The pressure of the fans has had an effect. After just a few days of uncertainty and scathing criticism, Cygames, the Japanese giant behind umamusume: Pretty Derby, has broken the silence. On January 14, 2026, the company issued a apology public and a series of forceful clarifications to calm the discontent of his community, who feared that the artisanal art of his “horse girls” would be replaced by generative algorithms.
The official rectification of Cygames
In a much more detailed statement than the initial announcement of January 9. The authority of the company focused on recognizing its communication errors and giving specific guarantees to its followers. Cygames admitted that his first ad was “simplified”. In addition to that he failed by not addressing the social debates and ethical problems that surround generative AI.
The company was emphatic in declaring that all the current art of its games is the result of the “Technical know-how and manual work” of his staff. They promised not to implement generative in their products without prior notice to the community.
The value of the artist versus the machine
The experience of the players and artists who give life to umamusume It was the central axis of the apology. Cygames recognized that the passion of creators is what sustains the gaming culture.
“We hold in the highest esteem those who love games, as well as the dignity, passion and heart of creators and artists who act as architects of gamer culture.” — Official statement from CyGames.
Recovering the faith of the fans
to restore the reliability, Cygames has had to be extremely direct. By affirming that “the art produced by the generative is not used in our products”, the company tries to shield the reputation of umamusume as a work of high quality artisanal. This response seeks to stop the “damage to player confidence” that other companies in the sector have already suffered when they are accused of using low-quality content generated by machines.
A lesson in corporate humility
CyGames apology is an absolute victory for fans of umamusume. It shows that, even in 2026, the voice of an organized and passionate community can force a multi-million dollar corporation to rethink its technological strategy in favor of ethics and respect for human art.
Cygames has handled this crisis in a masterful way… after a dangerous initial setback. By saying “we will not use AI without warning”, they have left an open door for the future. But at least they have drawn a clear red line on the present. for a franchise like umamusume, where every detail of the design is sacred to fans, this clarification was vital. The fact that they have apologized for causing “anger and disappointment” shows that they understand that their greatest asset is not the software, but the loyalty of their people.
Do you think this apology is enough to fully trust CyGames, or do you think the AI study will continue to work “in the shadows” for other purposes? We want to read your opinion in the comments!
