Santa Ragione, an acclaimed indie studio, faces potential closure due to a ban on their latest game, Horses, from Steam. This unsettling narrative horror game, scheduled for release on December 2, 2025, tackles complex themes such as guilt and power dynamics through its unique premise of a farm populated by naked masked humans. Unfortunately, after a series of unusual decisions by Valve, the studio received an automated message rejecting the game without clear explanations, severely limiting its reach to PC gamers. As the studio struggles to secure funding without the Steam audience, its future hangs in the balance, marking a potential end to a decade and a half of innovative game development.

Why was Horses banned from Steam?

The ban stemmed from Valve's concerns over the game’s mature content, which they interpreted as depicting sexual conduct involving a minor, even though all characters are portrayed as older than 20 and the content was not intended to be pornographic. The specific elements triggering the ban remain unclear, leading to frustration from the developers.

Founded in 2010 by Pietro Righi Riva and Nicolò Tedeschi, Santa Ragione has a history of pushing boundaries in gaming, with past titles like Mirror Moon EP and Saturnalia exploring societal themes and experimental gameplay. The studio's work environment is akin to a film production, with a focus on collaborative creativity across diverse fields, emphasizing meaningful narrative experiences that challenge traditional gaming norms.