After a monumental wait, the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby global version is set for a June 26 launch. Players can begin pre-registering on April 28. The announcement came via a live stream on PakaTube (Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s official YouTube channel). The game’s English demo will be available at the Cygames booth on May 2 and 3 at the 151st Kentucky Derby. Uma Musume: Pretty Derby will be available on Android, iOS, and Steam.
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Global Version and Franchise Details
First announced in 2018 and released in Japan on February 24, 2021, Uma Musume: Pretty Derby quickly became one of the most successful anime-themed games of the 2000s. The Uma Musume: Pretty Derby global version was announced last year at Anime Expo, but little information on its release date.
In the game, players pick their starting Uma Musume, act as her trainer, and work alongside her to guarantee her success. For such a simple plot, the game boasts some serious accomplishments. By the end of 2021, the game had grossed approximately $990,000,000 (¥142,159,050,000), making it one of the year’s top ten best-performing mobile games. By 2024, the game had made an insane two billion dollars!
The Cygames-created Uma Musume franchise also boasts several manga spin-offs, full-length anime adaptations, a stage play, a movie, and several OVAs and ONAs. The franchise’s mangas include:
- Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray — Written by Masafumi Sugiura, illustrated by Taiyou Kuzumi.
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Uma Musumeshi — Written and illustrated by Tsukumo Asakusa.
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Star Blossom — Written by Monjousaki, illustrated by Shin Hotani.
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Haru Urara, Do Your Best! — Written by Katsumi Nakayama, illustrated by ZECO.
- Starting Gate!: Uma Musume Pretty Derby — Written and illustrated by S. Kosugi.
- Umayon — Written and illustrated by Jet Kuma.
- Uma Musume: PisuPisu☆SupiSupi Golshi-chan — Written and illustrated by Naoki Shibata.
Uma Musume’s anime adaptations include:
- Three seasons of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby focus on Special Week, Tokai Teio/Mejiro McQueen, and Kitasan Black/Satono Diamond (TV anime)
- Umayon (OVA)
- Umayuru (OVA)
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top (ONA)
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era (movie)
- Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray
But Why Is There So Much Hype?
One of the greatest titles in sports anime, Uma Musume excels at exciting its viewers. Be it in the game, anime, or manga. I consider myself a pretty detached and apathetic person. But Uma Musume had me acting up so much that I dropped and broke my TV. Seeing Twin Turbo and Tokai Teio dash toward the finish line has so deeply etched into my soul that when the Lord calls me home, one of the first things that will flash before my eyes is that moment. Multiply my experience by millions of people, and you’ll see why so many people love this franchise.
Like many others, I wanted to play the game after watching the anime. But since I only know the words “baka,” “kimochiii warui,” and “yamete kudasai” in Japanese, I had to skip playing the Japanese version of the game. With the global release of the Musume: Pretty Derby game, I can fill the void in my soul with kawaii uma musumes. Given our messed-up current timeline, that’s something greatly appreciated.
© Cygames, Inc
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