Developer Santa Ragione is reporting that its controversial indie horror game Horses sold 18,000 copies in two weeks. That was apparently enough to save the studio from financial ruin, but perhaps not enough to pay for production a second game.
According to a statement released by the developers, Horses generated $65,000 in net revenue, which allowed Santa Ragione to repay its loans and pay the royalties it owed to Andrea Lucco Borlera, the author and creator of Horses. However, the income won’t allow the team to immediately begin working on another game.
“This result is not enough to begin production on a new game,” reads the statement. “The money primarily covers obligations created by a prolonged end of development. If sales remain steady, we may be able to fund a new prototype in the future, but the team has had to, and will continue to, take other jobs and projects in the meantime. Reuniting everyone will not be easy, even if it is something we would love.”
It’s been an uphill battle for Santa Ragione and Horses. The studio recently revealed that its title had been banned by Steam in 2023 without explanation. Subsequently, Horses was also banned by Epic Games Store and Humble Bundle just before its release.
The cancellation of Horses by three of the major PC game distributors comes after a recent effort to target adult-oriented games on storefronts like Steam and Itch. There is definitely material meant for mature audiences in Horses, but the development team is calling for more transparency in the industry after it says it wasn’t given a chance to make any changes to Horses in order for it to be released on Steam.
“We also want to emphasize that this outcome should not distract from the broader issue at stake: the need for clearer rules, transparent processes, and meaningful accountability from near monopolistic distribution platforms and the systems they enforce,” wrote Santa Ragione’s spokesperson. “For every case like Horses that becomes visible, there are many more games that are quietly banned, delisted, or trapped in indefinite review for unclear reasons, with developers too worried about retaliation or future approval to speak publicly. We are grateful to the journalists and outlets who have reported, and who will continue to report, on these cases.”
Horses is now available for $5 on GOG, and Itch.io.