GOG Defends Player Choice Amid Gaming Controversy
▼ Summary
– Valve banned the horror game Horses from Steam in 2023, claiming it depicted sexual conduct involving a minor, which developer Santa Ragione disputes as a mischaracterization.
– Santa Ragione altered the controversial scene by aging the daughter character into a woman during development and believes the final version would have passed Steam’s approval if re-examined.
– Rival storefront GOG will sell Horses, stating it aims to give players freedom to choose their games and provide creators space for their artistic work.
– Horses is a three-hour horror adventure exploring themes like familial trauma and totalitarian power, set on a farm with human “horses” as livestock.
– The game launches on December 2nd via GOG, Epic Games Store, Humble Store, and Itch.io for €4.99/$4.99, with GOG opening pre-orders to support the developer.
In the ongoing debate over content moderation in digital storefronts, GOG has positioned itself as a champion of player choice and artistic freedom, stepping forward to distribute the controversial narrative horror game Horses after its rejection by Steam. The game, developed by Italian studio Santa Ragione, is scheduled for release next week across several PC platforms, with GOG publicly affirming its commitment to allowing gamers to decide for themselves what they play.
Santa Ragione, known for acclaimed titles such as Saturnalia and Mediterranea Inferno, first announced Horses in 2023. Described as a three-hour horror adventure, the game blends stark black-and-white visuals with live-action segments and interactive gameplay. Set over a two-week period on a farm where human “horses” are kept as livestock, the experience delves into heavy themes including familial trauma, puritanical values, and the ethics of personal responsibility.
The controversy erupted when Santa Ragione revealed that Horses would launch on every major PC storefront except Steam. According to the developer, Valve decided to ban the game last year, citing a policy against distributing content that, in its judgment, depicts sexual conduct involving a minor. Santa Ragione co-founder Pietro Righi Riva explained that this decision was based on a brief scene from an early build, a scene the studio insists was never sexual in nature. In the sequence, a visitor allows his young daughter to ride one of the human horses. The developer clarified that this moment was later revised during development, with the daughter character aged up into a woman in her twenties.
Santa Ragione maintains that if Valve had reviewed the final version of Horses, it would have passed the platform’s content review without objection. The fact that other digital distributors, including the Epic Games Store, Humble Store, and Itch.io, have raised no concerns appears to support their position. Despite requests from the developer, Valve has declined to reassess the completed game.
GOG entered the conversation with a public statement on social media, expressing pride in offering Horses a storefront home. In a follow-up comment, a GOG representative emphasized the company’s mission to provide developers with a welcoming space for their creative projects while ensuring players can easily access the titles that resonate with them. “We believe players should be able to choose the experiences that speak to them,” the statement read. “In support of Santa Ragione during this challenging period, we have opened pre-orders for Horses starting today.”
Horses will be available for purchase on December 2nd through GOG, the Epic Games Store, the Humble Store, and Itch.io, priced at €4.99 or $4.99.
(Source: Eurogamer)
