Boycott Instead of Release: Why 'Big Walk' Will Never Appear on Xbox

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Boycott Instead of Release: Why 'Big Walk' Will Never Appear on Xbox.

Over a million copies sold in the first week, a Metacritic score of 91, a 9/10 in the IGN review — 'Big Walk' is a hit. Just not on one platform: the Xbox version is missing. And that's no oversight. Australian studio House House has now publicly explained why the game won't appear on Microsoft's console — and it's neither a licensing dispute nor a technical issue.

What House House specifically said

The studio, previously known for 'Untitled Goose Game,' published the explanation on its website and via social media channels. In their words: "It has always been our intention for Big Walk to be played by groups of friends, and we know that keeping the game off Xbox runs counter to those intentions. This decision means that some people will miss out on playing Big Walk with their friends, and we understand the disappointment we're causing. We are disappointed too." In other words: the studio knows that many people won't be able to play the game with friends on Xbox — and they explicitly regret that themselves.

The condition for a reversal is clearly spelled out: only when Microsoft and/or Xbox is removed from the BDS movement's target list will 'Big Walk' appear on Microsoft's platform. The developers frame the decision openly in political terms: "with the belief that meaningful change can be made in the world, that coordinated collective action can confront even the most powerful interests, and that one day, Palestine will be free."

Why Xbox specifically? The accusation behind the BDS list

BDS stands for "Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions" and describes itself as a "palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality." The organization maintains a list of companies that, in its view, support Israel — alongside Xbox, Disney and Intel are also on it. According to IGN, Xbox is classified by BDS as a "priority" boycott target, with its own campaign calling on gamers, streamers and developers to exit Microsoft's gaming business.

The specific accusation: Microsoft's partnership with Israel and its prison system. The company allegedly provides its Azure cloud and AI systems, which BDS says are used "consistently" for the "subjugation of Palestinians." The BBC has already reported on Microsoft's collaboration with the Israeli government — according to IGN, a topic that has also sparked protests among employees within the company itself. Microsoft has so far not commented on the allegations; IGN has requested a statement from the company, which is still pending.

What BDS specifically demands from players

The movement spells it out pretty clearly for fans: cancel Game Pass subscriptions, boycott major Microsoft franchises like 'Call of Duty' and 'Candy Crush,' and generally stop buying Microsoft gaming products. With 'Big Walk,' House House is therefore not joining a quiet industry boycott, but a very visible mobilization that directly appeals to your subscription and your purchases.

The trade-off you have to weigh yourself

Before forming a judgment, it's worth looking at both sides. In favor of the BDS line: the cooperation between tech corporations and the Israeli state is indeed documented — the BBC has reported on it, Microsoft employees have protested. Concrete political pressure is often the only tool organizations like BDS have in such constellations.

On the downside: 'Big Walk' is — and critics agree on this — a genuinely good co-op game in which you walk through an open world with friends and solve puzzles. Preventing an Xbox version shuts out part of a community from exactly what the developers built it for, by their own admission: playing together. The developers themselves call it "disappointing." Anyone taking a political stance always incurs collateral damage for outsiders — here, it's concrete game nights.

What you're left with in the end

If you want to play 'Big Walk,' you currently need a PC, a PS5, or a Nintendo Switch 2. The game launched on these platforms on August 4 (2026) and crossed the million mark in under a week. There's no Xbox release as long as Microsoft remains on the BDS list. Available sources are silent on when or whether that will change. Microsoft itself has not publicly commented on the allegations so far.