Controversial horror game Horses is the top-selling new game on GOG even as it gets kicked off the Humble Store one day after launch
www.pcgamer.com
Horses is proving to be something of a surprise hit, at least on the storefronts where you can still buy it.

Currently, only GOG and Itch are still selling this game.

EDIT: It seems the game has returned to Humble Bundle.

  • cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    261·
    15 hours ago

    Based solely off the trailer I can see how a big American storefront would err on the side of caution here. There is very little to gain from carrying a game decidedly built with controversy in mind, but a lot to loose.

    With the publicity around it and sales still possible through alternative stores maybe things will turn out alright for the developer in the end. “Banned” media is always in demand, after all.

    • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zipEnglish
      113·
      15 hours ago

      Unless it unexpectedly sells gangbusters, the dev says they’re likely to shut down as not having the massive steam audience to sell to won’t net them enough to continue. And people are stupidly loyal to valve for some reason.

      • Maestro@fedia.io
        302·
        14 hours ago

        That’s because Valve is privately owned and this has largely resisted the enshittification that largely plagues public companies and private equity frims.

        • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zipEnglish
          79·
          11 hours ago

          Except people give them passes for shit that they don’t extend to other companies. The blind loyalty is stupid

          • Zorque@lemmy.worldEnglish
            41·
            10 hours ago

            Such as? Perhaps if you specified on what they’re getting a pass for people could be a little less blind.

      • Mark with a Z@suppo.fiEnglish
        181·
        14 hours ago

        It very well could be true, but the dev also seemed full of shit in the first interview I saw, pretending that he had no clue why it was banned.

        • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zipEnglish
          52·
          11 hours ago

          I mean, he released the communication he’s received. It’s not super clear. And the things he thinks it was isn’t even in the current version of the game

          • KaChilde@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            71·
            10 hours ago

            The response said “no CSAM”.

            If they had to scratch their heads trying to figure out what parts of the game needed to change to not include allusions to that, then they have bigger problems than not releasing on Steam.

      • yermaw@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        8·
        14 hours ago

        They’d be as well carrying on. Its in a pretty unique position as being a game that people are talking about before its even finished, which is pretty uncommon for most titles, and can be “the game they tried to ban” which did wonders for Manhunt, GTA and Postal.

      • cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        71·
        14 hours ago

        Valve is pretty upfront about being a business first and foremost. Their customers are loyal because they consistently provide high value at reasonable prices, even though they are in a dominating position in the market. They’ve taken unpopular decisions in the past, but never any that seriously alienated a meaningful chunk of their customer base.