It has been over a year since Umamusume: Pretty Derby launched globally on June 26, 2025, and Cygames is marking the game’s 1.5-year anniversary with a significant update. Scheduled for July 22, the version update will introduce the highly-anticipated Independent Training feature to the English version, alongside other major quality-of-life improvements and the all-new Career Scenario Brighter Together: Our Grand Concert.
In anticipation of the update, we conducted an email interview with the Umamusume development team at Cygames to delve into the new feature, its mechanics, and what players can anticipate from the fresh Career Scenario.
—Could you provide a brief overview of the Independent Training feature?
Independent Training is a feature that permits Umamusume to be trained while you engage with other game aspects or even when the game is not running. Initiate Independent Training at the start of a Career playthrough, and it will automatically conclude after a predetermined duration.
—What prompted the development of the Independent Training feature?
The game Umamusume: Pretty Derby was first released in Japan in 2021. At that time, there was a surge in demand for home-based entertainment, including video games. Over the past five years, many people’s daily routines and lifestyles have undergone significant changes. This new Independent Training feature was designed to enhance the gaming experience for seasoned trainers while also lowering the entry barrier for new players.
—The Independent Training feature is set to launch simultaneously across all language versions, which is unusually prompt for the English version. Could you explain the reasoning behind this decision?
The release of the Independent Training feature was expedited so that overseas players could enjoy this quality-of-life enhancement as soon as possible. We hope that trainers will share their experiences with this new feature and how it has made the game more accessible.
—Initially, some English version players were disappointed to learn that the new feature would be released for the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean versions first; however, many others understood that, given the English version’s lag behind the Japanese one, it would be challenging to implement it so quickly from a development perspective. Was there any additional work or adjustments required to integrate Independent Training into the English version?
To be candid, it was a challenging endeavor. With approximately four years’ worth of updates separating the Japanese and English versions, integrating Independent Training into the latter required considerable effort. Nevertheless, our team collaborated to provide trainers worldwide with an improved gaming experience. Naturally, not every feature could be made available immediately in the English version, as certain other mechanics are yet to be released, so stay tuned for those in future updates.
—In which Career Scenarios will the Independent Training feature be available?
Independent Training will be accessible for all previously released Career Scenarios, as well as the Brighter Together: Our Grand Concert Scenario, which will debut alongside the game’s 1.5-year anniversary.
—So, much like the standard Career mode, Independent Training is also centered around constructing a deck of support cards?
That is correct.
—If you fail to meet your objectives in Independent Training mode, does that mean the training will conclude prematurely? To prevent unsuccessful training, are there options to use the Alarm Clock to continue, or to enter races even when you lack sufficient fans?
Goal races and objectives tied to each Scenario will be handled differently during Independent Training, with the Career continuing to progress even if certain objectives are not met. Additionally, with the exception of a few races, agendas can be scheduled before starting Independent Training. Of course, trainers who prefer more control over their Career playthrough can still manage their trainees manually instead of using Independent Training.
—After completing Independent Training, is it possible to review the gameplay logs – for instance, the history of choices made during training, or the races the Umamusume participated in?
Once Independent Training is complete, trainers can review Career results, acquired skill hints, and Sparks, just as they would after a normal Career playthrough.
—Which stats are prioritized with the Independent Training’s default settings?
Trainers can set either Balanced, Stamina, or Sprint as their attribute growth training focus. Different training focus settings will yield different attribute gains at the conclusion of Independent Training.
—Does the Independent Training feature allow you to set which skills to prioritize? And if not, could you elaborate on the criteria used to determine the priority of acquired skills?
Trainers can set which skill hints to prioritize acquiring during Independent Training, and Career Event choices that offer these skill hints will be automatically selected. Up to ten skills can be prioritized in this manner.
—How was the new feature balanced compared to the standard Career mode? For instance, are there any disparities in manual training outcomes compared to Independent Training outcomes?
Training outcomes can vary significantly for each trainer. However, as a general rule, manual training will produce much stronger Veteran Umamusume compared to Independent Training.
—What aspects of the Independent Training feature do you regard as its greatest strength from a developers’ perspective?
As previously mentioned, the greatest strength of Independent Training is its ability to train Umamusume while the game is not running. That said, Independent Training is intended as a quality-of-life feature, and we strongly encourage trainers to experience the new Grand Concert Scenario firsthand. Independent Training is ideal for trainers who wish to train more Veteran Umamusume even when they have limited or no time to play.
—The new Career Scenario Brighter Together: Our Grand Concert has been available in Japan for some time, but could you describe once more what kind of narrative players can anticipate as it arrives in the global version of the game?
The Brighter Together: Our Grand Concert Scenario follows Umamusume as they prepare for a grand concert, showcasing their unique talents and forging deeper bonds with their trainers. This scenario promises a heartwarming and engaging experience, filled with memorable moments and exciting challenges.