Game developer Cygames and its parent company CyberAgent announced on Wednesday that game and entertainment company Konami filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court against Cygames on March 31. According to the legal complaint which was delivered to Cygames on May 10, Konami alleges that Cygames‘ Uma Musume Pretty Derby game has infringed on Konami patents. Konami is requesting the court for an injunction to halt the digital production, usage, and provision of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, and is also seeking 4 billion yen (about US$29 million) in damages (including relevant delay charges).

CyberAgent‘s announcement noted that Cygames had been in discussions with Konami regarding patent rights for the “game system and program” of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, but that Konami did not accept Cygames‘ opinion, thus leading to the lawsuit. CyberAgent‘s announcement did not specify which patents Konami is claiming Uma Musume: Pretty Derby has violated.

The Uma Musume Pretty Derby game launched in February 2021 for iOS and Android. The game was originally slated for a release in winter 2018, and was delayed in order to raise the game’s quality. The game released on PC via DMM Games in March 2021. According to mobile app data analysis organization Sensor Tower, the game has earned more than US$2 billion as of March earlier this year, with 95% of those earnings coming from Japan. According to Sensor Tower, In the two weeks after the game launched its second two-year anniversary celebration event on February 24, the game earned the equivalent of US$55 million.

Sources: Cygames, CyberAgent