Epic Games has responded to accusations from Santa Ragione, the developer of the controversial horror game “Horses,” asserting that the company has been transparent about its reasons for not selling the game on its platform. The indie horror title has faced bans from both Steam and the Epic Games Store, leading to significant controversy in the gaming community.
“Horses,” which is set to launch in December 2025, places players in a disturbing, first-person scenario on a horse farm, where they encounter unsettling situations over a 14-day gameplay period. The game was initially rejected by Steam two years ago when the developers submitted a prototype. According to Santa Ragione, the studio did not receive sufficient feedback at that time nor an opportunity to challenge the ban, which was later attributed to the game’s disturbing imagery.
This past weekend, the situation escalated when Santa Ragione publicly refuted statements made by Epic’s Vice President, Steve Allison, asserting that Epic had made “provably incorrect statements” about the game’s content. The studio expressed frustration over the lack of support and transparency from Epic, claiming the company had effectively ghosted them and had not provided any substantial evidence supporting their claims of inappropriate content.
Epic Games, however, maintains that “Horses” violates the Content Guidelines outlined for the Epic Games Store, specifically citing issues related to “Inappropriate Content” and “Hateful or Abusive Content.” In a statement, Epic’s senior communications manager, Brian Sharon, explained that an internal assessment yielded an Adults Only (AO) rating for the game, which does not align with the store’s policies. Sharon noted that although the developers made an appeal, the decision to ban the game remained unchanged after further review.
Despite these challenges, “Horses” has demonstrated a surprising level of success, selling over 18,000 copies and generating approximately $65,000 in net revenue. This revenue has been crucial for the developers, allowing them to settle loans and pay royalties owed to creator Andrea Lucco Borlera. Reviews have also been moderately positive, with some critics praising its harrowing narrative despite pointing out issues with repetitive gameplay elements.
The ongoing situation underscores the complexity of censorship and content policies within digital distribution platforms, as developers call for clearer guidelines and accountability in the gaming industry. The debate between creative freedom and content moderation continues to spark significant dialogue among players, developers, and platform holders alike.