Celeste and TowerFall dev explains why both games were suddenly delisted from Xbox
Developer Maddy Thorson has intentionally removed Celeste and TowerFall from sale on Xbox to support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. The decision highlights growing pressure on Microsoft and Xbox over the company’s ties to Israel, and means players can no longer buy either game within the Xbox ecosystem.
BDS cites Microsoft’s provision of Azure cloud and AI services to Israel, including its Ministry of Defense, as the reason Xbox is a boycott target. Microsoft has acknowledged supplying AI technology but says it has found no evidence it was used to target or harm people in Gaza; other reports cited in the article dispute that claim. The games remain available on PlayStation, PC and Switch, and other developers have also withheld Xbox releases over the issue.
In short
- Celeste and TowerFall were removed from Xbox sales.
- Developer Maddy Thorson said the move supports BDS.
- Both games remain available on PlayStation, PC and Switch.
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The case for
Withholding the games can be seen as a legitimate way for a developer to align business decisions with human-rights concerns and add pressure for greater accountability over Microsoft’s services to Israel. Supporters may argue that consumer and creator boycotts are non-violent tools for drawing attention to alleged harms, especially when official assurances are disputed.
The case against
Critics may argue that removing the games chiefly limits choices for Xbox players, many of whom have no role in Microsoft’s contracts or Israel’s actions, while leaving the games available on other platforms. They may also contend that a boycott is a blunt response when the reported evidence about how Microsoft’s technology has been used is contested, and that engagement or targeted pressure would better support accountability.
Explained simply
Celeste is a platform game and TowerFall is a multiplayer archery game, both made by independent developer Maddy Thorson and collaborators. Xbox is Microsoft’s gaming platform, which includes its consoles and digital shop.
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, known as BDS, calls for economic and cultural pressure on Israel over its policies towards Palestinians. Microsoft’s provision of cloud computing and AI services to Israeli government bodies has brought the company and Xbox into debate over whether technology firms should face such pressure.
Microsoft has said it found no evidence that its AI technology was used to target or harm people in Gaza; other reporting has challenged that account. The dispute matters to players, developers and technology companies because it raises questions about corporate ties to conflict and the role of boycotts in shaping what is sold on a platform.
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