House House Refuses to Release Big Walk on Xbox, Backs BDS Boycott of Microsoft

Australian indie studio House House has confirmed it will not release its latest co-op game, Big Walk, on the Xbox console. The decision was made in support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which targets Microsoft—Xbox's parent company—as one of its main targets.

Big Walk itself has become one of the most acclaimed games of 2026. As a successor to Untitled Goose Game, it offers a multiplayer adventure in which a group of players explores natural landscapes and solves puzzles. However, House House's ambition to deliver a shared play experience had to contend with the political principles they hold.

In its official statement, House House acknowledged that the decision would cause disappointment, especially for players who wanted to enjoy Big Walk with friends on Xbox. "We know this runs counter to our wish for this game to be played together," the studio said. "We are disappointed too, but we will not release it on Xbox until Microsoft and/or Xbox is removed from the BDS boycott target list."

House House's support for BDS is not without basis. Microsoft has long supplied AI and cloud services to the Israeli government and military, including for combat and intelligence purposes. BDS openly calls Microsoft the "most involved technology company" in human rights violations against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza. BDS pressure itself has shown results, with Microsoft reportedly revoking Israel's access to certain cloud technology in September 2025.

"We believe that meaningful change can happen, that coordinated collective action can confront even the most powerful interests, and that one day, Palestine will be free." — House House

House House's decision is a first for an indie game of Big Walk's caliber. Previously, some developers have withdrawn support from certain platforms for political reasons, but few have dared to take a step this big while their game is at the peak of its popularity. The move also raises questions about how far game developers are willing to sacrifice potential revenue for principle.

For the Indonesian game industry, this phenomenon can serve as a mirror. Local developers beginning to enter the global market need to consider the ethical and political dimensions of the platforms they use. Although the Xbox market in Indonesia is not as large as PlayStation or PC, a similar decision could spark debate about the social responsibility of foreign technology companies operating in the country.

Going forward, will House House's move be followed by other developers? Or will it instead become a precedent that isolates them from part of the market? What is clear is that Big Walk is now not just a game, but a political statement that will continue to echo through the interactive entertainment industry.