Double Whammy: Indie Horror 'Horses' Gets Booted From Epic Store After Steam, And We're All Scratching Our Heads
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Indie horror game *Horses* got a bewildering double-ban from Epic Games Store and Steam, despite developer Santa Ragione's claims of pixelated content and previous approvals, highlighting frustrating inconsistencies in platform moderation and a lack of clear communication. While the major storefronts said 'nay,' the game remains available on GOG, itch.io, and Humble Store.
Right, so I've been tinkering with this story all morning, trying to piece together the magical mishap that saw an indie horror game, *Horses*, get essentially zapped out of existence on two major storefronts. You know that feeling when you try to conjure a minor illusion, and instead, your cat suddenly glows purple and floats to the ceiling? Yeah, this feels a bit like that, but for an Italian indie dev trying to launch their game.
First off, massive credit where it’s due: this whole kerfuffle was originally brought to light by Francesco Cacciatore over at Polygon, who did a fine job laying out the bare bones. But mate, we need to dig deeper than bare bones, don't we? This isn't just about a game getting banned; it's about the ever-shifting sands of content moderation, the mysterious ways of platform gatekeepers, and the sheer grit of independent creators.
Let's talk about *Horses*. From Santa Ragione, this isn't your grandma's cozy farm sim. It's a narrative first-person horror adventure that drops you onto a creepy horse farm for a two-week summer job. Sounds idyllic, right? Except the 'horses' are actually naked humans in horse masks. Fair dinkum, it’s designed to be disturbing, using distorted imagery to explore some seriously heavy themes like violence and abuse. It’s the kind of game that sets out to provoke thought, not just jump scares. And frankly, that's the kind of ambition I'm always keen to see from indie studios – pushing boundaries, exploring the darker corners of the human psyche.
Now, here's where the plot thickens faster than my attempts at a perfect potion. After Steam apparently pre-emptively gave *Horses* the cold shoulder during its development, Epic Games Store followed suit. And get this: they pulled the plug just *one day* before launch. One day! Imagine having everything ready, the final spell components lined up, and then the portal just blinks out of existence. Bloody hell.
Epic's reasoning, according to *Horses*' official page (where Santa Ragione has been diligently chronicling this whole saga), boiled down to violations of their "Inappropriate Content" guidelines, specifically citing explicit depictions of sexual behavior, and "Hateful or Abusive Content" guidelines, with a nod to abuse and animal abuse. Furthermore, Epic's internal IARC Questionnaire magically spat out an Adult Only (AO) rating, which is pretty much the kiss of death for distribution on their store.
But here's where my internal skepticism meter starts pinging like crazy. Santa Ragione, the devs, have quite rightly pointed out some rather glaring discrepancies. For starters, they maintain that "the game does NOT contain explicit or frequent depictions of sexual behavior. All nudity in the game is completely censored via pixelation." Pixelated, eh? So we're talking about abstract shapes, not explicit depictions. That's a rather significant detail to overlook, isn't it? It sounds less like 'inappropriate content' and more like 'content we didn't bother to properly evaluate'.
They also clarified that "the content presented does not in any way promote abuse (including animal abuse). The game is a strong critique of violence and abuse in general." And honestly, from the premise alone, that sounds entirely plausible. Horror, especially the weirder, more psychological kind, often uses unsettling imagery to comment on societal ills, not endorse them. It's a common artistic trope, one that many acclaimed games and films employ. Are we really saying platforms can't differentiate between critique and promotion now? That's a bit worrying for creative expression, I reckon.
But the most head-scratching bit, the one that truly feels like a spell gone wrong, concerns the IARC rating. Santa Ragione insists they had already completed the IARC process as part of their submission more than five weeks prior, and they definitely *didn't* receive an AO rating. Nope, they got a PEGI 18 and an ESRB M – ratings that are generally fine for distribution on these very platforms, as currently displayed on their coming soon page on the Epic Games Store. So, how did Epic's own internal questionnaire suddenly conjure up an AO? Did someone accidentally swap their rating crystal ball for a particularly grumpy badger, or is there a bigger, more automated, and less transparent process at play here?
And to top it all off, the devs had been submitting and getting builds of *Horses* reviewed by Epic's team for two months, with the final, achievement-ready build being approved a full 18 days before launch. Eighteen days! That's ample time to spot any supposed AO content, wouldn't you say? It makes you wonder what changed in those final moments, or if anyone was actually paying attention until the eleventh hour.
This whole saga highlights a deeply frustrating experience for indie developers. The lack of clear communication, the vague explanations, the automated responses that offer no real substance when an appeal is made – it’s a recipe for utter despair. Santa Ragione noted that Epic's response to their appeal offered no specific indication of problematic content, despite initial reassurances that updates could be made for compliance. It's like being told you can fix your magical blunder, but no one tells you which ingredient caused the explosion. How are you meant to proceed?
What does this mean for us, the gamers who love a bit of weird, boundary-pushing art? It means that even when indie devs pour their hearts, souls, and often their life savings into creating something truly unique, they can be subjected to arbitrary decisions, inconsistent standards, and baffling communication black holes from the very platforms meant to help them reach an audience. It stifles innovation and creates a chilling effect, making developers think twice about tackling challenging themes.
So, where does that leave *Horses*? Well, in a defiant twist, it's still available on GOG, itch.io, and the Humble Store. Which, honestly, is a bit of a relief, isn't it? It proves that even when the big digital gates slam shut, there are still other pathways for truly independent projects. It's a reminder that we, as players, have a role to play in seeking out these titles and supporting the brave souls who dare to make them.
This isn't just about one game; it's about the health of the entire indie ecosystem and the delicate balance between platform responsibility and creative freedom. Let's hope the next time a peculiar indie title emerges, the platforms tasked with hosting it manage to see past the pixelated nudity and understand the deeper critique it offers. Otherwise, we might just find ourselves in a very bland, very censored digital world. And nobody wants that, do they?
*Originally reported by Francesco Cacciatore for Polygon.*
Tags: indie-horror, game-bans, content-moderation, epic-games-store, steam
Original article: Polygon