The global release of “Umamusume: Pretty Derby,” several months ago has cemented itself as a highly popular game among many online. This game, which is heavily based off real life racehorses, has sparked a newfound interest in horse racing not just in Japan, where the game is based in, but worldwide as well.
For example, on reddit, a fan of the game got into racing so much that they bought their own race horse. “So, after playing Umamusume for too long and getting into it a bit too much, I decided to invest in a real-life racehorse because why not. If I could train virtual horse girls, why not invest money into a real horse. Her name is Jax Belle and she had her first ever race last Friday.”
Fans themselves have gotten fairly invested in the real-life horses that the game’s characters are based on as well, with many dressings up as the in-game characters going to go see their real-life counterparts and take photos of themselves with the horses. Many of the horse owners who post online have received massive boosts in online engagement due to fans of the game as well.
Fans of the games have also kept up with news regarding the real-life racehorses as well, such as when fan favorite horses such as Grass Wonder and Haru Urara passed away, many online mourned the real-life horses and grieved their passing due to their attachment to both the characters and the real-life horses.
