Latest
Category 2 Hurricane Isaias nears landfall, leading to production shut-insUkraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries, officials say, after brief truceBig Walk skipped Xbox to boycott Microsoft’s involvement with IsraelTrump’s ambassadors: the loyalists and allies at the center of controversyUS officials considering ad campaign to urge South African Afrikaners to emigrateGreetings from Mexico City, where a bullfighting ban doesn't stop this matador trainingTrump Says the Border Is Secure. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Keeps Declaring an Emergency.Category 2 Hurricane Isaias nears landfall, leading to production shut-insUkraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries, officials say, after brief truceBig Walk skipped Xbox to boycott Microsoft’s involvement with IsraelTrump’s ambassadors: the loyalists and allies at the center of controversyUS officials considering ad campaign to urge South African Afrikaners to emigrateGreetings from Mexico City, where a bullfighting ban doesn't stop this matador trainingTrump Says the Border Is Secure. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Keeps Declaring an Emergency.
← Signal: Tech & AI

Developer House House excludes Big Walk from Xbox in support of Palestinian-led BDS boycott of Microsoft

Confirmed1 source · Oct 15, 2026

The indie game studio says it will not release its co-op walking game on Xbox consoles until Microsoft is removed as a BDS boycott target over its contracts with the Israeli military and government.

Developer House House excludes Big Walk from Xbox in support of Palestinian-led BDS boycott of Microsoft
Image via The Verge

What happened

Developer House House announced it has declined to release Big Walk, a co-op multiplayer walking adventure that launched in August, on Xbox consoles. The decision aligns with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, which named Microsoft a priority boycott target in June 2023 over its contracts with the Israeli military and government. The boycott calls out Xbox consoles and Game Pass subscriptions, gaming franchises owned by Microsoft, and any gaming accessories produced by the company. House House stated in a blog post that it made this decision believing meaningful change can result from coordinated collective action, while acknowledging the decision prevents some players from enjoying the game with friends. Big Walk remains available on Windows via Steam.

Context

Microsoft's military and government contracts with Israel have prompted boycott campaigns and internal employee protests; the company has fired staff for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations. Excluding Big Walk from Xbox creates a tradeoff between the developer's stated core intention — enabling groups of friends to play together — and its commitment to the boycott movement. The decision highlights how game developers are navigating pressure from BDS activism regarding technology company relationships with Israel. The apparent inconsistency of releasing on Windows while boycotting Xbox remains unexplained by House House as of the reporting.