Shiki’s devil fruit powers and pits Luffy and crew against a myriad of challenges. Strong World is absolutely not canon but makes for a great ride. Watch it any time after episode 381. But we suggest waiting until after the last episode (429) of Little East Blue arc of the Summit Saga for best alignment in this epic journey.

11. One Piece 3D: Straw Hat Chase (watch after episode 381)

One Piece 3D: Straw Hat Chase gets treated as the eleventh movie in the One Piece franchise, but in reality it’s more of a short (and at this point, kind of lost media). Luffy wakes up to a missing crew and spends the entire movie on the hunt for them. Cue it up directly after finishing Strong World because there’s nothing special to separate it from the pack. Straw Hat Chase is pretty much impossible to find and so skippable not even hardcore completionists will demand you sit through it.

12. One Piece Film: Z (watch after episode 578)

One Piece Film: Z aims right for the feels with a story centering former marine admiral Z. Z’s stolen a dangerous weapon known as the “Dyna Stones,” and now the Straw Hat Pirates and other admirals must battle him to stop the end of the world. Widely considered one of the best One Pieces movies, Z is colorful and action-packed on top of being a tear-jerker. There’s a bit of debate about the best time to slide Z into the timeline. It’s viewers choice: cue it up after episode 573 or wait until the end of the Z’s Ambition arc with episode 578. Whichever you decide, not watching it would be a mistake.

13. One Piece Film: Gold (watch after episode 750)

The Straw Hat Pirates visit the greatest entertainment city contained on the Gran Tesoro ship. THe story shifts from a gambling vacation to a heist film in short order. This casino adventure offers slick animation and plenty of action from start to finish. Sometimes the point is fan service and that’s exactly the aim of Gold. If you’re this far down the One Piece rabbit hole then that fan service is going to make for a satisfying ride. This is best viewed after finishing the Silver Mine arc of the Whole Cake Island Saga.

14. One Piece: Stampede (watch after episode 889)

Luffy and crew decide to participate in a pirate festival alongside numerous other famous pirates. They quickly realize it's actually a free-for-all to find another one of Roger’s treasures. Over the course of the battle royale, more mysterious goings-on appear and cause upheaval. Do expect to see plenty of fan favorite characters, and the full range of powers operation in the One Piece World. Stampede is next-level fan service wrapped in an epic adventure. This must see movie can be watched any time after episode 889, the end of the Whole Cake Saga. But we suggest maybe waiting until after the Cidre Guild arc in the Wano Country Saga.

15. One Piece Film: Red (watch after episode 1030)

One Piece Film: Red, the most recent movie, is about Shanks and his daughter Uta. The Straw Hats attend a concert hosted by Uta, a famous singer, on Elegia the Island of Music. Things quickly go awry when the attendees discover that Uta is the daughter for Shanks, chief of the Red Hair Pirates. It should be noted that Red is initially driven by songs since that’s how Uta’s power manifests but the unfolding mysteries, chases, displays of legendary powers, and dangerous encounters make it all worthwhile. Red fits seamlessly after the Uta's Past arc of the Wano Country Saga.

How to Watch One Piece Movies in Release Order

1. One Piece: The Movie (2000)
2. Clockwork Island Adventure (2001)
3. Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals (2002)
4. Dead End Adventure (2003)
5. The Cursed Holy Sword (2004)
6. Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005)
7. Giant Mecha Soldier of Karakuri Castle (2006)
8. The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta (2007)
9. Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Cherry Blossom (2008)
10. One Piece Film: Strong World (2009)
11. Straw Hat Chase (2011)
12. One Piece Film: Z (2012)
13. One Piece Film: Gold (2016)
14. One Piece: Stampede (2019)
15. One Piece Film: Red (2022)

The Future of One Piece

Eiichiro Oda has been teasing that he’s almost done with the One Piece manga for about 15 years, yet here we are. Though no one has a clear idea of when the manga (and therefore the anime) will end, we do know a few years. At a Jump Festa event in December 2025, Oda teased the end of the Elbaph arc for 2026 and said “The story will be moving at a breakneck speed.”

The One Piece anime is going through big changes this year, as it is changing from a weekly to a seasonal release schedule and will only release a maximum of 26 episodes per year starting this April with the Elbaph arc adaptation. We still don’t know when the next One Piece movie is going to come out, but Oda said it is not going particularly well production-wise. Still, he teased at Jump Festa that the story is one “all of you will be very interested in.”

There’s also an upcoming remake of One Piece titled “The One Piece” which is in production.

What About the Netflix Show?

While we don't have any news about new One Piece movies, we do know that the One Piece live-action series is returning for a second season some time in 2026. A new teaser for Season 2 also seems to confirm that Season 3 has already been greenlit.

Another major One Piece collaboration is LEGO releasing seven new One Piece sets based on the first season of the Netflix show. All of these sets represent scenes from the East Blue Saga.

Crunchyroll has announced a price hike across all of its streaming plans for U.S. subscribers. The price increases go into effect for new subscribers starting today, while existing subscribers will see the new prices reflected in billing cycles after March 4.

The changes generally increase every monthly subscription plan by $2, broken down as follows:

• Fan Tier will increase from $7.99/month to $9.99/month.
• Mega Fan Tier will increase from $11.99/month to $13.99/month.
• Ultimate Fan Tier will increase from $15.99/month to $17.99/month.

This is Crunchyroll’s second price increase since merging with Funimation. The previous increase, which took effect in May 2024, had been the service’s first price hike in over five years. The new price hike notably follows Crunchyroll's removal of its free streaming plan at the end of 2025.

The price increase, announced through a post on the Crunchyroll website, includes the following statement about Crunchyroll’s current value: “Crunchyroll subscribers enjoy the world’s largest dedicated anime library with 50,000+ episodes, 25,000 hours, and 2,000 series and films, alongside music videos, concerts, games, and more.”

The statement goes on to highlight “Recent and upcoming platform enhancements,” including:

• Teen profiles and PIN protection
• Multiple profiles
• Skip Intro/Credits
• Expanded device compatibility

The service also recently expanded its offerings with Crunchyroll manga, a digital-only service bolstered by connections with publishers like Viz Media and Square Enix.

The announcement is not accompanied by any indication of financial challenges. Crunchyroll, which is currently streaming the winter anime season, reported crossing 17 million paying subscribers in March 2025. Deadline reported Sony’s desire to double down on the streaming service after reaching the subscriber milestone: “Amid the anticipated continued growth of the anime market, Sony plans to accelerate Crunchyroll’s growth.”

This strategy will leverage connections with other Sony properties, including the animation studio Aniplex as well as PlayStation. The Ghost of the Tsushima anime, which will stream exclusively on Crunchyroll in 2027, is an example of the synergy Sony seems to be pursuing. It remains to be seen whether that synergy offers enough value to consumers over the spread of free anime streaming options.

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.