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The game "Horses" now barred on Steam, Epic and Humble Bundle (www.pcgamer.com)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by alehel@lemmy.zip to c/games@lemmy.world
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Currently, only GOG and Itch are still selling this game.

EDIT: It seems the game has returned to Humble Bundle.

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[-] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 12 points 6 days ago

Assuming the content is merely controversial and not objectionable (i.e. exploitative), it seems there may be room for an art-centric game store front.

Ironically, I'm betting it's nowhere near as exploitative as the monetization practices of virtually every AAA release these days.

[-] I_Jedi@lemmy.today 2 points 6 days ago

I nominate DLSite and JAST.

[-] HollowNaught@lemmy.world 12 points 6 days ago

Wait, I thought this game was a depiction of what we subject horses to, using a horror lens to drive home the point? I've never heard of something less sexy?

[-] Contramuffin@lemmy.world 19 points 6 days ago

My understanding is that there was a scene where a young girl rides a naked man/woman around. Apparently it has since been changed to make the child older, but... I can perfectly understand why anyone would be hesitant to accept such a game based on that description alone. Even if it's not intended to be sexual, the developers were certainly pushing the line

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 15 points 6 days ago

That’s not how this works, you don’t get to decide what is acceptable for other people. It’s people like you who galvanize Mastercard and Visa in trying to control what kind of content we’re “allowed” to purchase.

To be clear this all sounds repugnant to me, but i realize Im not the sole arbiter of taste and have no interest in telling other adults what (legal) things they are and aren’t allowed to do.

If the game is so bad it’ll tank, it doesn’t need outside forces influencing it.

[-] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 24 points 6 days ago

Um, he didn't say he was deciding for others, he said he could understand how others would be hesitant... sounded like he was supporting your very point that people have a right to have their own opinion.

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

The only reason someone wouldn’t want to sell something is because of pressure from others - you boil it down enough and the logic is “I don’t want to sell this because others will judge me”, which stems directly from others judgement, being my entire point.

You can claim “Valve doesn’t want to sell it for moral reasons”, but they’re not a moral body, they’re a corporation - their only job is to earn money.

The more people feel they can dictate what a retailer sells, the worse it gets for all of us, and retailers choosing to drop things rather than “roc k the boat” is a problem.

Sure, this is a pretty repugnant case, but the slippery slope starts somewhere.

[-] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 9 points 6 days ago

the slippery slope starts somewhere.

You know slippery slope is a fallacy right? The "slippery slope" can also stop anywhere.

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I regret my short hand of “slippery slope” but it’s not a coincidence that less than 6 months ago payment processors used their influence to get a game pulled from steam and now all of a sudden steam is self censoring based on content.

Whatever the non-fallacious version of “there’s an escalating pattern here” is what’s happening.

Go ahead and read up https://lifehacker.com/entertainment/why-steam-banned-adult-games

[-] LupertEverett@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Except this particular ban happened in 2023, way before the paypros got in the scene.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/santa-ragione-co-founder-pietro-righi-riva-on-horses-steam-and-possible-closure-of-the-studio

Along with the official release date of the game (December 2), the statement revealed that Horses was indefinitely banned on Steam in June 2023 – days before it was set to premiere on IGN's Summer of Gaming event.

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

This is useful information I was not aware of - thank you.

While I was wrong about Horses, the issue with payment processors forcing censorship on Steam is still true and an enormous issue - Visa doesn’t get a say in what I purchase.

[-] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 6 points 6 days ago

Do the other stores hosting the game have the same payment processors?

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[-] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

People are free to pressure retailers on what to sell and what not too. Saying they can't would be far worse. And the retailer is doing the job of making money... by following the 2ishes of the populace. This is the free market capitalist society we live in. Completly sucks, but it is consistent.

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

I don’t disagree, I’m just calling the people who choose to complain morons, because again I don’t believe they should be the arbiters of what is acceptable.

Basically, you’re free to have your opinion, but keep it to your fucking self and your fucking echo chambers you regressive fucking failures (the general you, not you specifically)

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[-] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 20 points 6 days ago

That's not how that works. You don't get to decide what a store does and does not sell. Steam refuses hundreds of games a year, this one doesn't get special treatment.

Saying "I understand why (store) would not want to carry this product" is not the same as saying "no store should carry this product."

[-] notgivingmynametoamachine@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago

I’m not admonishing the store, as you said it’s up to them to carry what they like. I’m admonishing you and people like you for trying to exert pressure on the store to not carry something you personally don’t like, because again, you’re not intended to be in charge of what others sell.

[-] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 10 points 6 days ago

When did I (or anyone else) exert pressure on Steam to not carry this? My understanding is this is a decision Steam made.

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[-] prole 8 points 6 days ago

You've fabricated a straw man, and appear to be furious at it

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[-] cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 6 days ago

That's literally how it works. If you run a store selling/licensing media you get to decide what's on the shelves and what isn't.

[-] QueenHawlSera@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

So wait, why did Epic ban the game?

I will admit I pre-ordered the game on GOG because GOG advertised it as being "Banned from Steam!" and I assumed VISA and Mastercard were fucking around again.... Well that's five dollars for a game I don't wanna play because I don't want to wind up on a list

[-] alehel@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 days ago

All characters in the game now are 20 years or older. So you didn't buy any, no.

[-] iambatman1469@ttrpg.network 1 points 5 days ago

Fuck censorship.

All devs should release their games on their own websites and get paid in Monero.

[-] PrettyFlyForAFatGuy@feddit.uk 1 points 5 days ago

Just bought it out of principle on GOG. It's $3, you should too

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this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2025
179 points (100.0% liked)

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