Umamusume: Pretty Derby heads to pachislot halls in 2027
KYORAKU has announced the first pachislot machine based on Umamusume: Pretty Derby, with a Japanese rollout planned for 2027.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby (ウマ娘 プリティーダービー) is heading somewhere its racing idols have not gone before: pachislot halls. KYORAKU has announced a new smart pachislot machine based on the training-and-racing game, with a nationwide Japanese launch planned for 2027.12
A new way to train Umamusume
The machine is titled Pachislot Umamusume: Pretty Derby in KYORAKU's announcement. Its pitch is familiar to players of the original game: train an Umamusume, aim for victory on the track, then celebrate with a live performance. The pachislot version is described as a training-focused machine that translates training, racing, live shows and inheritance into its own game mechanics.1
KYORAKU's official product site is now live with key art and teaser information, while the announcement does not yet provide a detailed release date beyond 2027 or confirm a launch outside Japan.1
What happens next
The adaptation gives Umamusume: Pretty Derby another route into Japanese entertainment, but the important details for players and fans are still to come. KYORAKU will need to clarify the machine's release window, availability and full feature set before there is much more to assess.1
Our opinion
This is a strikingly on-brand expansion: Umamusume already treats training, races and performances as one connected loop, so a machine built around those same beats makes more sense than a random licensing exercise. The 2027 timing also leaves room for KYORAKU to explain how much of the original game's progression survives the jump to pachislot. For now, the announcement is a curious new branch of the franchise rather than a fully detailed release reveal.