Epic Games Store Accused of 'Adults Only' Double Standard After Delisting Horses

• The Conflict: Indie publisher Santa Ragione is publicly blasting Epic Games Store (EGS) for its "uneven standards" and lack of communication following the delisting of the art-horror game Horses.
• The Epic Defense: EGS VP Steve Allison claims the game was flagged as "Adults Only" (AO) during a secondary internal review, violating store policy.
• The Counter-Punch: Santa Ragione alleges Epic "ghosted" them, refused to show the supposed AO certificate, and blocked the standard appeal process.
• The Hypocrisy Gap: Critics point out that Epic allows AO ratings for blockchain/NFT games while banning art-focused titles like Horses; meanwhile, Steam permits massive hits with full nudity like Baldur’s Gate 3.
• Current Status: Despite being banned from the two biggest PC storefronts, Horses is currently available on GOG and Humble Store, with 18,000 copies sold.

Epic Games and the "Adults Only" Double Standard

We’ve seen this movie before, but the ending isn't getting any better for indie devs. The drama surrounding Horses, a surrealist horror title from Santa Ragione, has boiled over again. After Epic Games Store VP Steve Allison tried to smooth things over in a recent interview, claiming the storefront "loves that studio," the developers fired back with a reality check. According to Santa Ragione, Epic hasn't just been difficult—they've been invisible.

"They do not ‘love that studio’, they have effectively ghosted us," the publisher stated on Bluesky. The core of the beef? Epic claims Horses earned an AO rating (the industry's kiss of death) after a "fresh look" from their trust and safety team. However, Santa Ragione says Epic has yet to produce the actual IARC certificate to prove it, effectively locking the game out of the store without a paper trail or a right to appeal.

The "Blockchain" Exception

Our take? The policy logic here is a total mess. Epic’s official stance is that they don't carry AO games—unless, of course, that AO rating comes from "blockchain or NFT technology." It’s a baffling loophole that suggests a crypto-scam is more welcome on the platform than a challenging piece of interactive art. This inconsistency is exactly why Santa Ragione is calling out the "uneven standards" that seem to plague the biggest digital storefronts.

What is Horses, and Why is Everyone Squeamish?

If you haven't tracked this title, Horses isn't your typical jump-scare fest. It’s a brutal, surrealist look at a rural Italian farm where humans are treated as livestock. Drawing heavy inspiration from Pasolini’s infamous film Salò, it tackles themes of fascist control and sexual violence. Crucially, the most graphic content is visually censored with pixelation—a fact Santa Ragione uses to argue that the AO rating is a misapplication of the rules.

The irony isn't lost on the community. While Horses gets the boot for its "disturbing" subject matter, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3—which feature high-fidelity, uncensored nudity—sit comfortably at the top of the charts. The "squeamishness" of Valve and Epic feels less like a moral stand and more like a selective enforcement of vague guidelines.

The Indie Survival Story

Despite being treated like a pariah by the industry giants, Horses is proving there's a market for "difficult" games. The title has moved 18,000 units through GOG and the Humble Store. While that’s enough to clear debt and pay out royalties, Santa Ragione notes it isn't enough to fund a brand-new project. It’s a stark reminder of how much power Steam and Epic hold over a studio’s future.

Final Analysis: A Failure of Communication

We believe the real issue here isn't just the rating—it's the "black box" nature of digital distribution. When a VP tells the press they "love a studio" while his team is actively ghosting that same studio, it's a bad look for Epic. Whether you think Horses is a masterpiece or a bridge too far, every developer deserves a transparent process and the ability to appeal a rating that could kill their commercial prospects. For now, if you want to see what the fuss is about, you’ll have to head over to GOG or Humble, because the "Big Two" have made their minds up.