Horses: Graphic horror video game banned by Steam and Epic Games as developers now $100,000 in debt
A graphic horror game has been banned on PC - just 24 hours before it was due to be released.
For the past few years, developer Santa Ragione has been creating a horror game called Horses; described as ‘intentionally upsetting’, it centred around naked humans stuck in horse costumes.
The experimental title gained infamy in gaming circles for how it would be pushing the boundaries of what was allowed in video games, but now it seems to have pushed things too far for the big platforms to continue supporting it.
Valve had already banned the game from Steam’s digital storefront, and on the eve of Horses’ release, Epic Games has banned it from its store too - citing that it violated their guidelines for “inappropriate content”.
Speaking to IGN, a spokesperson for Santa Ragione said: “Epic's decision comes after the overwhelming support Santa Ragione received last week upon the disclosure of Steam's ban, including the public announcement by Epic's and Steam's competitor Galaxy of Gamers (GOG) that they would promote and support the game.
“We do not know what triggered Epic's sudden decision. Following the announcement of Steam's ban, Horses became highly visible online, with strong support and a small but vocal opposition. It is difficult not to wonder whether this visibility played a greater role in Epic's choice than any newly discovered issue with the game itself.”
It comes as the Italian developers reportedly find themselves more than $100,000 in debt, stating that if Horses is not a commercial success the studio may be forced to close down.
If you are still keen to play Horses, it is available on other digital platforms. GOG has published the game on its store, and it is also available for purchase on Itch and Humble, for $4.99 on all stores.