Santa Ragione, the creative minds behind the acclaimed titles Saturnalia and Wheels of Aurelia, have announced a significant shift in their operations, revealing a potential closure of their studio. This decision comes in the wake of Valve’s refusal to list their upcoming horror game, Horses, on Steam, the dominant digital storefront for PC gaming. The developers have indicated that while they possess enough funds to support and update Horses post-launch for approximately six months, they face an uphill battle in initiating new projects unless Horses can recoup its development costs without access to over 75% of the PC gaming market.
Details of the Rejection
In a detailed FAQ published on their official website, Santa Ragione elaborated on the circumstances surrounding Valve’s decision. The rejection stemmed from an unfinished build submitted in 2023, which Valve’s approval team deemed inappropriate due to its themes and imagery. Specifically, Valve stated, “we will not distribute content that appears, in our judgment, to depict sexual conduct involving a minor.”
Horses, a title that combines surreal body horror with silent cinema techniques, is set to launch on December 2nd via Epic, GOG, the Humble Store, and Itch. The narrative follows a young man tasked with two weeks of labor on a secluded farm, where he encounters a grotesque farmer and the titular Horses—human slaves adorned with horse masks, their nudity obscured.
Development Journey
Approximately two years ago, Santa Ragione submitted a “rough, incomplete” version of Horses for Steam approval. The developers noted that they had hastily assembled a playable build to meet Steam’s request for a Coming Soon page, a requirement they had not encountered previously. Following an automated review in June 2023, Valve issued a rejection based on content policy violations.
After review, we will not be able to ship your game HORSES on Steam. While we strive to ship most titles submitted to us, we found that this title features themes, imagery, or descriptions that we won’t distribute. Regardless of a developer’s intentions with their product, we will not distribute content that appears, in our judgment, to depict sexual conduct involving a minor.
In the months following the ban, Santa Ragione sought clarification from Valve, expressing willingness to modify any elements deemed unsuitable. However, they have yet to receive a response. The developers suspect that a particular scene involving a father and daughter visiting the farm may have raised concerns among Steam’s content reviewers.
Content Clarifications
The developers explained that the scene in question involves the daughter selecting a “horse” to ride, leading to an interactive dialogue where the player guides a naked adult woman wearing a horse mask. They emphasized that the scene is not sexual in nature but acknowledged that the juxtaposition may have triggered Valve’s concerns. To address this, they have since altered the character to be an adult woman, enhancing the dialogue’s thematic relevance.
Santa Ragione clarified that all characters in Horses are depicted as being over 20 years old, both visually and through in-game dialogue. While the game does feature sexual elements, the developers assert that the intent is not to provoke arousal but rather to foster discussion around challenging themes.
Financial Implications
Having invested around 0,000 into the development of Horses, Santa Ragione initially funded the project with ,000 after partnering with primary developer Andrea Lucco Borlera. They had anticipated covering the remaining costs through sales of Saturnalia, which unfortunately did not meet expectations. The studio attributes this shortfall partly to Valve’s refusal to provide Steam keys for a promotional bundle, coinciding with the announcement of Horses’ ban.
The ban has severely limited their ability to secure external funding, as many in the industry view an indie game without a Steam release as non-viable. Consequently, they have raised the remaining funds through private contributions, placing them in a precarious financial position reliant on the success of Horses.
Industry Context
Notably, the ban on Horses predates recent trends of delisting adult content from platforms like Steam and Itch.io, driven by payment processor pressures. Santa Ragione has made it clear that their situation is distinct, attributing the ban solely to Steam’s curatorial decisions. They argue that while Steam hosts ultraviolent and explicit content, their non-pornographic work has been unjustly censored without context.
In their commentary, the developers highlight a perceived double standard, noting that mature themes are often accepted in mainstream media platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, suggesting that Steam does not afford games the same artistic recognition.
As the situation unfolds, Santa Ragione remains hopeful for the future of Horses while navigating the complexities of the gaming industry’s content policies and market dynamics.
Saturnalia creators Santa Ragione will “wind down operations” after Valve ban horror game Horses from Steam
Santa Ragione, the creative minds behind the acclaimed titles Saturnalia and Wheels of Aurelia, have announced a significant shift in their operations, revealing a potential closure of their studio. This decision comes in the wake of Valve’s refusal to list their upcoming horror game, Horses, on Steam, the dominant digital storefront for PC gaming. The developers have indicated that while they possess enough funds to support and update Horses post-launch for approximately six months, they face an uphill battle in initiating new projects unless Horses can recoup its development costs without access to over 75% of the PC gaming market.
Details of the Rejection
In a detailed FAQ published on their official website, Santa Ragione elaborated on the circumstances surrounding Valve’s decision. The rejection stemmed from an unfinished build submitted in 2023, which Valve’s approval team deemed inappropriate due to its themes and imagery. Specifically, Valve stated, “we will not distribute content that appears, in our judgment, to depict sexual conduct involving a minor.”
Horses, a title that combines surreal body horror with silent cinema techniques, is set to launch on December 2nd via Epic, GOG, the Humble Store, and Itch. The narrative follows a young man tasked with two weeks of labor on a secluded farm, where he encounters a grotesque farmer and the titular Horses—human slaves adorned with horse masks, their nudity obscured.
Development Journey
Approximately two years ago, Santa Ragione submitted a “rough, incomplete” version of Horses for Steam approval. The developers noted that they had hastily assembled a playable build to meet Steam’s request for a Coming Soon page, a requirement they had not encountered previously. Following an automated review in June 2023, Valve issued a rejection based on content policy violations.
In the months following the ban, Santa Ragione sought clarification from Valve, expressing willingness to modify any elements deemed unsuitable. However, they have yet to receive a response. The developers suspect that a particular scene involving a father and daughter visiting the farm may have raised concerns among Steam’s content reviewers.
Content Clarifications
The developers explained that the scene in question involves the daughter selecting a “horse” to ride, leading to an interactive dialogue where the player guides a naked adult woman wearing a horse mask. They emphasized that the scene is not sexual in nature but acknowledged that the juxtaposition may have triggered Valve’s concerns. To address this, they have since altered the character to be an adult woman, enhancing the dialogue’s thematic relevance.
Santa Ragione clarified that all characters in Horses are depicted as being over 20 years old, both visually and through in-game dialogue. While the game does feature sexual elements, the developers assert that the intent is not to provoke arousal but rather to foster discussion around challenging themes.
Financial Implications
Having invested around 0,000 into the development of Horses, Santa Ragione initially funded the project with ,000 after partnering with primary developer Andrea Lucco Borlera. They had anticipated covering the remaining costs through sales of Saturnalia, which unfortunately did not meet expectations. The studio attributes this shortfall partly to Valve’s refusal to provide Steam keys for a promotional bundle, coinciding with the announcement of Horses’ ban.
The ban has severely limited their ability to secure external funding, as many in the industry view an indie game without a Steam release as non-viable. Consequently, they have raised the remaining funds through private contributions, placing them in a precarious financial position reliant on the success of Horses.
Industry Context
Notably, the ban on Horses predates recent trends of delisting adult content from platforms like Steam and Itch.io, driven by payment processor pressures. Santa Ragione has made it clear that their situation is distinct, attributing the ban solely to Steam’s curatorial decisions. They argue that while Steam hosts ultraviolent and explicit content, their non-pornographic work has been unjustly censored without context.
In their commentary, the developers highlight a perceived double standard, noting that mature themes are often accepted in mainstream media platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, suggesting that Steam does not afford games the same artistic recognition.
As the situation unfolds, Santa Ragione remains hopeful for the future of Horses while navigating the complexities of the gaming industry’s content policies and market dynamics.