PlayStation Plus Could Add More Expensive Subscription Tier

Following its recent acquisition of Crunchyroll, Japanese gaming giant Sony is reportedly considering a new and more expensive PlayStation Plus subscription tier for its users.

A report from British video game site Eurogamer claimed Sony has plans to offer Crunchyroll as part of a more expensive PS Plus subscription. It did not provide many details except that it is the first indication from a reliable source that the company has plans to shake up its paid subscription service.

Crunchyroll is an anime streaming service founded in 2006 by a group of university graduates. It offers more than 1000 anime shows and has over 120 million registered users across 200 countries. The service provides free ad-backed streams of some content and paid streaming services -- the latter currently has 5 million subscribers.

Rumors about PS Plus offering movie content have been making rounds online since the start of this year. Last March, Sony confirmed the PlayStation Store would end offering movie and TV content for rental or purchases starting Aug. 31, this year.

In April, Video Games Chronicle (VGC) reported this possibility after a logo for PlayStation Plus Video Pass was discovered on Sony's Polish website. The description, which was eventually removed, stated, "A new benefit available for a limited time on PlayStation Plus… PS Plus Video Pass is a trial service active 22.04.21 – 22.04.22. The subscription benefit is available to PS Plus users in Poland."

Later, Sony Interactive Entertainment confirmed through global services VP Nick Maguire that the company will conduct the test in Poland based on particular data. In an interview with Spider Web, the executive said, "We want to see how players will benefit from such a service. What titles do they watch, what do they care about, how often do they use them."

The service being tested in Poland enables users to access 20 movies and TV shows from Sony Pictures as part of the PS Plus subscription, with more content added every three months. The Japanese gaming giant is already a key player in the anime-streaming community through Funimation.

Interestingly, in its press release, Sony said its goal is to create a "unified subscription experience as soon as possible," seemingly suggesting a linked paid option could be on the horizon.