Cygames, Konami Settle Lawsuit Over Uma Musume Pretty Derby Game

© Cygames, Inc.

Cygames announced on Friday that it has settled a lawsuit with Konami Digital Entertainment regarding Cygames' Uma Musume Pretty Derby game. Cygames stated it will not disclose the terms of the settlement due to a confidentiality agreement.

Konami filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court against Cygames in March 2023. According to the legal complaint, Konami alleged the game had infringed on Konami patents. Konami requested the court in 2023 for an injunction to halt the digital production, usage, and provision of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, and also sought 4 billion yen (about US$29 million at the time) in damages (including relevant delay charges). Cygames in turn requested trials to invalidate the lawsuit for all 18 patents involved.

Cygames stated on Friday although it continues to assert there was no patent infringement, it decided to settle the lawsuit to quickly resolve the dispute, so that it could ensure an environment where users of the game could continue to enjoy the game with peace of mind going forward.

Cygames said in its statement it has "respect for the efforts of game creators and the games they create at Konami Digital Entertainment and other companies in the industry." Cygames added, "with this settlement, we hope to aim for further development in the game industry."

The Uma Musume Pretty Derby game launched in February 2021 for iOS and Android. The game was originally slated for a release in winter 2018, and was delayed in order to raise the game's quality. The game launched on PC via DMM Games in March 2021. The game launched in English for iOS and Android devices on June 26.

The anime franchise includes three TV anime seasons, the Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top net anime, and the Umayon spinoff television anime. Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Shinjidai no Tobira (Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era), a new anime film in the franchise, opened in May 2024.

A television anime of Taiyo Kuzumi's Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray manga premiered on April 6 on TBS and 27 of its affiliates and is airing for two cours (quarter of a year), with a break in between. The second cours debuted on October 5.

Sources: Cygames, Gamer