House House, the Australian studio behind Big Walk, says the game is skipping Xbox because Microsoft is listed as a target of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign, according to IGN. Big Walk launched on PC, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, but Xbox Series X and S were left off the release list.
The studio, also known for Untitled Goose Game, addressed the omission directly in a statement cited by IGN. “We are disappointed too,” House House said regarding the Xbox absence.
The Main Development
House House told the outlet that its decision not to bring Big Walk to Xbox ties directly to its support for BDS, a group that describes itself as a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. The studio indicated it will not release Big Walk on Xbox until Microsoft or the Xbox brand is removed as a BDS boycott target, according to its statement to IGN.
BDS has named Xbox a priority target and has pushed a campaign urging gamers, streamers and developers to boycott Microsoft’s gaming business, IGN reported. The campaign is part of a broader push against Microsoft’s work with the Israeli government, which has drawn controversy and prompted protests from some of the company’s own employees.
What It Means For Fans
Xbox owners currently have no path to play Big Walk, a title that has drawn strong early reviews. The game holds a 91 on Metacritic and received a 9 out of 10 score from IGN. House House’s statement makes clear the exclusion is a deliberate stance tied to the BDS boycott rather than a technical or business limitation, and the studio has not offered a timeline for when that could change beyond its condition that Microsoft or Xbox first be dropped from the boycott list.
Background And Context
House House built its reputation with Untitled Goose Game before moving on to Big Walk, which arrived on three platforms this year to acclaim from critics. The Big Walk Xbox boycott decision places the studio among developers who have tied release platforms to political advocacy, with the BDS campaign specifically singling out Microsoft’s gaming division as a pressure point.
What’s Next
IGN asked Microsoft for comment on the matter. No response from Microsoft or its Xbox division has been reported. House House’s own stance remains that Big Walk will stay off Xbox unless Microsoft is removed from the BDS target list.
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