This summer, I was sitting in my friend’s living room doing what we call “parallel play,” where we each enjoy a separate activity while in the same room. She was painting, and I was playing Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Despite her activity being altogether more cultured than mine, it only took a few races for her, her partner, and her roommate to all gather around my phone to cheer on my racer like it was a high-stakes sport. It’s undeniable: Umamusume makes everyone a horse girl, and that’s exactly what happened for a lot of casual gamers in 2025.