Santa Ragione's horror game Horses continues to face distribution challenges as the developer disputes claims made by an Epic Games Store executive. The statement from the developer accuses Epic of ghosting them by withdrawing support just 24 hours before the game's launch, citing violations of the Epic Games Store Content Guidelines. Epic claimed that Horses contained inappropriate content, leading to its ban from both Epic and Steam. Despite these setbacks, Santa Ragione has reported that they have sold 18,000 copies of Horses, allowing them to pay off development debts.

What led to the controversy surrounding the release of Horses?

The controversy arose when Steam refused to distribute Horses, prompting Epic Games Store to conduct a last-minute review of the game, which resulted in a ban citing violations of content guidelines. Santa Ragione claims that their notifications were incorrect and that the content of Horses does not warrant such a rating, which has created significant turmoil for the indie developer.

Horses is a narrative-driven horror game known for its unsettling themes and unique gameplay, which has drawn attention amid its controversial bans. This situation highlights the difficulties indie developers face in navigating distribution channels, especially when dealing with content regulations that vary by platform.