It's obvious that the game was yanked as a reaction to the current moral panic regarding technology and mental health in minors, not for the violence or gore.

This is just how moral panics are. We can say we just wanted social media to be 16+, but after the lawsuits roll in, no one is going to take a nuanced stance. Steam and EGS didn't stand up for Horses either, even after those devs changed the objectionable content, because earlier headlines made the work toxic in the current world.