House House, the Melbourne studio behind Untitled Goose Game, says its co-op adventure Big Walk will not be released on Xbox. In a statement on the game’s official website, the developer said the decision follows the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement’s call to boycott Microsoft. The game remains on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
Big Walk is a co-op game built around exploring with friends; it is out on PC, Mac, PS5 and Switch 2. Image: House House / Panic
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What House House said
The statement, titled “Regarding Xbox”, opens by noting that in June 2026 the studio announced Big Walk would be “limited to computers, Switch 2 and PS5”, and that it has since received many questions about an Xbox version. Its answer:
“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 acknowledged the cost to players: “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.”
It also set out the condition for a change of course: “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.” The statement closes by saying the decision was made “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.” The page links to BDS material on Microsoft and to an explainer video by People Make Games. House House also shared the statement on its social media accounts, as Eurogamer reported.
Where you can play Big Walk
| Platform | Status |
|---|---|
| PC and Mac (Steam) | Available since August 4, 2026 |
| PlayStation 5 | Available |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Available |
| Xbox Series X|S | Not planned, per House House |
Big Walk is published by Panic. The Steam version runs on Windows and macOS, so it can also be played on Windows handhelds. The Verge said it had asked House House why the game was not also withheld from Windows, which is a Microsoft product, and was awaiting an answer. The game supports crossplay between the platforms it is on, according to VGC.
The game has been a commercial hit. Panic said on August 10 that more than one million copies had been bought in six days, a figure that does not count PS5 players who got it through PlayStation Plus Essential in August.
Panic said Big Walk sold more than one million copies in its first six days. Image: House House / Panic
The BDS call and Microsoft’s position
The BDS National Committee called for a boycott of Xbox on April 7, 2025, naming Microsoft a priority target over its technology contracts with the Israeli military and government. The campaign asks supporters to avoid Xbox consoles, Game Pass and Microsoft-owned game franchises.
Microsoft has addressed its work in Israel in public statements. In May 2025 it confirmed that it provides the Israel Ministry of Defense with software, professional services, Azure cloud and AI services, and said internal and external reviews had found “no evidence to date” that its technology had been used to target or harm people in Gaza. In September 2025, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said Microsoft had “ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel Ministry of Defense” after a review found evidence supporting elements of a Guardian report on the storage of surveillance data in Azure.
We found no public comment from Microsoft on House House’s decision, and none of the outlets covering the announcement had reported a response from the company as of 11:30 UTC on October 15.
Other developers
House House is not the first studio to take this step. GamesIndustry.biz notes that Tenderfoot Tactics was removed from Xbox by its developer in support of the BDS campaign, and that Speculative Agency, the studio behind All Will Rise, has said it wants to join the No Games for Genocide campaign, even though that would mean returning Microsoft funding it received. Untitled Goose Game, House House’s previous game, came to Xbox in 2019, years before the boycott call. It is also published by Panic.
Related: Xbox Nano Controller details, Xbox’s exclusive Game Pass deals and Xbox games heading to PS5.
What’s next
House House has tied any Xbox release to Microsoft or Xbox being removed from the BDS target list, so there is no Xbox version on the horizon. Xbox owners who want to play with friends will need the PC, PS5 or Switch 2 versions. We will update this story if Microsoft or House House comments further.
Sources: House House statement, BDS Movement, Microsoft, The Verge, Eurogamer, GamesIndustry.biz, VGC.
Featured image: House House / Panic
