Steam Bans Indie Horror 'Horses' Before Launch
The indie horror title, Horses, developed by Santa Ragione, has faced an unprecedented ban from Steam ahead of its release, a decision the developer claims remains entirely unexplained by Valve for two years. This pre-emptive removal from the dominant PC gaming platform could prove catastrophic for the M-rated game's creators, who poured an estimated $100,000 into its development.
The Unexplained Ban on "Horses"
In 2023, long before its planned public debut, Horses was unilaterally banned from Steam. Santa Ragione, the studio behind the innovative first-person experience, asserts that Valve has offered no rationale for this drastic measure. This silence follows a broader industry trend where Valve adjusted its policies earlier in 2025 to restrict early-access adult games, largely influenced by financial institutions and payment processors. However, Santa Ragione explicitly states that Horses, despite its Mature rating, is not an "adult title" in the context of these new rules.
Developer Defends "Horses"' Vision
Horses plunges players into the role of a ranch hand, navigating two weeks at an increasingly bizarre and unsettling farm. The game's controversial premise centers on "horses" that are, in fact, naked humans adorned with horse masks, compelled into service as beasts of burden. Santa Ragione adamantly denies any pornographic intent, even playfully apologizing if the concept "got your hopes up for horse porn." Instead, the developer posits that the game utilizes "challenging, unconventional material to encourage discussion," prompting players to delve into the unsettling nature of its content, the underlying character dynamics, systemic criticisms, and their own personal boundaries. The core focus, they emphasize, is on generating tension, not eroticism.
A Scene Under Scrutiny
Without any official guidance from Valve on what content was objectionable, Santa Ragione speculates the ban might stem from an earlier iteration of a specific scene. This sequence initially depicted a young girl riding on the shoulders of a naked adult woman wearing a horse mask. The studio has since revised this scene, replacing the young girl with "a twenty-something woman," explaining that the adjusted character better served the dialogue and thematic dynamic of the sequence. Despite this modification, and the lack of communication, the ban persists.
Financial Fallout and New Horizons
The absence of a Steam release, a critical platform for indie visibility, poses a significant threat to Santa Ragione's survival. The studio openly admits the ban places them at risk of shutting down entirely. To mitigate losses and bring their vision to players, Horses will now launch on December 4 across several other PC platforms, priced at $5.
These alternative storefronts include:
- Epic Games Store
- Humble Store
- GOG
- Itch.io
This move highlights the ongoing struggle for independent developers against opaque platform policies and the profound impact such decisions can have on a studio's future.