Epic Games has defended its decision to ban the indie horror game Horses from the Epic Games Store, countering developer Santa Ragione’s accusations of censorship and misinformation. Santa Ragione criticized Epic for making “provably incorrect statements” about the game’s content and for not providing clear details or an official AO (Adults Only) rating certificate, which would have allowed an appeal. The game, which features disturbing live-action horror sequences set on a horse farm, was previously banned from Steam as well, with the developer calling for more transparent content policies from major distribution platforms.

Epic Games maintains that Horses violated its Content Guidelines, specifically regarding inappropriate and hateful or abusive content, and that an internal rating process assigned it an AO rating, which the store does not permit. Despite these bans, Horses has sold over 18,000 copies and generated $65,000 in net revenue, enough to pay off loans and royalties. The game received a positive review from IGN, scoring 7/10 for its impactful storytelling despite some gameplay flaws. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between indie developers and platform holders over content moderation and transparency.