This Week in Games

Horse Play

Welcome back, folks! I saw Kpop Demon Hunters for a second time this past weekend. It's still an addictive movie. I'm short on news otherwise, let's get into it!

Like many of you, I was made aware of Uma Musume back in 2018 when a trailer for the anime had launched. The concept behind the anime/gacha game combo, courtesy of mobile game kings Cygames, was simple: cute anime girls based on real-life race horses, dressing up in idol costumes and singing on stage for you after running their horsey hearts out on the track. We laughed, we moved on with our lives. Back in 2022 (when I was still writing for This Week in Anime), my colleagues Steve and the late Nick Dupree covered Uma Musume's second season and had a surprisingly deep conversation about it; the show was genuinely engaging, owing to its goofy cast but heartfelt storytelling—based on actual historic races, of course. I had otherwise put Uma Musume out of my mind.

... Then the game got huge over the weekend with everybody. The horse girls have escaped containment. Gold Ship has broken quarantine.

The world was never ready for the chaotic combination that is Swedish streamer Vargskelethor Joel and Gold Ship, the famed filly based on a historically hectic horse. (They're a match made in heaven.) Uma Musume fans either know or have come to know that Gold Ship is the ultimate troll in-game—courtesy of her namesake's real-life record.

As a race horse, Gold Ship was known for his (forgot to mention: lots of horse girls in Uma Musume are based on male horses—Gold Ship is male) silly expressions and his hatred of training. Gold Ship's many wins are spread out among many losses, including what has come to be known as "The 12 Billion Yen Incident," wherein Gold Ship caused bettors to lose up to 12 billion yen because he lost a race he was all but guaranteed to win—because he got a little silly at the gate and jumped just as the gates opened.

Conversely, Gold Ship comes from what is an incredible pedigree, and is in fantastic shape for his age (specifically because he wasn't going all-out during races). He's reportedly one of the most successful studs out there, with lots of his progeny having gone on to become fantastic racers on their own. He is also still very, very silly; Gold Ship famously hated training so much he'd kick his trainer after races—but Gold Ship always loved showing off for the crowds (really), and to this day will show off if he knows that there's a camera trained on him.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have the case of Haru Urara. Haru was by no means a successful horse—in fact, her record is as bad as it could get: out of 113 races, she never won once. (Haru Urara's single victory came after her retirement, during a "soft" race among other retired horses in 2018.) People nevertheless came to appreciate her as a symbol of perseverance, but she was shadowed by misfortune. Haru was even abandoned by her owner after she was donated to Martha Farms in the Chiba Prefecture. Thankfully, fans have risen to support Haru; the farm regularly cares for retired horses and even allows folks to offer online donations that allow the farm to give Haru "refrigerated, highly palatable ryegrass (not hay)." By last count, about 2340 kilograms of ryegrass (that's 5159 lbs!) have been donated; at the time of writing, they've very likely surpassed 2500 kg and are probably well on their way to 3000.

Haru Urara is about 29 years old, which is quite old for a horse; many are very touched by the story of the horse that could never win and people's dedication to ensuring she has a comfortable retirement—even if it's by circumstances that the horse herself could never hope to understand. ("We made you into a marketable anime girl, and people got invested in your career, so folks from across the globe are donating money so you never have to worry about grazing ever again.") There's a touching documentary about Haru Urara, The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere, which you should look into if you want to cry about an old horse. There is also a goodly-sized mountain of Haru Urara fan art people have made in honor of her donations. The website also has donations for many other horses, many of them offspring or siblings of horses from Uma Musume; people are encouraged to also donate to them. (For the Uma Musume fans: Grass Wonder is still alive and old enough to have great-grandchildren making their debuts; I'm sure he'd also like a treat.)

It's wild to have seen the whole thing explode. I've seen a few comments on YouTube and elsewhere from Japanese fans who are overjoyed that their "overseas brothers" are finally getting a chance to enjoy the horse girls. There are a lot of valid concerns over the whole thing, many of which have already been touched upon by my colleagues at This Week in Anime; gacha games and real-life horse races are a pretty nasty intersection of problem gambling, and the real-life abuses horses face in racing are no joke either. Not to mention how so many horses are put down if they suffer accidents; lots of people are heartbroken to learn that the real-life Silence Suzuka (whose accident and recovery were covered in the first Uma Musume anime) was euthanized after his accident.

Broken legs are such complicated injuries for horses that recovery cannot be guaranteed, which... justifies euthanasia in the eyes of the owners, I guess? I don't like being the Debbie Downer here, but if Haru Urara is any example, there's a lot of opportunity for fans of Uma Musume to make sure that horses can lead happy, healthy lives once they're done on the track.

In the meantime, we should all enjoy this for what it is: one of those fun moments where fandoms collide, where fan groups across the ocean can enjoy things together, and we can all delight in a very goofy horse saying funny stuff.

I've lived to see the Atelier series grow in popularity among RPG enthusiasts. I admit, I wasn't a huge fan of them back in college, though a good friend of mine was and even tried selling me on the old "barrel" running gag. But to Koei Tecmo's credit, they kept on soldiering with the Atelier games (and its spin-offs like Mana Khemia) in the United States, hopeful that it would eventually catch on. And it did! While Atelier Totori did get a bit of a push, it was Atelier Ryza that finally thrust the series into the spotlight. Ryza's games—or the "Secret Trilogy," as they're called by fans, due to each game having the word "Secret" in their title—have officially ended as of Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, but Gust knows that folks love Ryza. And if folks like one Ryza game, then they'll love three!

The Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, as it's being called, will compile all three Atelier Ryza titles: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, and the aforementioned Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key. It also seems that the games got Atlus'd: each game comes with expanded stories and new playable characters. So there's reason to double-dip on the games, even if you've played all three—but there's no word yet if the upgrades will make it back to the original versions. Bad pool—especially since each game has a sizeable amount of costume DLC for the entire cast.

At the very least, it's great that the games are coming out on modern hardware; we have confirmation that the Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack will be releasing on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Switch 2, and Steam. And they'll be out pretty soon too, with the trilogy having a "2025" release window (I'm gonna shoot from the hip and give the games an October release window). It's a bit of a shame that they're not releasing earlier in the summer; the Ryza games revolve a lot around "summer" as a setting, with the games all billing themselves as summertime adventures for the cast (and using it as a cornerstone of much of the emotional development). It also helped inform the designs of the locales you visit.

The real reason you play these games is for Ryza herself. I know, she has thick legs. (Fun fact: my first-ever interview for Anime News Network was with producer Junzo Hosoi, who also attributed Ryza's popularity to series character designer Toridamono's designs.) But also, Ryza is an engaging protagonist: spirited, just a little tomboyish, intelligent beyond her years, and desperate to help others but with lots of wisdom yet to learn. Ryza and her friends grow up a lot throughout the three games; seeing the cast older and already setting out into their adult lives in the final Ryza game tugs at the heartstrings.

We can look forward to further clarification on the Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack this August 4, where Koei Tecmo will host a livestream dedicated to sharing further details on the games.

I was already rather convinced by Ghost of Yotei back when it was first revealed. I haven't gotten around to Ghosts of Tsushima, and I admit that I snubbed that game upon release (it came off as too much of a "prestige" aura about it). But a game about samurai, exploring an under-explored bit of Japan's history (that of the origins of the modern-day Hokkaido region, and the Ainu people that lived there)? Sign me up. Erika Ishii being the star of the game is just icing on the cake (and not just because Ishii voiced Misasagi in Rune Factory 5). It's just about convinced me to give Ghost of Tsushima a look once I'm not burdened by Xenoblade.

Late last week, Sony streamed a "deep dive" on Ghost of Yotei, expanding on the game's features and mechanics. This was rather needed; Ghost of Yotei has some tall boots to fill. A lot of fans of Ghost of Tsushima are disappointed in Jin being "replaced" as the protagonist. And I get it, but also, Ghost of Yotei tells a different story, focusing on a different era. I like the "anthology"-style approach to Japanese history, too; it opens the door to the games exploring different eras and moments besides just the typical Warring States era you normally see.

At any rate, folks who enjoyed Ghost of Tsushima's gameplay can rest assured: everything you loved from the old game is back. This includes the four different weapons (katanas, spears, double-swords, and sickles on chains). You'll also be able to investigate and seek clues about the locations of the Yotei Six, the warriors that the protagonist Atsu is seeking out. Also, in a much-applauded detail, Sucker Punch has invested in new systems to improve the lip-synching for whenever you play the game in Japanese. Now the lip-flaps match both languages! (Also, Fairouz Ai voices Atsu in Japanese—also a great casting choice!)

The thing that has fans excited is Ghost of Yotei's new take on a beloved feature from Ghost of Tsushima. See, Tsushima included what was called "Kurosawa Mode:" a feature wherein you could play the game in grainy black-and-white in the style of famed director Akira Kurosawa's old samurai romances like Seven Samurai or Hidden Fortress. It even doctored the audio a bit for that authentic "classic Japanese cinema" feel. Ghost of Yotei ups the ante with two new modes. Since the protagonist Atsu is on a quest for blood, Sucker Punch decided to tap into the work of Takashi Miike. Best known for his violent grindhouse films like Ichi the Killer and 13 Assassins (as well as the theatrical adaptation of Blade of the Immortal, the so-called "Miike Mode" will modify the game to include dynamic camera angles during combat. It'll also emphasize mud splatters and blood spurts while characters run around and fight. We're talking showers of red goo. Tarantino would be proud.

The bit that has people excited, though, is "Watanabe Mode." Named after anime director Shinichirō Watanabe, this mode replaces the game's soundtrack with lo-fi beats. Get it? Because Watanabe directed Samurai Champloo, a much-beloved anime that mixed samurai with hip-hop beats and stylings. Many have taken to calling it "Nujabes Mode," in honor of Samurai Champloo's late composer. In his absence, Watanabe himself has directed the music for Watanabe Mode. It genuinely sounds cool! I'm interested in the reactions from people who were so concerned about "historical accuracy" in their samurai games.

At any rate, Ghost of Yotei is looking great, and I'm excited for it. Look out for it on PS5 this October 2.

We've been in an era of video game theatrical adaptations for a bit now, with a deluge of projects getting announced. A lot of those projects haven't been heard of since their high-profile announcements (I'm pretty sure that Streets of Rage movie might be in Production Hell), but a lot of them have enough branding power—and star power—to just get pushed through anyway (read: the new Street Fighter movie with Jason Momoa as Blanka). Nintendo is no slouch in this race; while I'm indifferent to the Super Mario Bros. Movie, it made a killing at the box office and is already slated for a sequel. Not to mention, we have that Legend of Zelda movie that's in production (which just revealed the casting for Link and Zelda); look forward to the "Excuuuse me, Princess!" joke that'll get shoehorned in somewhere).

On that note, ears perked up last week when news dropped that Universal had quietly taken out a joint copyright on a Donkey Kong motion picture, along with Nintendo's help. So while there's no official statement yet, we can presume that a Donkey Kong picture is in the works.

Nintendo likely enjoys its cozy relationship with Universal, especially with all of the bags of money the Mario Bros movie brought in. And Nintendo and Universal already have a hot thing going on with the Nintendo Land parks at Universal Studios; no wonder that they're working together on a venture like this. What with Donkey Kong Bananza marking the First Ape in Gaming's major return to consoles (plus with Donkey Kong's extended—not to mention applauded—appearance in the Mario Bros. movie), striking while the iron is hot and giving the big ape his film makes sense.

Many would be quick to point out the historical irony in all this; after all, Donkey Kong was at the center of a major legal battle between Universal and Nintendo years and years ago. Back in the '80s, when DK was still the face of Nintendo (back when Mario was still "Jumpman"), Universal decided they wanted to get their foot in the door with the newfangled video game craze and decided that owning a hot property like Donkey Kong would work just fine—all they had to do was pull the rug out from under Nintendo. And if they could own Nintendo, all the better. So they sued Nintendo for copyright infringement, claiming that Donkey Kong (the character) infringed upon Universal's copyright on King Kong. Nintendo, being far smaller, countersued, claiming that Universal was "tortiously interfering" with them. Ironically, Nintendo won based on a previous 1976 lawsuit that Universal had filed against Paramount, which had proven that the original King Kong novel had fallen into the Public Domain. Nintendo won the countersuit, fully establishing themselves as a major global company and learning a very important lesson in preserving the full rights to their IP.

To anyone marveling at how Universal and Nintendo would ever work together: money can bury a lot of hatchets. And Nintendo is quite dedicated to its current goal of expanding the reach of its brand. Weirdly, Nintendo is already looking beyond the confines of console exclusivity as their means of profit. They're just not banking on short-term profits; Nintendo is looking to sell their brand as a lifestyle, hence new ventures like the Alarmo, the Nintendo Music app, the Nintendo Today app (which has been sharing a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles production art lately!), the Nintendo Land parks, the Nintendo stores, and others. You can only produce so many games at a time, and you risk too much if you expand your workforce to ramp up production. So the best way to make more money on what you already own is to branch out: more toys, more movies, more comics, more t-shirts. People already love Mario Mario and Princess Zelda and Splat Tim and Error. Nintendo has the strongest brands in gaming; they may as well slap 'em on a few t-shirts. We've already got evidence of this working courtesy of those cute Animal Crossing and Super Mario Bros. LEGO sets. I wish Nintendo would license out some decent action figures instead of leaving them to high-end collector stuff like Figmas—there is room for $20 action figures of, like, Samus Aran or Pitt with silly action features. Or, licensed Super Soakers that look like the weapons from Splatoon.

At any rate, the Donkey Kong movie likely hasn't even entered pre-production yet. It might take a while before we hear anything about it. Seth Rogen will probably return as Donkey Kong; we'll have to get used to that.

In another move on Steam and the games it can host, many game developers noted a new rule added to Steam's guidelines on what can be published on the platform. This one rankles more than a few people, because it's not specifically up to Steam itself—the rule specifies that it concerns their payment processors. Specifically, Visa and Mastercard (those being the biggest payment processors in the United States). The rule claims, "Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam's payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult-only content." As a result of this new rule's implementation, many have noticed a wide swath of games removed from the storefront. On the one hand, many of these games seem to be porn games based around incest. On the other hand, the rule is so vague that it's pretty blatant how easily it can be applied to literally anything.

The restrictions are the newest in a long line of prohibitions on behalf of Visa and Mastercard regarding pornography. Just last year, Melonbooks and Toroana were no longer compatible with Visa or Mastercard, making the purchase of doujinshi or other Japanese goods much harder for those who import. Your only real hope of still getting stuff on those sites is through middleman services. You're also banned from purchasing anything from DLsite (a popular online storefront for manga and visual novels).

It's easy to just handwave all of this because "it's just porn," especially since it's likely most mainstream audiences won't miss Imouto Paradise. The problem is, the rule is so vague that it could apply to just about anything—and historically speaking, such blanket prohibition is the kind that quickly gets applied to anything with queer themes on the basis that LGBTQ themes are "inherently pornographic/obscene." And that's where you start getting a serious problem. Drakengard would be banned from Steam (because Furiae is famously in love with her brother). Fire Emblem: Fates, famously, wouldn't pass muster, especially not with how thickly Camilla lays on the "Dear sibling" act. But also—Niles and Rhajat would render the games as verboten, because Niles and Rhajat are available as same-sex romantic options. Hidetaka Suehiro's The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories? Can't play that—the protagonist is a trans woman. Undertale? Nope—Alphys and Undyne smooch in the end. It's entirely possible this kind of ruling would outlaw Tales of Vesperia because of a minor sequence where Karol (a boy) disguises themselves in drag. That would also be a robbery, because it's one of the funniest bits in the game.

The matter of porn games on Steam is a touchy subject, given how so many of the games are very obviously low-effort asset flips or created with Generative AI. But on the other hand, you have genuine titles in there: MangaGamer has published more than a few of their titles on Steam, like the Funbag Fantasy series. Their release of Kindred Spirits was also a watershed moment, given it was a fairly high-profile yuri-based visual novel getting the Steam treatment. Meanwhile, Shiravune has released several important adult visual novels on Steam, like the Taimanin games, the Kuroinu series, and the Kara no Shojo games. Even if it's a silly, shallow nukige about elves in rut, there's still effort put into them. Yeah, they're porn, but consider: adults have the right to consume porn. And here at This Week in Games I may or may not support a lot of artists coming to Comiket every year. (I'm still figuring out how to get my hands on the No Surface Moon remake.) But also, the attempt at banning games with "objectionable content" has more to do with keeping the queer community oppressed. If you're concerned about your adult games, you'd best support your local sex worker. Not only are they most likely queer, but they're also likely fighting for your right to enjoy Evenicle or Rance on Steam.

In the meantime, this is a tough matter to deal with because of how prevalent Visa and Mastercard are as payment processors. Most websites don't have the money to develop payment processing systems. Currently, the American Civil Liberties Union has a petition up demanding that Mastercard go back on their recent policies that restrict sex workers online. It's not a stretch to see how that could eventually affect people looking to play Meltys Quest on Steam. If there's a petition worth signing, that one is it.

If you need more gremlins in your life, Shift-Up has embraced the meme and has produced an official action figure of the meme-character, Doro. The figure includes optional face plates, variable legs and arms for posing, and two bags of groceries for Doro.

Mobile game Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra has been slated for a release on Steam this July 17, following its successful launch this past March 24.

Dragami Games has announced a new partnership with Nada Holdings in an attempt at further promoting Lollipop Chainsaw as an IP, promising new projects in the future. Not sure how that'll work without Suda 51...

Good news, Sonic fans! Sonic Racing: Crossworlds will be made available on the Switch 2 on a proper game cartridge, not a Game Key Card!

Bad news, Sonic fans! Limited Run Games' Collector's Edition set for Sonic × Shadow Generations has been delayed until November, after its original release window of this week (at the time of writing). For the record: that game came out last October.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, IntiCreates has unveiled their newerst game: Majogami. The story stars Shiroha, an amnesiac with a magic sword cutting her way through the paper-like armies of the Craft Witches. The trailer is pretty boss, and among the star-studded cast of seiyuu is "Grandma Goku" Masako Nozawa as the narrator! The Steam release date is TBD, but the Switch and Switch 2 releases are scheduled for October 30.

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This Week In Games! is written from idyllic Portland by Jean-Karlo Lemus. When not collaborating with Anime News Network, Jean-Karlo can be found playing Japanese RPGs, eating popcorn, watching v-tubers, and tokusatsu. You can keep up with him at @ventcard.bsky.social.

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