Horses Sells 18,000 Copies Despite Being Pulled from Steam and EGS

Despite being removed from various digital platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store, the indie horror game *Horses* has managed to sell 18,000 copies within two weeks of its launch. This success has generated $65,000 in net revenue for developer Santa Ragione, enabling them to settle the loans taken out to support the final stages of the game’s development.

“After settling the royalties owed to Andrea Lucco Borlera, the creator of *Horses*, these earnings will allow us to pay off the loans we incurred to complete development,” the studio stated. “We are incredibly thankful to the players and everyone who supported the release by sharing the game and amplifying the conversation around it.”

Although not particularly scandalous, *Horses* faced an unexpected ban from Steam and was pulled from the Epic Games Store just before its launch, which hindered Santa Ragione’s marketing efforts. Like many horror games, *Horses* explores themes of violence and sexual assault. However, it distinguishes itself by censoring all nudity with a pixelation effect and presenting the game entirely in black-and-white, which also obscures any blood. Overall, *Horses* is much less intense than one might assume given the surrounding controversy. Unfortunately, this situation has taken a toll on the developers, with director Pietro Righi Riva expressing earlier this month that the studio might not pursue another game after *Horses*—a sentiment reiterated in the recent announcement regarding post-launch sales.

“Paying off our debts is a success, and we feel relieved,” the studio shared. “However, this outcome alone isn’t enough to kickstart production on a new game. The funds primarily address obligations stemming from an extended development period. If sales remain stable, we might be able to finance a new prototype in the future, but the team has had to take on other jobs and projects in the meantime. Reuniting everyone will be challenging, even though it’s something we would love to do.”

While clearing their debts is a positive step, it’s clear that the developers are still understandably frustrated with the unusual censorship from Steam and Epic, which led to costly delays that necessitated loans.

“We want to emphasize that this success does not negate the impact of what transpired,” the press release continued. “The Steam ban and the subsequent development delays forced us into a prolonged search for funding, resulting in debt, lost opportunities, and team members taking on other work. This fragmentation is a lasting consequence, even if the launch outcome has been significant and positive in many respects.”

The future remains uncertain for Santa Ragione, but the studio took a moment to express gratitude to players, content creators, and members of the press for highlighting the controversy surrounding the game’s removal from PC storefronts (it is currently available for purchase only on GOG, Itch.io, and the Humble Store).

“We want to thank everyone who took a chance on the game, the press and creators who covered the story, and the partners who supported us throughout the release,” the studio said. “We also sincerely appreciate everyone who engaged in the conversation and gave the game a fair chance.”