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Indie Studio Faces Closure After Steam Bans 'Horses'

11/26/2025

25 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Santa Ragione, an Italian indie game studio, risks closure after Valve's Steam ban on Horses.
Horses is set to release on December 2, 2025 on other platforms, but Steam rejected it over depictions of sexual conduct involving a minor.
Santa Ragione says the ban stems from a vague content interpretation and an unfinished scene involving a young girl.
The studio argues Steam's opaque policies stifle creativity and threaten small developers.

History

Historical Context

Since 2018, Valve has faced scrutiny over its content policies, particularly after removing games like *Active Shooter* due to concerns over inappropriate content. This incident highlighted ongoing tensions between artistic expression and censorship, as Valve, alongside Epic Games and GOG, navigates the complex landscape of content moderation, impacting indie developers and potentially jeopardizing significant funding, estimated at $100,000.

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Story summary

Santa Ragione, an Italian indie game studio, risks closure after Valve's Steam ban on Horses.
Horses is set to release on December 2, 2025 on other platforms, but Steam rejected it over depictions of sexual conduct involving a minor.
Santa Ragione says the ban stems from a vague content interpretation and an unfinished scene involving a young girl.
The studio argues Steam's opaque policies stifle creativity and threaten small developers.

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