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An indie studio says it's at risk of closure after Valve banned its game from Steam
AppWizard
November 27, 2025

An indie studio says it’s at risk of closure after Valve banned its game from Steam

Indie studio Santa Ragione is facing potential closure due to its game, Horses, being denied entry to Steam, which is a major sales platform for PC games. Horses is a first-person horror game featuring a college student on a farm where the "horses" are adults in horse masks, aimed at an adult audience. Valve blocked the game over concerns that it depicted sexual conduct involving a minor, a claim Santa Ragione disputes. The studio plans to release Horses on alternative platforms like the Epic Games Store, GOG, Itch, and the Humble Store on December 2. Santa Ragione invested approximately 0,000 in the game and struggles financially after their previous title, Saturnalia, underperformed. They believe a scene in the game may have triggered Valve's concerns despite the characters being adults. The studio has been unable to secure external publishing partnerships and is relying on the success of Horses on non-Steam platforms to survive. Co-founder Pietro Righi Riva acknowledged that the studio could close if the game does not perform well.
'What a publisher should do is, first of all, make genuine games': Vampire Survivors creator says he started his own publisher because too few 'try and let the developer realize their vision'
AppWizard
September 15, 2025

‘What a publisher should do is, first of all, make genuine games’: Vampire Survivors creator says he started his own publisher because too few ‘try and let the developer realize their vision’

In 2021, Luca Galante, a game developer, created Vampire Survivors while seeking an escape from his job on a mobile gambling game. This project led to the emergence of a new genre in gaming. Galante expressed dissatisfaction with many publishers in the gaming industry. Currently, Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors, has over 25 employees and launched Poncle Presents to provide an alternative to traditional publishers. Galante aims to support developers in realizing their artistic visions rather than prioritizing profit. He views Poncle’s publishing efforts as a way to uplift the indie game community and share the lessons learned from their success with Vampire Survivors.
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