The labyrinthine nature of the PC gaming market often means a single platform holds undue influence over the fate of brilliant, small-scale creations. Santa Ragione, the Italian development studio known for unique atmospheric titles like *Saturnalia* and the compelling road trip narrative *Wheels of Aurelia*, learned this devastating truth swiftly.
Their upcoming game, *Horses*, was rejected from Valve's dominant Steam platform. A decision confirmed as "final." That word, "final"—it carries the crushing potential for erasure. For a studio operating in a market so heavily skewed toward Steam’s dominance, this rejection translates into a terrifying existential reality: a "high risk" of closure, according to the developers themselves.
The fear must have been palpable. The silence, deafening.
A Quiet, Necessary Defiance
Yet, sometimes, in the darkest moments of professional despair, a lifeline appears. CD Projekt’s GOG, a digital distribution platform established on principles of player choice and DRM-free experiences, stepped into the void.
They did not hesitate. The decision felt less like a calculated corporate move and more like an instinctive recognition of profound injustice—a conviction that original voices must survive. GOG issued a statement, clear and resolute, expressing pride in providing *Horses* a home. They asserted a fundamental belief: players should always be able to choose the experiences that genuinely speak to them.
This support went far beyond a mere listing on the catalog, that much was immediately clear.
GOG activated an emergency response, a sudden mobilization of resources dedicated entirely to lifting the developers. They pushed pre-orders live instantly, foregoing the standard cadence. The game was given immediate showcase priority, adorning GOG’s homepage where millions might see the compelling, unique offering.
They alerted press and followers across every social media channel, generating crucial awareness for a game that suddenly needed the entire community’s support simply to launch. This gesture—a celebration of creativity in a moment of acute vulnerability—provided essential validation to the Santa Ragione team. *Horses* is preparing for its multi-platform launch on December 2, appearing on the Epic Games Store, Itch.io, and the Humble Store. But GOG's immediate, generous spotlight provides a desperately needed beacon of hope.
They chose to support creativity when it was most threatened.
CD Projekt's PC game storefront GOG is getting behind indie game Horses after Valve banned it from Steam.Other references and insights: Visit website
No comments:
Post a Comment