Big Walk developer explains the lack of Xbox version is due to Microsoft’s place on the BDS boycott
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
House House has made clear that *Big Walk* will not come to Xbox while Microsoft or Xbox remain targets of the Palestinian-led BDS boycott. The developer says the decision will disappoint friends who hoped to play together, but believes coordinated collective action can bring meaningful change.
BDS lists Xbox because of Microsoft’s partnership with Israel and the reported use of its Azure cloud and AI systems, and has urged people to cancel Game Pass and avoid Microsoft gaming products. *Big Walk* launched on 4 August and sold more than one million copies in under a week, despite having no Xbox version.
- House House says *Big Walk* will stay off Xbox while Microsoft is a BDS target.
- The developer says the decision may stop some friends playing together.
- The game sold over one million copies in under a week.
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Big Walk is a cooperative video game made by Australian studio House House, known for Untitled Goose Game. Players explore together and communicate using gestures and voice chat, so the game is designed to be played with friends.
The BDS movement, short for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, is a Palestinian-led campaign that calls for economic and other pressure on Israel. It names Microsoft and Xbox among its targets, citing Microsoft’s business ties to Israel and the use of its cloud and AI services.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
House House’s position is that withholding Big Walk from Xbox is a principled way to avoid supporting a company targeted by a Palestinian-led boycott over its work with Israel. The developer believes coordinated consumer choices can exert pressure for change, even if this limits access and prevents some friends from playing together.
The case against
Critics could argue that excluding Xbox players imposes the cost of a political protest on ordinary users, including people with no influence over Microsoft’s decisions. They may also question whether withholding one game is likely to change the company’s conduct, and favour other ways to express concern that do not restrict who can play together.
Full account
House House says it has withheld its co-operative puzzle adventure Big Walk from Xbox in line with the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The studio said it would like friends to be able to play together across Xbox, but would reconsider if Microsoft or Xbox were no longer BDS boycott targets.
The developer acknowledged that the choice cuts against the game’s social aims and means some players cannot join friends on Xbox. It said it understood the disappointment, and expressed support for collective action and a free Palestine.
BDS has named Microsoft a priority target, citing the company’s contracts with the Israeli government and military. Its call includes Xbox consoles and Game Pass, as well as Microsoft-owned game franchises and accessories. The sources describe the movement’s grounds for targeting Microsoft, but do not independently assess those claims.
The reports also note that Big Walk is available on Windows through Steam, despite the decision to omit Xbox. One outlet says it had asked House House to explain this distinction and was awaiting a response. The first source reports that the game sold more than one million copies in less than a week after its 4 August release; the second focuses on the boycott rationale and does not give sales figures.
Where outlets differ
The first report emphasises BDS’s broader campaign and gives the game’s reported early sales. The second details the scope of the boycott call, mentions protests by Microsoft employees and the dismissal of some participants, and notes Big Walk’s Windows availability and its unanswered request for comment. The sources do not provide URLs or outlet names.
More coverage
- The Verge — Big Walk skipped Xbox to boycott Microsoft’s involvement with Israel
- Polygon — Big Walk Is Skipping Xbox as Part of the Pro-Palestinian BDS Boycott
- Rock Paper Shotgun — Big Walk devs House House announce support for BDS Microsoft boycott, say the co-op puzzler isn't coming to Xbox