This year, France’s international horse race will adopt a name change in line with its main sponsor, Cygames. The Grand Prix de Paris will be held as the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris, and its decision to sponsor comes from a slightly left-field reason.
It’s a massive marketing scheme to tie in with the release of Umamusume: Pretty Derby worldwide. The general gist is that the game focuses on the racing of anime horse girls. Despite being massively popular in Japan, Cygames is only now launching it in the West with an English translation on iOS, Android, and PC.
In 2016, Cygames announced Umamusume: Pretty Derby, which was then delayed from 2018 to 2021. It has anime, as well as several spin-off manga and web series based on the property. There are even regular live stage shows with the voice actors performing music from Pretty Derby in full horse-themed get-up.
Japanese companies have begun to sponsor or introduce audiences that might not be typically aware of their products. Cover, the company that owns virtual entertainment outfit, Hololive, which features anonymous individuals using anime characters to stream on YouTube, brought one of its biggest American-based stars, Gwar Gura, to the Dodgers stadium to sing baseball songs.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby does feature its own style of gambling within the game, existing in the “gacha” genre. Inspired by gachapon, machines which give random prizes in Japan (or sweets and candy in the west for a 20p or quarter), players have to spend money to attain certain characters at random.
Cygames speaks on sponsoring Grand Prix de Paris
Speaking in the press release, Elie Hennau, Managing Director of France Galop, said:
“France Galop is particularly pleased to announce this partnership with Cygames, a leading Japanese entertainment company, for the much-anticipated Grand Prix de Paris and its Garden Party.
“This partnership is yet another step in France Galop’s ambition to put racing back in the hearts of the French public by reaching new audiences — especially younger generations who are increasingly interested in the events we host at our racecourses.
The appeal of this festive and sporting day is further enhanced by the creative energy of an international entertainment brand.”
Adding to this, Koichi Watanabe, President of Cygames, said:
“It is a great honor to partner with France Galop, organizers of such prestigious French horse racing events as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and we are incredibly proud to be appointed main sponsor of a race as storied as the Grand Prix de Paris.”
The Cygames Grand Prix de Paris is set for July 13, with a €600,000 ($689,943.00) prize. Umamusume: Pretty Derby launches in the West on June 26.
