The legal battle between giants is over, but the bill has arrived. CyberAgent, the parent company of Cygames (developer of Umamusume: Pretty Derby), has revealed that it will record an "extraordinary loss" of 727 million yen (approximately US$4.7 million) in the current fiscal year. This figure is the direct result of the agreement recently reached with Konami, ending a dispute that had fans worried.
The cost of keeping the game alive
The conflict began in May 2023, when Konami sued Cygames alleging infringement of multiple patents related to game mechanics in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Originally, Konami it demanded 4 billion yen (more than $26 million) and a court order to stop production of the game. Although Cygames trying to invalidate the patents initially, they decided to reach an out-of-court settlement on November 7 to ensure the longevity of their successful franchise.
Global profits and secrets of the agreement
Although the exact terms of the agreement are confidential, CyberAgent he explained in his financial report that the $4.7 million loss covers "case-related expenses", which likely includes both compensation paid to Konami such as the legal costs of the process. It's not all bad news, though: The company also reported that its overseas revenue increased nearly six-fold compared to the previous year, driven by the successful global launch of Umamusume: Pretty Derby.
