Horses, a first-person narrative horror game, was banned from the Epic Games Store just hours before it was set to launch on December 2nd. Then, a day after launch, the Humble store (temporarily) banned it as well. The decision shocked the developers at Santa Ragione, makers of the critically respected Saturnalia, as these storefronts were the homes they’d found for their game two years before it was preemptively banned from Steam.
Valve and Epic say Horses violates their sexual content policies. Humble hasn’t yet said why it banned the game.
And I would agree with you if that content were still in the game.
If they are disallowed on Steam, with no recourse, and Steam’s market share is 75%, this is the letter and verse WHY we have antitrust laws. They are the textbook definition of a monopoly.
If you burn someone like that, they aren’t going to accept do overs. “Sorry for what you perceived as CSAM” doesn’t work.
A monopoly giving zero recourse doesn’t work, either. It’s a shame, because I like steam for the most part.
A federated game distribution platform would be cool. Something no one can own. I dont think that will happen in our capitalist world. But I also dont think this particular problem would be solved by that.
That would be so cool, I suppose we can dream.
Maybe we should just do it. Idk if I have the skills but I’d be willing to contribute. I’m tired of this paradigm, grandpa.