Big Walk Without Xbox – Why the Developers Are Boycotting Microsoft

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Big Walk Without Xbox – Why the Developers Are Boycotting Microsoft.

Since August, you and your friends have been able to stroll through colorful landscapes, solve puzzles, and chat along the way in "Big Walk" – but on one platform, the co-op multiplayer game is still nowhere to be found: the Xbox. What many assumed was a technical decision is actually a political one. Australian studio House House, known for "Untitled Goose Game," has now explained in a blog post why it is deliberately skipping an Xbox release.

What's behind the boycott?

In the post, the studio writes that it has been following and supporting the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) for some time. The Palestinian-led campaign calls for boycotting companies that do business with Israel – and according to The Verge and Rock Paper Shotgun, it is explicitly directed at Microsoft's gaming division, that is, at the Xbox consoles themselves.

With this move, House House joins a growing lineup of indie studios that are openly taking a political stance – even when it hurts financially.

Why is Microsoft in the crosshairs?

According to The Verge, Microsoft was declared the BDS movement's primary target last June. The background is the corporation's contracts with the Israeli military and the Israeli government. Rock Paper Shotgun dates the boycott call against Microsoft to 2025 – the exact timing differs slightly between the two reports, but the core message is the same: BDS criticizes Microsoft's role in business dealings with the Israeli state.

For you, this means: An indie studio that scored a surprise hit with "Untitled Goose Game" is deliberately passing up a massive player base with its Xbox boycott – and doing so publicly.

What does this mean for Xbox players?

Anyone who wants to play "Big Walk" currently needs a PC, a PlayStation 5, or a Nintendo Switch 2. On the Xbox Series X/S, the game is simply missing. After the developers' blog post, there's no reason to expect that to change as long as Microsoft sticks to its contracts.

The "Big Walk" team has made one thing clear: This stance is not a marketing gimmick. So Xbox players who've gotten curious will either have to switch platforms or hope that political pressure on Microsoft pays off.

More on the topic:
The Verge: Big Walk skipped Xbox to boycott Microsoft's involvement with Israel
Rock Paper Shotgun: Big Walk devs House House announce support for BDS Microsoft boycott