As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that Crunchyroll’s latest venture into mobile gaming has piqued my interest. Having grown up watching anime on bootleg VHS tapes and later discovering the wonders of Crunchyroll, it feels like coming full circle to see them delve into this new territory.
Despite being widely recognized for its anime releases, Crunchyroll also ventures into various business sectors to build a lucrative collection. This includes publishing, digital manga, cinema, and e-commerce. In truth, Crunchyroll is a multifaceted company that might surprise you with its extensive reach.
Despite these statements, there remain other sectors yet to conquer and fresh product categories ripe for investment. Notably, Crunchyroll has stealthily ventured into an enormous market that many are unaware of – what exactly is this industry, and why has the leading anime distributor chosen to participate in it?
What is Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll is a well-known platform that delivers anime, manga, and Asian content as a streaming service and media company. What started as an unauthorized source for anime back in 2006 has transformed into a legitimate provider of a vast collection of licensed anime series, films, and simulcasts accessible worldwide, except Japan. Now, it plays a significant role in connecting international fans with their favorite anime content, offering both free ad-supported viewing and premium subscription choices.
Who Owns Them?
Since 2021, Sony has taken ownership of Crunchyroll when they purchased it via their subsidiary, Funimation Global Group. This company also deals with anime distribution. This acquisition gave Sony a stronger foothold in the anime streaming market, as they merged Crunchyroll’s vast library with Funimation’s resources. As a result, Funimation as a brand ceased to exist, and Funimation Now, a separate streaming service, was phased out (with most of its content transferred over to Crunchyroll).
What Are Some Other Ventures Crunchyroll Has Tried?
As a leading figure in the anime world, it’s no surprise that Crunchyroll expanded into various sectors over time. One of their earliest ventures was breaking into the manga market by offering manga on a standalone application, even before Viz Media and Azuki adopted the subscription model. Moreover, they were instrumental in introducing the simulcast model, which allows anime to be streamed shortly, sometimes even minutes, after it premieres in Japan. Crunchyroll also delved into podcasting and publishing, and in 2022, they acquired Right Stuf International, providing them with an online retail presence.
The Netflix Move
Did you know? In the year 2021, Netflix ventured into a new territory by starting to roll out mobile games on their streaming platform. The gaming service was introduced as part of their existing platform, initially providing a limited number of mobile games that subscribers could play for free on Android and iOS devices. This strategic move signified Netflix’s ambition to broaden its content spectrum beyond films and TV series, entering the gaming industry. Although most streaming services have yet to follow suit (some might say Amazon is attempting), this initiative sparked an idea at Crunchyroll.
Why Games Though?
Initially, expanding into manga might have seemed like a wise choice for Crunchyroll. However, their initial attempts didn’t yield the expected results, necessitating a different approach to expand their business. Interestingly, venturing into mobile gaming aligns perfectly with this new strategy. This is because almost all of Crunchyroll’s subscribers own mobile phones, and in Japan, anime mobile games are ubiquitous. Since Crunchyroll is responsible for distributing most anime in America, they possess the data that reveals the immense popularity of certain series among their viewers. Even if a title isn’t well-known to the general public, it could still garner a dedicated fanbase on Crunchyroll.
If the property is popular on Crunchyroll, it could be profitable to develop a mobile game based on the series. This is because many Japanese anime have corresponding mobile games, and if a series gains enough viewership, a mobile game adaptation would increase user engagement on the platform. Since creating or licensing these games can be cost-effective due to ad revenue potential, it’s an affordable opportunity for Crunchyroll to generate additional income. They could even offer premium service plans that include access to these games, boosting their revenue further. Additionally, since many anime fans who watch on mobile devices are also avid mobile gamers, this expansion strategy makes logical sense.
In the long term, it remains uncertain whether this venture will thrive. So far, their game collection hasn’t significantly impacted the gaming market, and their most significant release to date is Hime’s Quest, a Game Boy-inspired RPG reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda and Pokemon. This game features Crunchyroll-Hime, the company mascot, on an epic journey. It has received positive feedback for its nostalgic appeal to 90s handheld games. However, the true indicator of success will be when these games are made accessible beyond Crunchyroll’s subscription service, allowing the public a chance to experience them. This is a risky move, but it could prove highly profitable if executed correctly.
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2024-08-29 22:33