GOG Stands Up for Horses: How Poland's Game Store Became Censorship's Enemy

When Steam and Epic yanked Horses from shelves, GOG didn't flinch. This is how Poland's game store became the indie developer's last hope.

GOG sold the banned horror game Horses after Steam and Epic delisted it. Managing director Maciej Gołębiewski called the decision a "matter of freedom."

"We as a company are always ready to take a stand on values - our own and also what we believe are the right values for the industry," Gołębiewski said. CEO Michał Kiciński added: "Curation is the privilege and prerogative of each platform."

Payment providers MasterCard and Visa enforced bans on 'adult content' games, forcing studios like Santa Ragione to lose access to major platforms. GOG launched an anti-censorship movement following the Horses controversy, now operating independently after separating from CD Projekt.

The platform focuses on a 'curated storefront' model, emphasizing playability and fun-factor. With just 2% market share versus Steam's 80%, GOG's stance highlights the tension between platform control and creative freedom.