{"rewrite":{"id":"r_290a25de6c8619966825dd8f","clusterId":"c_fed094a70abd47b4bdc05435","slug":"horses-horror-game-gets-japanese-language-support-june-16","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"HORSES Horror Game Gets Japanese Language Support June 16","summary":"Santa Ragione's controversial horror game 'HORSES' will receive an official Japanese language update on June 16, 2026. The announcement was made by translator Rabumu (also known as LoveMoo) on June 15. The game, which was banned from sale on Steam and the Epic Games Store due to its extreme depictions, is available on GOG.com, itch.io, and the Humble Store for $4.99 (approximately 700 yen). In 'HORSES,' the player takes on the role of a college student who spends 14 days working on a farm where the horses are naked humans wearing horse masks. The experience is presented in monochrome with live-action full-motion video segments. Despite the platform bans, the game has earned a 4.3-star rating from about 800 reviews on GOG.com and won the 'Nuovo Award' at the 2026 Independent Games Festival Awards for innovative works. It was also nominated for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. The Japanese translation is handled by Rabumu, who previously translated 'Mediterranea Inferno' and 'CLeM.'","whyItMatters":"The Japanese localization of a game that major platforms rejected as inappropriate signals that niche, controversial titles can still find audiences and critical recognition through alternative storefronts and dedicated fan translation efforts.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese translation was handled by Rabumu, also known as LoveMoo, who previously translated \u0026#34;Mediterranea Inferno,\u0026#34; \u0026#34;CLeM,\u0026#34; and \u0026#34;Milky Way Prince (New Translation).\u0026#34; The update goes live at 22:00 JST on June 16.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe game is a first-person horror adventure. The player character, a college student, spends summer vacation helping on a farm run by a friendly uncle. The daily tasks involve caring for horses, but the horses are naked humans wearing horse masks. Over 14 days, the player encounters events that test obedience, cooperation, and self-control.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe game uses monochrome graphics and live-action full-motion video. TV screens and watering scenes appear as live-action footage, adding a sense of reality. The horror is described as a gradual erosion of the mind rather than jump scares or extreme depictions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSanta Ragione announced on November 26 that Steam would not distribute the game. On the Epic Games Store, Epic notified the developer 24 hours before the December 3 release that it violated guidelines. The game is available on GOG.com, itch.io, and the Humble Store for $4.99 (approximately 700 yen).\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"HORSES won the Nuovo Award at IGF 2026 despite being banned from Steam and Epic. The award recognizes innovation, not market access.","twitterPost":"HORSES won IGF's Nuovo Award for innovation despite Steam and Epic bans. The award validates the work, not the storefront.","threadsPost":"HORSES won the Nuovo Award at the 2026 Independent Games Festival, a prize for innovation, while being banned from Steam and Epic. The game's critical recognition exists entirely outside the major storefronts.","newsletterBlurb":"Santa Ragione's controversial horror game 'HORSES,' which was banned from Steam and the Epic Games Store for its extreme depictions, is getting an official Japanese language update on June 16. The game, where players care for naked humans wearing horse masks on a farm, won the Nuovo Award at the 2026 IGF Awards.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260615-449876/\",\"title\":\"Banned on Steam Human Ranch Horror 'HORSES' Suddenly Gets Japanese Language Support. A Controversial but Highly Rated Game, a Strange Summer at a 'Horse Mask Naked Human' Ranch\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/15/168012.html\",\"title\":\"Official Japanese Version of 'HORSES', Which Was Removed from Steam/EGS, Releases June 16: A Horror Game Depicting Horses as 'Naked Humans'\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":8921,"outputTokens":1096,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1781540760,"createdAt":"2026-06-15T16:15:23.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-15T16:19:57.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-15T16:19:57.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_fed094a70abd47b4bdc05435","canonicalTitle":"“Steamでは発売禁止”人間牧場ホラー『HORSES』いきなり日本語実装へ。問題作だけど高評価、「馬マスク裸人間」牧場での奇怪なひと夏","representativeArticleId":"a_9671b3b312491d986106c5f3","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"HORSES\"],\"studios\":[\"Santa Ragione\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"release\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-15T13:00:02.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-15T13:00:07.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-15T16:19:57.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260615-449876/","title":"“Steamでは発売禁止”人間牧場ホラー『HORSES』いきなり日本語実装へ。問題作だけど高評価、「馬マスク裸人間」牧場での奇怪なひと夏"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/15/168012.html","title":"Steam/EGS配信中止になった『HORSES』公式日本語版6月16日リリース。馬を“全裸の人間”として描くホラー"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["HORSES"],"studios":["Santa Ragione"],"people":[],"type":"release","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The Japanese language update for HORSES goes live at 22:00 JST on June 16, 2026.","The game is available on GOG.com, itch.io, and the Humble Store for $4.99 (approximately 700 yen).","HORSES won the Nuovo Award at the 2026 Independent Games Festival Awards.","The game was banned from sale on Steam and the Epic Games Store due to its extreme depictions.","The Japanese translation was handled by Rabumu, who previously translated 'Mediterranea Inferno' and 'CLeM.'"]}