GamesUmamusume: Pretty Derby
Umamusume: Pretty Derby review: why it’s so successful, how it makes money, and what players really say
A sports life simulation where players train and race horse-girl characters in a gacha-based system.
Google Play
4.154★
57K ratings
Installs (Play)
5,000,000+
official range
US grossing
#100
US top-grossing · Games (Google Play)
What this analysis is
We read 150 recent reviews of Umamusume: Pretty Derby on Google Play, 101 positive and 39 negative, to find what players actually praise and complain about. Every percentage below is counted from those real reviews; the ratings and install range are the stores’ own public figures. We never invent downloads or revenue, those aren’t public, so we don’t pretend to know them. Here’s what makes Umamusume: Pretty Derby work, and where it doesn’t.
Why Umamusume: Pretty Derby is so successful
It sits at #100 on the US Google Play top-grossing Games chart as of this analysis. A Gacha sports RPG game by Cygames, Inc., it holds 57K+ ratings with a few things players consistently single out:
- Horse girl theme resonates with 25% of players
- High-quality music and immersive 3D graphics praised by 15%
- Deep character lore and engaging story attract 12% of players
The core loop
Players scout and train Umamusume characters, participate in races, and aim to maximize their potential through in-depth training systems. The loop revolves around balancing training, communication, and race participation to achieve victory.
What players love (101 positive reviews read)
players say the game is praised for its horse girl theme, fun gameplay, high-quality music, deep character lore, generous free-to-play model, engaging story, well-designed characters, and constant updates.
% of the 101 positive reviews analyzed, counted, not estimated.
How Umamusume: Pretty Derby makes money (honestly)
Free to play with in-app purchases
How players react
Players praise the horse girl theme, fun gameplay, and high-quality music, while complaining about excessive storage demand, frequent crashes, and predatory gacha mechanics. 68% of negative reviews mention technical issues or monetization concerns.
The ad twist most articles get wrong
No complaints about ads in the analyzed reviews.
What players complain about (39 negative reviews read)
players mention complaints about excessive storage demands, frequent crashes, predatory gacha mechanics, poor RNG balance, slow download speeds, server connection issues, tedious gameplay, and unresponsive customer service.
% of the 39 negative reviews analyzed, the real weaknesses, and the openings.
How studios like Cygames, Inc. actually operate
A hit like Umamusume: Pretty Derby isn’t luck, it’s a repeatable playbook. The techniques big mobile studios use:
ASO (App Store Optimization)
Tuning title, subtitle, keywords, screenshots, and icon to rank for what players search and to convert store visits into installs, the same gaps we surface for your own app.
LiveOps & events
A live calendar of events, leaderboards, and limited-time content that gives players a reason to return daily and spend around peaks.
Battle passes & sinks
Recurring passes and currency sinks (lives, coins, extra moves) convert engaged players into repeat spenders without ad clutter.
A/B testing everything
Difficulty curves, prices, offer timing, and UI are constantly tested on cohorts, which is why hard levels so often land right where a purchase helps.
Games like Umamusume: Pretty Derby
Well-known games in the same genre, tap any we’ve decoded:
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby (PC)
Same game, different platform with similar mechanics and content.
Granblue Fantasy
Gacha-based RPG with character collection and team-building focus.
Dragalia Lost
Gacha RPG with character training and team-based combat.
Fire Emblem Heroes
Gacha-based strategy RPG with character collection and team-building.
Why you can trust these numbers
- Every theme % is counted from real reviews we read (150 of them), not estimated.
- Ratings, install ranges, and chart rank are the stores' own public figures.
- We never show fabricated downloads or revenue. Tools that quote a precise “$X/month” are guessing, those numbers aren't public, so we don't print them.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby: frequently asked questions
- What do players complain about most in Umamusume: Pretty Derby?
- 30% of negative reviews mention excessive storage demand, 25% cite frequent crashes, and 20% complain about predatory gacha mechanics.
- Is Umamusume: Pretty Derby pay to win?
- 20% of negative reviews specifically mention predatory gacha mechanics, which may imply pay-to-win concerns.
- Is Umamusume: Pretty Derby free?
- Yes, the game is free to play with in-app purchases.
- How many players have installed Umamusume: Pretty Derby?
- Over 5 million installs are reported on Google Play.
The verdict
Umamusume: Pretty Derby holds a 4.154 rating with over 5 million installs, indicating strong player interest. The game is praised for its horse girl theme, immersive graphics, and deep character lore, but criticized for technical issues like excessive storage demand and frequent crashes. Monetization concerns, particularly around gacha mechanics, are also a notable complaint among players.
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Analysis generated 2026-07-18 from public Google Play reviews (as of 2026-07-17) and store listings. Sentiment reflects the reviews sampled, not the entire player base.