Umamusume fans swamp Knott's Berry Farm blacksmith after concert cancellation
Fans of Umamusume: Pretty Derby turned to branded horseshoes at the park's ghost town, where the in-house blacksmith faced his longest queue, according to Kotaku.
Fans of Umamusume: Pretty Derby gathered in the ghost town at Knott's Berry Farm, where the park's in-house horseshoe blacksmith had his busiest day ever, according to Kotaku. The queue for his forge filled for the day, attendees said.
The meet-up followed Cygames' cancellation of the first official US Umamusume concert. The publisher refunded concert tickets and compensated fans for booked airfare and hotel accommodations.
At the park, visitors asked the blacksmith for horseshoes branded with the names of their favourite Umamusume characters, turning a traditional demonstration into the centre of the fan gathering.
In the week before the planned event, Cygames said it could not secure the necessary documentation and cancelled the lone American stop on the Umamusume world tour. The company said recent changes to visa applications barred its musicians and voice actors from the event.
Knott's Berry Farm has kept an in-house blacksmith in its ghost town pavilion as a tradition since the park opened in 1947.
Quick answers
Why did Cygames cancel the Umamusume concert in the US?
Cygames said recent changes to visa applications barred its musicians and voice actors from the event, and that it could not secure the necessary documentation.
Did Cygames refund fans who had booked travel?
Yes. Cygames refunded concert tickets and compensated fans for booked airfare and hotel accommodations.
Where did Umamusume fans meet instead?
They gathered in the ghost town at Knott's Berry Farm, where the park's horseshoe blacksmith had his busiest day ever.