One of this year’s biggest indie video game successes, one that wowed critics and players alike and spawned thousands of incredible videos, stories and discussions as folks took their first of many steps, is Big Walk.
Developed by Melbourne studio House House, of Untitled Goose Game fame, Big Walk is expected to show up on many an end-of-year award shortlist, and rightly so. But while folks across PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and various forms of Steam-compatible personal computer have all been able to traipse the puzzle-filled landscapes of Big Walk’s beautiful, open bushland, players on Xbox (and Xbox-based platforms) have yet to be let out onto the land.
Like most decisions in video game publishing and marketing, the public has only been able to speculate as to why this particular make-up of platforms was chosen, but now House House has issued a public statement that very directly reasons why Big Walk is not available on Xbox.
“We have made the decision not to release Big Walk on Xbox, in accordance with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement’s call to boycott Microsoft, and their designation of Microsoft Games (and Xbox) as a priority boycott target,” the studio’s letter reads, pointing to this movement, which continues to target Microsoft – and Xbox specifically – in its efforts to put pressure on companies to cease their involvements, investments and engagements with the State of Israel.
House House goes on to emphasise that it would “love for people to be able to play the game on Xbox,” but promises that this won’t happen for at least as long as Microsoft and/or Xbox remain targets of the BDS movement’s boycotts.
You can read the full statement here, or we’ve copied down both the visual and text versions here. You can also find all of House House’s included links just below, to learn more about the BDS movement and why the studio has chosen to observe it in regards to the release of Big Walk:
- What is BDS?
- BDS and Microsoft
- Microsoft Blocks Israel’s Use of Its Technology In Mass Surveillance of Palestinians
- Why We’re Boycotting Xbox – People Make Games
Regarding Xbox
In June 2026 we announced that the release of Big Walk would be limited to computers, Switch 2 and PS5. Since then, we have received many messages and comments, asking about a future Xbox release. We would like to address those questions here:
We have made the decision not to release Big Walk on Xbox, in accordance with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement’s call to boycott Microsoft, and their designation of Microsoft Games (and Xbox) as a priority boycott target. If you need help understanding our motives, we would recommend reading about why Microsoft is a BDS priority target, the successes this kind of pressure has already had on Microsoft, and especially, watching this great introductory piece by People Make Games.
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.
We would love for people to be able to play the game on Xbox, but not until Microsoft and/or Xbox have been removed as BDS boycott targets.
We’ve made this decision 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.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
House House
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Born into the world of video games through SEGA, and in particular Sonic the Hedgehog, Kieron’s gaming tastes now consist of the latest, shiny AAA thing, an indie darling or two, and an embarrassing number of hours of Balatro.