House House confirms Big Walk is skipping Xbox due to BDS movement support

House House, the Melbourne-based Australian studio widely recognized for its breakout success Untitled Goose Game, has provided an official explanation regarding the absence of its latest project, Big Walk, on Microsoft gaming platforms. The title, a clever co-op puzzle adventure, launched earlier this year for PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Despite its release on these platforms, the game remains conspicuously absent from the Xbox Series X and S ecosystem, a decision that has sparked significant discussion among the gaming community.

As reported by IGN, the studio addressed the matter directly via a public statement posted to its official website. House House clarified that the omission of the Xbox version is a deliberate action taken in support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. The BDS movement is a Palestinian-led initiative that advocates for freedom, justice, and equality. The organization currently categorizes Microsoft as a priority target, a designation based on Microsoft’s ongoing work with the Israeli government. This collaboration has been a recurring point of controversy, notably leading to internal protests among some Microsoft employees as reported by the BBC.

Stance on platform release

House House has made its position clear regarding future support for the platform. The studio stated that it will not move forward with a release on Xbox consoles until Microsoft and/or Xbox are removed as targets by the BDS movement. This means the boycott is currently in place indefinitely. The developer has shown no signs of altering this policy, confirming that the critical acclaim achieved by Big Walk will remain restricted to non-Microsoft platforms for the foreseeable future.

Big Walk has been a major success since its release earlier this year. The game earned a 91 rating on Metacritic and has appeared on numerous Game of the Year contender lists. In IGN’s own review, which awarded the game a 9/10 score, the publication praised the experience as a rewarding co-op adventure filled with beautiful, emergent moments. Players are invited to explore a vast open world while collaborating with friends to solve cleverly constructed puzzles, a gameplay loop that has resonated strongly with audiences on other platforms.

For those looking to play Big Walk, the developer currently offers the title on PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Xbox users hoping for a change in status should note that the developer’s stance remains tied strictly to the status of the BDS campaign. While IGN has reached out to Microsoft for comment, no resolution to the situation appears imminent. Players should monitor both official communications from House House and updates from the BDS movement to see if the criteria for the boycott change in the future.

Why it matters

The situation surrounding Big Walk highlights a growing intersection between the video game industry and political activism. As developers increasingly align their business practices and release strategies with external social and political movements, the availability of major, critically acclaimed titles may become subject to factors outside of traditional publishing agreements. This development marks a clear boundary for Xbox users, as one of this year’s most highly regarded cooperative experiences remains inaccessible within their chosen ecosystem.