Buckle up, gamers! The spine-chilling talk of the town, Santa Ragione's horror game Horses, has hit another mind-bending twist! Just when we thought the drama couldn't get any juicier, Epic Games Store pulled the plug at the 11th hour, leaving gamers and developers alike scratching their heads.
After last week's steamrolling shocker when Horses vanished from Steam without a trace, the plot thickens as Epic steps in with a similar surprise shutdown. Hold onto your joysticks, folks! With the game poised for a thrilling ride across PC storefronts, Epic's last-minute curveball sent shockwaves through the gaming realm.
This isn't your typical rodeo, as Santa Ragione reported receiving the memo just a day before the anticipated release. It appears Epic had given the green light for launch weeks earlier. However, things took a wild turn when Epic hit the brakes, citing violations of its 'Inappropriate Content' and 'Hateful or Abusive Content' policies.
Epic's disapproval email threw the spotlight on content rules prohibiting graphic sexual content and abusive material. It turns out the content rated an 'Adults Only' (AO) by the IARC assessment, which threw yet another wrench into the game’s EPIC debut. But there's more than meets the eye, as Santa Ragione contests this finding, claiming their own assessment returned a moderate 'Mature' rating!
Thrown into chaos, Santa Ragione leaped for an appeal but got shot down just 12 hours after with no additional feedback. With scenes straight from a horror classic, Santa Ragione is left puzzled by the eerie mystery surrounding these differing ratings.
Interestingly, after Steam's withdrawal last week, horses aficionados rallied on social media to support the beleaguered developers. Rivals like GOG gallantly stepped in, pledging to champion the game's cause and promote its release. Santa Ragione speculates that the overwhelming online frenzy may have swayed Epic's cryptic decision-making showdown.
As curious gamers and supporters await answers, the gaming gods have yet more to say. IGN reached out to Epic for the final word, with Epic’s communications director, Jake Jones, promising insight.
Stay tuned as the legend of Horses unfolds! Will Santa Ragione ride through the storm and find a new home for their nightmarish creation? Keep your eyes peeled, and your controllers ready, for more thrilling updates!