[UPDATED] My Riding Stables 2: A New Adventure Announced for PS4 and Switch

Update 6.11.2020: Thanks to further information provided by Markt + Technik, some of the information below has been corrected.

Because of a post in the Horses & Video Games Facebook group, a new horse game has come to my attention: My Riding Stables 2: A New Adventure is scheduled to release this year (exact dates vary) on Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

Thanks to a chat with RokaPublish Managing Director Robert Kaiser (who has been responsible for publishing My Riding Stables games on Steam in the past) I’ve been able to learn a bit more about the project than is currently publicly available. At the time of writing, I am still waiting for a response directly from Developer Independent Arts Software and Producer Markt + Technik.

Here’s what we know about the game so far:

• My Riding Stables 2: A New Adventure will be released in German-speaking markets under the title Mein Reiterhof: Pferde, Turniere, Abenteuer. I know, the box art looks completely different and the title doesn’t exactly translate, but this is the same game.

• The game is developed by Independent Arts Software. Markt + Technik is the project’s producer, and publisher for digital distribution as well as German retail. Retail distribution is managed by Mindscape. NEW: Kalypso Media is not involved, but may still be listed on some retail sites due to their involvement in the last game.

• The game has been produced with funding by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), a ministry of the German government.

• The game appears to offer local multiplayer support for 1-4 players.

• Based on the PS4 achievements, the gameplay goals sound identical to those in My Riding Stables 2018.

• The project promises a “huge open world”, “realistic riding fun” and to fulfill the “dream of your own stud farm and a stable full of horses”.

• NEW: The game will be sold in French and Dutch markets as “Ma Vie avec les Chevaux 2: Une nouvelle Aventure” and "Mijn Paardenwereld 2: Een nieuw avontuur" respectively.

• NEW: According to Markt + Technik, many elements – including the basic gameplay loop –are based on the 2018 MRS game. “But the complete riding mechanics are new including riding missions and free riding within the game (and not just as a separated part). Completely new is a Hotseat MP mode with four Mounted Games,” promises Katrin Haase of MuT.

• NEW: The game will not be coming to PC but target only consoles.

• NEW: The 85k € funded by the BMVI makes up for 70% of the game’s total budget.

The exact release date varies between markets. In one Swiss electronics store, the game is already available, while a UK store lists the release as December 2020.

If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you might remember that Independent Arts Software and Markt + Technik don’t exactly stand for quality entertainment where it comes to horse games. With the 2018 My Riding Stables game and the 2019 Bibi & Tina, this developer/publisher combo hasn’t left a particularly positive impression on The Mane Quest. Then again, between MRS 2018 and B&T 2019, there has been a notable improvement from “aggressively bad” to “thoroughly unimpressive”, so perhaps the studios have learned from earlier mistakes?

From the available screenshots (found on German Amazon), it looks like the horse models are somewhat more detailed than in previous IAS games. There are some weird texture issues – look at the UV mapping weirdness on palomino’s croup and the weird grey leg markings on the Pinto – but their faces are cute, so that’s something . The image that shows a horse in a rearing position doesn’t exactly fill me with a lot confidence for rig and animation, not to mention that reins and saddle girths were apparently once again out of scope. Sigh.

Stable screenshot from the new game, MRS2

Stable screenshot from MRS 2018. The models appear to be the same..

Considering the involved studios’ track records and knowing how these games are usually made, I recommend waiting with a purchase until I get a chance to review the game. And to stay tuned for an upcoming article on further insight into the “horse games for kids” business and why I don’t recommend supporting it.