Valve has decided to ban the horror adventure game Horses, developed by Italian studio Santa Ragione, from distribution on Steam. The studio claims this ban jeopardizes their future, and Valve has provided minimal context, asserting they extensively reviewed the game before refusing to reconsider the ban. Horses explores deep themes such as familial trauma and totalitarian power while featuring a unique gameplay style that mixes monochrome visuals with interactive sequences. Despite the ban on Steam, Horses will still launch on Epic Games Store, GOG, the Humble Store, and Itch.io on December 2, 2025, priced at €4.99/$4.99.

Why was the game Horses banned from Steam?

The game was banned due to concerns from Valve regarding content that they believed depicted sexual conduct involving a minor. Santa Ragione contends that the specific scene in question was non-sexual and that all characters in the game are over 20 years old.

Horses, developed by Santa Ragione, is notable for its controversial subject matter and artistic presentation. This indie studio gained recognition for previous titles like Saturnalia and Mirror Moon EP. In Horses, players experience a profound narrative involving farm life set in a surreal world, which has sparked significant debate about artistic expression and censorship in gaming.