Horses Thrived Despite Bans on Steam and Epic Store, Yet Challenges Remain

Developer Santa Ragione has announced that its indie horror game, Horses, sold 18,000 copies within just two weeks. This sales figure has reportedly helped the studio avoid financial disaster, though it may not be sufficient to fund a sequel. In a statement, the developers revealed that Horses generated $65,000 in net revenue, enabling them to settle their loans and pay royalties owed to Andrea Lucco Borlera, the game’s creator. However, this income won’t allow the team to start work on a new project right away. “This result is not enough to begin production on a new game,” the statement noted. “The funds primarily cover obligations stemming from an extended development period. If sales remain steady, we might be able to finance a new prototype in the future, but the team has had to, and will continue to, take on other jobs and projects in the meantime. Reuniting everyone will not be easy, even though it’s something we would love to do.”

Santa Ragione has faced significant challenges with Horses. The studio recently disclosed that the game was banned from Steam in 2023 without any explanation. Following that, Horses was also banned by the Epic Games Store and Humble Bundle just before its launch. This series of bans from major PC game distributors coincides with a recent crackdown on adult-oriented games on platforms like Steam and Itch. While Horses contains content intended for mature audiences, the development team is advocating for greater transparency in the industry, stating they were not given an opportunity to modify the game for its Steam release. “We also want to emphasize that this outcome should not distract from the broader issue at stake: the need for clearer rules, transparent processes, and meaningful accountability from near-monopolistic distribution platforms and the systems they enforce,” a spokesperson for Santa Ragione stated. “For every case like Horses that becomes visible, there are many more games that are quietly banned, delisted, or stuck in indefinite review for unclear reasons, with developers too concerned about retaliation or future approval to speak out. We are grateful to those who have reported on these issues and will continue to do so.” Horses is currently available for $5 on GOG and Itch.io.