Umamusume: Pretty Derby was one of 2025's surprise hits. While released in Japan in 2021 and Korea in 2022, the racing/simulation title, in which you race as anthropomorphic horses, was released globally last year. It achieved an estimated three million downloads on Steam, and many more on mobile, built a huge fanbase, and won big at the 2025 edition of The Game Awards.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so with Umamusme building such an audience, it was only a matter of time before other games tried to iterate on its formula and take a share of its market. Step forward: Gallop Diva, "a story-driven horse racing game set in a prestigious girls’ equestrian academy," laden with AI-generated assets.
Gallop Diva is definitely trying to ride the coattails of Umamusume: Pretty Derby. While it doesn't feature anthropomorphic horse girls, it features "attractive" anime girls riding horses. Set in a "prestigious girls' equestrian academy", Gallop Diva also seems to take cues from Fire Emblem: Three Houses and similar games with its social elements, where "every conversation may be a trap."
In principle, it sounds fine. An interesting mix of a sports title with strong social...
