Umamusume actually pulled off an “amazing” feat to be able to make the game

by

The person behind a popular Japanese horse racing simulation game said he was surprised that the developers of the hit game Umamusume: Pretty Derby were able to actually launch it.

Tsuyoshi Kaneda, the developer of Derby Stallion, recently shared with Automaton how challenging it was to get permission to use actual horse names in the game. He explained the lengthy and complicated negotiations involved.

Kaneda, a key figure in the Derby Stallion series since its start in 1991, noted that getting official permission for the game was a complex process. It needed approval from the Japanese Racing Association, as well as individual horse owners, those who owned the relevant trademarks, and other important people in the horse racing world.

Classic horse racing sim dev amazed by Umamusume

I was really impressed they could make it happen from the beginning. It’s hard enough just getting the horses to look right, but transforming them into girls must have been incredibly challenging. I really admire their dedication and how well the project is doing now,” the developer explained.

I remember when we were making Derby Stallion, getting the real horse names in the game was a whole thing. We talked to the JRA – the Japanese Racing Association – and they were cool with it, but then they told us we also needed to get permission from the actual owners of the horses. It was a bit of a process, honestly!

Although he knew the horses’ names for the game, he wasn’t always able to determine their strengths and weaknesses. However, Kaneda explained that getting feedback from professional jockeys was key to making progress in discussions.

It wasn’t easy, but we kept moving forward. The positive feedback from jockeys who were playing Derby Stallion was a key factor – they believed our work would help the horse racing industry. Even with that support, the negotiations were very difficult.

I was so excited when Derby Stallion ’96 finally came out! After waiting five years since the first game, they finally let you play with real racehorses and jockeys – it was a huge step forward for the series.

Kaneda was surprised Cygames successfully created a horse racing game featuring famous horses, especially considering they reimagined them as female characters.

Read More

2026-02-05 13:18