Sony Suspends Crunchyroll Streaming Service in Russia

• Anime streaming service Crunchyroll has temporarily suspended its services in Russia.
• Existing premium subscribers of the platform can still watch content that has already been released on their mobile apps.
• Sony has also halted home entertainment releases in Russia and all TV distribution deals.

Sony Pictures has announced that it is discontinuing all businesses in Russia and has pulled its anime streaming service, Crunchyroll, from the country. It joins a growing list of companies that have suspended or restricted their operations in Russia following Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that started on February 24, 2022. 

Crunchyroll broke the news of temporarily stopping its services in the country on its Russian website. "Unfortunately, Crunchyroll is forced to suspend its work in Russia. We hope to restore the service as soon as the opportunity arises," the statement read. The streaming platform also addressed some questions that users in Russia might have. They said that if you already have a Premium subscription and the Crunchyroll app on your phone, you can still watch the series that have already been released. However, the platform will not charge you a subscription fee at the end of your billing period.

Crunchyroll did not mention if or when its services would be restored in Russia. Sony Pictures Entertainment has also paused all home entertainment releases in the country, such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, and all TV distribution deals. Earlier, the company had paused the theatrical release of Morbius and all sales of PlayStation there too. "We stand with many businesses around the world who have now paused their business operations in Russia, and in support of the humanitarian efforts currently underway in Ukraine and the surrounding region," Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra told staff in a memo accessed by Variety.

Companies like Netflix, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Twitter, Meta, YouTube, Visa, Mastercard, and several others have halted or restricted their operations in Russia after it caused a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Also read: Disney to Pause All Businesses in Russia