Horse racing has seen a major surge in popularity among gamers this year thanks to the global launch of Umamusume: Pretty Derby — which just nabbed a nomination for Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025 — and the Italian development studio Leonardo Productions aims to strike while the iron is hot with Champions Stable: Equestrian Dynasty.
The open-world horse racing management sim is set for a launch on PC and consoles in 2026, combining the excitement of racing events with the relaxing experience of animal care.
Players can either directly control the action by taking the reins on track for the real-time races or completely manage the business from behind the scenes, giving strategic commands to the jockey similar to how players might direct their squad from the sidelines in Football Manager.
From picking the most promising horses for breeding programs, creating training schedules and upgrading facilities, to scouting what rival stables are doing, all aspects of the sport are in the player’s hands.
Created in Unreal Engine, Champions Stable: Equestrian Dynasty features 3D visuals and takes players to several authentically recreated real-world tracks around the globe, including Ascot, Churchill Downs, Flemington, Longchamp, Capannelle, Maydan and Tokyo.
Whenever the pressure of competition gets too much to handle, players can take time relaxing with their animals and ride out into the game’s open world to uncover secrets and easter eggs, which appears to be an element borrowed from other successful sim franchises like Farming Simulator. Paying personal attention to race horses by grooming and caring for them also yields benefits in the form of enhanced performances on the track.
