GAME ON! Indie Studio Santa Ragione Gets ROASTED by Epic Games and Valve – The Shocking Truth!
Santa Ragione, the indie studio behind the game Horses, is facing a CRISIS of epic proportions after being blocked on not one, but TWO major gaming storefronts – Steam and the Epic Games Store. The studio is on the verge of closure, and it's a WILD RIDE to understand how we got here.
The situation started when Valve banned Horses from Steam, citing unspecified content issues. Santa Ragione claimed it would be EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to recoup its investment without access to the world's largest PC gaming storefront. And then, things got even WORSE.
Enter Epic Games – The Ultimate Game-Changer
Epic Games blocked Horses just 24 hours before its release, despite initially approving the game for sale on the Epic Games Store weeks earlier. The studio received a vague email stating that the game violated Epic's content guidelines, with NO SPECIFIC EXAMPLES provided. The appeal was denied just 12 hours later, leaving Santa Ragione BAFFLED.
According to the email, Epic banned Horses due to its alleged promotion of abuse and animal abuse, as well as its adults-only rating. But here's the thing – Horses is actually a HORROR GAME that critiques violence and abuse, featuring nude human adults wearing equine masks and living as horses on a farm.
Technical Breakdown – What’s Really Going On?
Let's break it down – Horses has a PIXELATED nudity system, and the game's four "sexual sequences" are brief, censored, and mostly off-camera. It's clear that Epic's decision was based on MISINFORMATION or a LACK OF UNDERSTANDING of the game's content.
Santa Ragione pointed out these facts in its appeal, but Epic stuck to its decision. The game is currently available on GOG and Itch.io, but with a $100,000 development cost, the studio needs to sell a lot of copies to break even.
So, What’s Next for Santa Ragione?
With Horses banned from Steam and the Epic Games Store, the studio is facing an UPHILL BATTLE to recover its investment. The game's availability on GOG and Itch.io is a LIFELINE, but it's unclear if it will be enough to save the studio.
Take Action – Don’t Let This Happen to You!
- Support indie studios like Santa Ragione by buying their games on alternative storefronts like GOG and Itch.io.
- Stay informed about the latest gaming news and controversies to avoid getting caught off guard.
- Enable 2FA on your gaming accounts to protect yourself from potential security breaches.
Final Verdict
The situation with Santa Ragione and Horses is a WAKE-UP CALL for the gaming industry. It's time to SPEAK OUT against unfair censorship and SUPPORT indie studios that are pushing the boundaries of game development. Share this article, comment below, and let's get the conversation started!
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