The cabinet set-up with multiple terminals connected to a big screen was also new, as was the ability to store the players progress on the card. Usually, arcade games focus on training and races, however the feeding and raising the horse section was new to arcades. This aspect also elevated the community aspect that was crucial to Derby Owners Club. When the game was ported to PC as Derby Owners Club Online, retaining the community aspect was the most difficult aspect. To retain that, a town was added where you interact with others with an avatar and do various other activities, similar to an MMORPG. Reception The game changed the Japanese arcade market. It charged 300 to 500 yen for a game, but the player could play for over 5 to 10 minutes. It was a new concept, and became successful in American arcades as well. Testing of Derby Owners Club in an arcade in Chicago showed that it had become the most popular machine in the arcade, with a 92% replay rate. While the eight-player Japanese version of the game was released in 1999, the game was reduced to a smaller four-player version due to size issues and released in North America in 2003. However the cabinet was too expensive and the game did not entice casual users which are essential to the western arcade market. The game sold 850 arcade cabinets in Japan by 2001. It was the highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 2001 in Japan. The PC port was shut down in 2006, two years after the release in 2004. Versions The game was updated in Japan two times as Derby Owners Club 2000 and Derby Owners Club II in 2001. A localized version called Derby Owners Club: World Edition was released in 2002. A PC port was released in 2004. A sequel was released in 2008 called, Derby Owners Club: Feel the Rush and switched the arcade board from the NAOMI to the Lindbergh. This game itself was updated next year with a different subtitle, Ride for the life. A version was released on iOS and Android in 2012. It was shut down in 2019. See also World Club Champion Football External Links Official website (Japanese) References 2000 video games Android (operating system) games Arcade video games Horse racing video games IOS games Sega-AM3 games Sega arcade games Sega Games franchises Video games developed in Japan