- Primary Subject: Umamusume: Pretty Derby Global Momentum
- Key Update: Following the successful global launch, the franchise is hitting a massive peak this month.
- Status: Active Global Expansion / Major Film Release
- Last Verified: February 16, 2026
- Quick Answer: The game's future is secured by a "perfect storm" of multimedia content. Between the upcoming Valentine's Day "Peak of Confection" event (Feb 18) and the addition of real-life racing legends like Forever Young to the roster
Among the many genres of video games, it's clear that gacha is one of, if not the most successful. Names such as Zenless Zone Zero and Genshin Impact have proven that many people enjoy the cycle of spending both time and money for a chance to pull a character or item for functional or aesthetic purposes. Great as they may be, there's still a chance they could lose their popularity, as there's likely only so much they can do to retain their relevancy.
However, out of all the gachas, I believe Umamusume: Pretty Derby doesn't have this problem. For those of you who have never heard of it, it is essentially a game in which you train a variety of horse girls, known as Umas, to win multiple races and become number one. There's no doubt that it is one of the most popular and recognized titles within the genre, even with such a simple concept, but that still makes you wonder how it can avoid the issue regarding maintaining future relevancy.
One way is through the game's main draw: the horse girls. There are so many different types, each with its own unique appearance and personality, that there is at least one for every different type of person. Regardless of what you're looking for, whether it's an Uma who's particularly haughty but amusing or one that knows how to dance, the game likely has it. The variety available makes it easier to attract people to play the game, whether now or in the future.
Also, it's important to know that a good chunk of the Umas are based on real-life race horses, both past and present. Considering there are so many of them, developer Cygames shouldn't have any problems coming up with new characters that fans would enjoy. The fact that real-life horse racing can still develop new talent further secures the potentially infinite growth of Umamusume: Pretty Derby's character roster.
Another way the game avoids issues regarding losing popularity and relevancy even in the far future is the addictiveness of its otherwise simple gameplay. Again, in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, the point is for you to train your horse girls to become number one. The way you do that is by giving them a proper balance of training, rest, and recreation, before their inevitable big races.
Where other gacha games like Wuthering Waves or even Heartopia need you to constantly press whatever's needed on your controller or mouse and keyboard for in-game progression, Umamusume: Pretty Derby is more on the relaxing side. Rather than manual, real-time action, the way control and help your Umas become the best is to look at the screen, tap or click on whatever options you think are best, and watch things unfold.
Because the game is relatively easy to play, people can spend hours upon hours on it, helping ensure there is always an active player base. Also, with its simple control scheme and gameplay, Umamusume: Pretty Derby is one of the more accessible gacha games on the market, which can go a long way in attracting potential future fans and help it stay popular and relevant.
For the final way the game ensures it never dies, even in the far-off future, we have to go back to the Umas themselves. Again, each one is distinct enough in terms of looks and personality that it's the main reason Umamusume: Pretty Derby has managed to amass a large community.
.webp?width=700)
With such a large playerbase, it's sure enough that fans will eventually make lots of posts and memes about their favorite Uma, in the hopes that more people willunderstand their unique designs and quirks. In fact, there are already so many that it would be surprising if someone had never heard of the game. This, I believe, is the number one contributing factor that gives Umamusume: Pretty Derby the staying power it needs to last for a long time, if not forever.
Because of the uniqueness and charm each horse girl has, and how essentially all of them have their own devoted fans, there will likely be no end to the amount of fan promotion the game and its characters will get. The fact that developer Cygames has more real-life horses to work with to turn into Umas further emphasizes that point, helping ensure Umamusume: Pretty Derby has a lifespan that most other gachas can only dream of.
With its global release, the game has only gotten more popular, and it seems it's just going to grow even more so in the years to come. I wouldn't be surprised if it outlives incredible names like the aforementioned Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, or Honkai: Star Rail, given how much potential it still has despite being a much simpler, relaxing gacha. So if you're planning to get into the genre, consider Umamusume: Pretty Derby, since it's likely to stay here forever.
For more like this, stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com, the best website for gaming features and opinions.