exhibitions

On December 2, Santa Ragione, an Italian game development studio, will release its first-person horror adventure game, Horses, which explores themes like familial trauma and totalitarian power. The game features grotesque imagery set in a ranch environment with nude individuals wearing horse masks. Before its release, Horses received attention at events such as IndieCade and SXSW Sydney. However, Santa Ragione faces potential closure after being banned from Steam due to concerns over content perceived as depicting sexual conduct involving a minor. The studio criticized Steam's lack of clarity in content guidelines and the absence of options for resubmission or appeal. While Epic Games raised issues about visible nudity, the contentious scene in question was not included in external builds until late 2024. Santa Ragione expressed concern over the inconsistency of content standards between different platforms and lamented the loss of access to Steam, which accounts for over 75% of PC game sales. They argue that the ban reflects moralizing censorship and advocate for artistic freedom in gaming.