A recently released horror game has been removed from most online PC game stores, which will likely limit its success. For a long time, video games have generally been allowed to show almost anything legal, including violence, crime, and even sexually explicit content. While the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) sets limits through its rating system – typically requiring games to be rated E to M for console releases – PC games have often had more leeway.
Steam has been removing some adult-themed games this year, with Valve taking action against titles that violate their policies. While not all adult content is prohibited, certain material triggers a ban. This has sparked debate, with some arguing for artistic freedom and the use of age restrictions. However, the most recent game removed isn’t sexually explicit; it’s a particularly unsettling horror game.
Horror Game Horses Banned from Steam, Epic Games Store, and Humble
The upcoming Italian horror game, Horses, has been blocked from release on Steam. Valve first restricted the game two years ago, while it was still being developed. The developer, Santa Ragione, says Valve never fully explained the reason for the ban, and wouldn’t reconsider the game even after changes were made. Valve maintains they provided clear feedback and made a final decision not to re-evaluate it after careful consideration.
The game Horses faced a setback, but was still planned for release on the Epic Games Store, Humble, GOG, and Itch.io. However, that’s no longer the case. IGN reports that while Horses is now available, both Epic Games Store and Humble have unexpectedly cancelled its release. Epic Games stated that the game received an Adults Only (AO) rating due to its responses in the IARC content review questionnaire.
Santa Ragione believes their game received an M rating after completing a standard questionnaire, but Epic explained that they don’t allow games rated AO (Adults Only) on their platform. Epic also pointed to two policy violations: their ‘Inappropriate Content’ policy, which bans explicit or unlabeled sexual content, and their ‘Hateful or Abusive Content’ policy, which prohibits content promoting abuse, including animal cruelty.
The team appealed Epic’s decision to ban their game, but the appeal was rejected within 12 hours with no explanation. Humble, the company behind the ban, hasn’t publicly stated why the game was removed. The developers of Horses say they’re aiming for a challenging and unsettling experience, but emphasize it’s driven by artistic intent, not just shock value. They point out that similar content wouldn’t be censored on streaming services like Netflix or Amazon. Currently, Horses is still available for $5 on GOG and Itch.io, where it has a strong average user rating of 4.4 out of 5.
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2025-12-03 20:12