Major Gaming Platforms Pull Plug On Controversial Indie Horror Game 'Horses' on OnlyLikeFans

Indie Game 'Horses' Stirs Controversy as Platforms Pull Out

On December 2, 2025, the indie horror game Horses was poised for release on major online gaming platforms. However, as the launch date approached, several stores including Steam, Epic Games Store, and Humble Store, decided to backtrack on their distribution plans. The decision stirred a heated online debate, with critics crying censorship while others applauded the move as upholding content policies.

The core of the controversy lies in the game's unsettling narrative. Horses features "horses" that turn out to be unclothed humans in horse masks, situated on a rural farm. Particularly alarming to reviewers was a scene where a young girl interacts with these figures, blending nudity and perceived themes of coercion. This troubling imagery led to policy violations on various platforms.

Developer Adjustments and Platform Rejections

The developers, Santa Ragione, made efforts to rework specific scenes after Steam's 2023 rejection. They altered the age of a character and adjusted dialogue content, yet these changes did not manage to overturn all bans. Despite Santa Ragione’s attempts for clarification, Steam maintained its stance without pinpointing a specific offending element.

“We adjusted the scenes after feedback, but the platforms still didn't budge,” a representative from Santa Ragione noted.

Meanwhile, the Epic Games Store had initially given a green light earlier in 2025, only to retract their approval a day before the game's launch. Epic cited breaches of content guidelines and flagged it for "Inappropriate Content" and "Hateful or Abusive Content". Additionally, the game was slapped with an Adult Only (AO) rating by IARC, which Epic does not accommodate.

Humble Store Joins Decision to Remove 'Horses'

Following the steps of Steam and Epic, the Humble Store also decided against selling Horses on December 3, 2025. Attempts to access the game’s Humble Store page now lead to an error message. Santa Ragione confirmed receiving a notice of the game's removal from Humble and is still awaiting further details on the reasoning behind the decision.

Despite the setbacks, the game found refuge on platforms like itch.io and GOG, where its infamy has ironically boosted its visibility and sales. Prospective players should note that the game contains adult themes and disturbing content.