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No: horses are not banned from video games. The headline refers to HORSES, a narrative horror game by Italian studio Santa Ragione, and separate storefront decisions affecting that one title. A report published December 3, 2025, says Steam rejected the game before release, Epic Games Store removed it shortly before its planned launch, and Humble temporarily delisted it before relisting it. Those are distinct platform actions—not a shared industry-wide ban on horses in games.
What happened to HORSES?
Santa Ragione developed HORSES as a first-person narrative horror game. A December 3, 2025 report describes a sequence of storefront decisions around its release. The account is historical; it does not establish where the game can be bought now. Game Developer’s report is the source for the reported timeline and platform explanations.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Horse Club Adventures - Nintendo Switch | $25.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Horse Club Ride West - Nintendo Switch | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Barbie Horse Trails - Nintendo Switch | $18.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Horse Club Adventures (PS4) | $20.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Large 23 inches Horse Race Board Game Foldable Wooden Horse Racing Game | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Platform | Reported action and timing | Reported explanation or follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Rejected the game during its review process in 2023, before release. | The report says the studio appealed and the appeals were denied. Valve’s statement, quoted in the report, says its team reviewed the build, gave feedback consistent with onboarding rules and guidelines, and made a final decision not to ship the game. The report does not establish the specific policy clause behind the decision. |
| Epic Games Store | Removed the game hours before its planned December 2, 2025 launch, according to the report. | The report says Epic cited policies on inappropriate and hateful or abusive content, as well as its exclusion of Adults Only-rated games. Santa Ragione reportedly said the game had received an ESRB Mature rating; the report does not independently verify that rating or explain the apparent discrepancy. |
| Humble | Temporarily removed the game, then relisted it, according to the report. | The report does not establish a complete review record or a current listing status. |
The report also says Santa Ragione later found other storefronts, including itch.io and GOG. That describes the situation reported at the time, not guaranteed present-day availability. Check the relevant storefront directly for current listings.
Why did Steam reject the game?
Valve’s statement as reproduced by Game Developer says the company reviewed the build, gave the developer feedback about why Steam could not ship it under its onboarding rules and guidelines, reconsidered the review after a request, and communicated a final decision. This is Valve’s account as quoted in the report, not a complete explanation of which content or rule determined the outcome.
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#1 Best Overall
- Over 40 different main quests with a gripping story revolving around lakeside!
- 30 optional side quests, including a thrilling tale about the mysterious edith jacobs!
- Numerous optional mini-games, such as horse grooming and cleaning hooves!
- All sorts of unlockable new outfits and embellishments for the game character. For example, new hairstyles, breeches, blouses, boots, riding helmets in the widest variety of colors.
- 90 race courses with three degrees of difficulty are distributed across the world to galloping for achieving the fastest lap time.
Steam’s public Online Conduct rules list categories of prohibited inappropriate content, including real or disturbing depictions of violence, exploitation of children, and sexually explicit content. The general policy page does not identify which provision, if any, was applied to HORSES.
Game Developer recounts a scene from an earlier build submitted for Steam review and relays co-founder Pietro Righi Riva’s explanation that the scene was changed in the final game. That account should be understood as the studio’s explanation reported by the publication. The report does not establish that the scene caused Steam’s decision, and it does not clearly state the exact reason publicly given for the rejection.
Rank #2
- Explore the Wild West: Dive into a lovingly crafted world and explore the adventurous surroundings at your own pace.
- Charming Story: Experience a charming, engaging story full of humor with friends Hannah, Sofia, Sarah, and Lisa.
- Western Riding & Activities: Test your skills in classic riding disciplines like barrel racing and pole bending, plus archery, painting, and playing the guitar.
- Six Unique Horses: Ride six unique horses, each with its own character and traits that you can develop throughout the game.
- Customize & Enjoy the Soundtrack: Create your own style for yourself and your horse with numerous customization options, accompanied by an atmospheric original soundtrack by Grammy-winning musician Winifred Phillips.
Why did Epic remove it, and what does the rating mean?
According to the December 2025 report, Epic invoked policies concerning inappropriate and hateful or abusive content and its rule excluding Adults Only-rated games. The same report says Santa Ragione stated that HORSES had received an ESRB Mature rating. Mature and Adults Only are different rating categories, but the report does not independently confirm the game’s rating or resolve why Epic removed it. It is therefore not possible to infer from the available account alone which content or rule led to Epic’s decision.
Does this mean horse racing or horses in games are banned?
No. The reported dispute concerns a single horror game titled HORSES; it is not evidence of a rule against horse characters, mounts, horse racing, or horse-related games as a category. Nor does the report show that Steam, Epic, and Humble coordinated: it describes separate decisions made by separate storefronts.
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- CARE FOR HORSES: Groom and accessorize your horse, Lucky, as you build a memorable friendship with her.
- PLAY AS BARBIE: Take the reins as Barbie ‘Brooklyn’ Roberts or Barbie ‘Malibu’ Roberts.
- EXPLORE THE OPEN-WORLD: Walk, trot, or gallop with Lucky and discover the park’s beauty.
- TRAIN AS A JUNIOR RANGER: Learn how to care for Canterbury Trails Park with help from nature experts.
- CAPTURE WILDLIFE MOMENTS: Use your camera to take photos of animals, plants and other discoveries then save them in your journal to help you on your quests.
What is known about the game’s availability now?
The report is dated December 3, 2025, and describes past actions. It does not verify current storefront listings, later appeals, or any revised official explanations. Since storefront status can change, consult current store pages or statements from Santa Ragione and the platforms before treating any historical listing as current.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- [Foldable Horse Racing Board] Foldable horse racing board with storage function makes this game set easy to transport to friend’s house, go out for camping and travel without worrying about missing any accessories, offering hours of fun and durable gaming experience.
- [23-Inch Wooden Horseracing Board Game] Large size: 23 x 12 inch. This horse race board is crafted with specially charcoal firing process to ensure entire board looks more vintage, durability and longevity. Moreover, the exterior of the game board is coated with a waterproof layer that prevents deformation or corrosion.
- [High Quality Craftsmanship Metal Horses] Our horses are crafted from premium quality metal materials, which are exquisitely crafted and resemble artwork, creating a realistic horse racing experience, cheering on your favorite horse. Comparing with other cheap plastic horses, this horse game is not just a game but also a collectible handicraft with significant value.
- [Exciting Horse Racing Experience for All Occasions] This scratched horse racing game is suitable for 2-11 players. When getting together with friends, neighbors and co-workers. If you would like to organize a family game night, birthday party, friends gathering, camping, buddies drink night, etc. With its exciting gameplay and competitive edge, this horse game surely will be a hit with everyone who plays.
- [A Great Gift Idea] If you are looking for a unique and exciting gift for the horse racing enthusiast? Our horse racing board game is your best choice! Especially for horse lovers and racing fans. With its beautiful design and exquisite color box packaging, it is sure to be a gift they'll never forget.
Rank #4
- Lively, colourful and detailed world including many familiar and new characters along with the settings from the Horse Club world
- Over 40 different main quests with a gripping story revolving around Lakeside
- 30 optional sidequests, including a thrilling tale about the mysterious Edith Jacobs that involves her, too
- Numerous optional mini games, such as horse grooming and cleaning hooves
- All sorts of unlockable new outfits and embellishments for the game character. For example, new hairstyles, breeches, blouses, boots, riding helmets in the widest variety of colours.Numerous unlockable embellishments for your own horse, such as tail types, manes, saddles, blankets and colours for a maximum degree of customising..Fabulous collectibles, such as stickers and photos that are unlocked one after the other.90 race courses with three degrees of difficulty are distributed across the world and invite to galloping to achieve the fastest lap time.Marvellous soundtrack with numerous electrifying pieces of music
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
