House House Explains Absence of Big Walk on Xbox Due to BDS Boycott
- House House cites the BDS boycott as the reason for not launching Big Walk on Xbox.
- The game, released on August 4, has sold over one million copies in its first week.
- House House expresses disappointment over the decision affecting social play.
Big Walk developer House House has explained the absence of an Xbox version of their popular co-operative puzzle game, attributing the decision to the ongoing BDS boycott. In a statement shared on House House’s social media accounts, the team emphasized, “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.”
The team further stated, “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.” They expressed their belief in the potential for meaningful change and the power of collective action, noting, “one day, Palestine will be free.”
The Palestinian-led BDS movement advocates for various boycotts against companies that support the Israeli government amidst ongoing conflicts. Companies on the boycott list include Disney, Intel, and Xbox. Xbox’s presence on this list stems from Microsoft’s partnership with Israel and its provision of Azure Cloud and AI systems which have been utilized in the region.
BDS encourages consumers to cancel their Game Pass subscriptions, boycott popular game franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush, and refrain from buying Microsoft gaming products.
Despite the lack of an Xbox version, Big Walk has achieved substantial popularity, selling over one million copies within a week of its launch on August 4.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
