The Line in the Sand: Why GOG’s Stand for 'Horses' is a Massive Win for PC Gaming

The Bottom Line Up Front: In an era where payment processors like Visa and MasterCard are effectively acting as shadow censors for the gaming industry, GOG has signaled its newfound independence by rescuing the controversial horror title Horses from digital oblivion. By separating from CD Projekt and returning to the hands of co-founder Michał Kiciński, GOG is doubling down on a curated, DRM-free philosophy that prioritizes creative freedom over corporate risk-aversion. This isn't just about one game; it’s a direct challenge to the "algorithmic firehose" model dominating modern storefronts.

The 'Horses' Incident: When Payment Giants Play God

Last year, we watched a disturbing trend solidify. Horses, a provocative title from the acclaimed Italian studio Santa Ragione, was scrubbed from Steam and the Epic Games Store. The culprit wasn't a government ban, but "panicked delistings" driven by the terms of service of major payment providers. When Visa and MasterCard decide a game's content is too "adult," storefronts often fold immediately to protect their bottom line.

Our analysis suggests this creates a dangerous precedent. If a multi-billion dollar financial entity can dictate what art is "sellable," the medium loses its teeth. GOG’s decision to not only host Horses but to launch an anti-censorship movement alongside it is the kind of pro-developer move we haven't seen since the early days of the indie boom. As Managing Director Maciej Gołębiewski put it, once a company starts deciding what’s "good" via TOS, it’s a slippery slope to a sanitized, boring industry.

Market Snapshot: The David vs. Goliath Reality

To understand the stakes, we have to look at the current distribution of power. While GOG is a veteran in the space, it remains the underdog in terms of raw volume.

Independence from the "Red" Shadow

For 17 years, GOG existed as a subsidiary of Polish powerhouse CD Projekt. While that provided stability during the *Witcher 3* era, it often meant GOG’s identity was secondary to the studio's AAA ambitions. That ended in December. GOG is now independent, owned by Michał Kiciński—the man who originally co-founded both companies.

We believe this autonomy is exactly what the store needs to survive the "overcrowding" of the PC market. By moving away from the CD Projekt corporate umbrella, GOG can take the risks that public or massive conglomerates won't. Kiciński isn't chasing Steam's 80% market share; he’s looking for the "quality-first" crowd who are tired of sifting through shovelware on other platforms.

Curation: The Antidote to the Firehose

The "Gold Master" era of gaming is long gone, replaced by "Early Access" loops and live-service bloat. GOG’s pivot back to aggressive curation—playing the games they sell—is a much-needed QoL improvement for the consumer.

• The Preservation Program: Unlike Steam, which often leaves old titles to rot in unplayable states, GOG is putting boots on the ground to ensure games from 20-30 years ago run on modern rigs.
• Quality over Quantity: We’ve seen Steam’s "open gates" policy lead to a race to the bottom in terms of visibility. GOG’s "curated" badge actually means something again.
• Risk-Taking: New owner Kiciński has stated he’s "not afraid of risk." This likely means GOG will become the premier destination for titles that are too "edgy" or "unconventional" for the sanitized corporate stores.

Our Take: The Preservation of Play

We’ve been covering this industry for over two decades, and we've seen "walled gardens" come and go. What GOG is doing here is more than a PR stunt. By standing up for *Horses*, they are defending the right for games to be weird, uncomfortable, and uncompromising.

The consequence of this shift is clear: GOG is no longer just "the place for old games." It is becoming the "Criterion Collection" of gaming. If you want the latest AAA treadmill with Denuvo DRM, you know where to go. But if you want a library you actually own, and games that haven't been run through a corporate sensitivity filter, GOG’s independence is the most important story of the year.